Post date: Dec 03, 2013 5:15:3 AM
No Masechtah for Chanukah
Why does Chanukah not have its own Masechtah of Gemara unlike all of the other holidays?
HaRav Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer explains that since Chanukah and Purim are holidays “only Miderabanan” (enacted by Chazal), neither one should have its own Masechtah. But the Gemara Yerushalmi (Megillah 2:4, 20b) tells us that an exception was made for Purim because the Pasuk says (Esther 9:28) “V’zichram lo yasuf mizar’am” (And their memory [of the days of Purim] shall not depart from their offspring), to which the Gemara comments that “from here we derive the reason why Chazal established for Purim its own Masechtah.”
Chazal’s interpretation of this Pasuk dictated that they must take steps to ensure that the Neis (miracle of) Purim should never be forgotten. Hence the creation of Maseches Megillah. It took a Gezeiras Hakasuv (a decree based on a Pasuk) for the Masechtah to be created, something which wasn’t available in the case of Chanukah.
So, as R. Bechhofer says, really the question shouldn't be “Why does Chanukah not have its own Masechtah,” but rather “Why does Purim have its own Masechtah?”
[Inside Chanukah, p. 94]
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Focus on miracle of oil
Why is the main focus of Chanukah on the miracle of the jar of oil and not on the military victory?
Before we answer this question, the Bnei Yissaschar begs us to ask a better question. Was the miracle of the oil even necessary? Since they had already gone such a long time without having lit the Menorah, what significance would have waiting another week (for new oil to be pressed and brought) have meant in the grand scheme of things? We can posit that without the miracle of finding the jug of oil, they were surely Patur (exempt) from the requirement to light the Menorah because they were in the category of Oneis (in a situation beyond their control). So why does this little jar of oil garner so much focus on this holiday?
The Ramban explains that by experiencing open miracles, we come to recognize hidden miracles that Hashem performs daily. We thank Hashem for this in the Shemoneh Esrei when we say the Bracha “Modim anachnu lach… v’al nisecha she’b’chol yom imanu” (We gratefully thank You… and for Your miracles that are with us every day). Through the miracle of the oil, we came to recognize the military miracle. One they grasped the miracle of the oil, they also recognized that Hashem was with them on the battlefield, as the few and weak overcame the many and mighty. The military victory was a hidden miracle. People could have said that they had superior intelligence, better strategy, or were just plain lucky. (The unacquainted might, erroneously, say something similar about the modern day victories of the Israeli military against the surrounding Arab nations; that the victories are simply a result of superior military prowess and strategy.)
Therefore, Chanukah focuses on the miracle of the oil in order to illuminate our eyes to the miracles that Hashem does on our behalf daily. We should take this lesson to heart and attempt to sensitize ourselves to the constant, intimate dealings that Hashem has in the lives of each and every one of us.
R. Dovid Feinstein brings an additional insight. He explains that Chazal didn’t want to cause any problems with other nations by having a celebration of their downfall. We’re taught this lesson in Pirkei Avos (4:24) when Shmuel HaKatan tells us not to rejoice in the downfall of our enemies. So, instead of celebrating the collapse of the Yevanim, Chazal established that we would celebrate our own salvation by focusing on the miracle of the oil.
[Inside Chanukah, p. 59, 60]
The obvious question that surfaces is “What about the celebration of Purim?” This is a holiday that is overtly about us beating our enemies, and making a point of drowning out the name of Haman when it’s mentioned during the Megilah reading. How does this align with R. Dovid Feinstein’s explanation? In my opinion, I think that the answer if very simple. While the teaching of Shmuel HaKatan is the rule, and we apply this rule in general, there would seem to be a singular exception to this rule. We have a Mitzvah to wipe out Amalek (or the memory of Amalek). Amalek was so evil that conventional rules don’t apply when dealing with them. As such, it would seem that Shmuel HaKatan’s rule would not apply to them. And so we have a simple explanation of how Shmuel HaKatan’s rule was in fact followed by Chazal when enacting the holiday of Chanukah, and yet how the contrasting celebration of Purim isn’t in conflict with that rule.
[Lefi aniyas da’ahti]
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The rearranged letters of “Chanukah” could be interpreted as being Roshei Teivos for the following phrase:
Neis Kohanim V’gam Chanukas Hamizbeiach
(There was) a miracle (through the) Kohanim, and also the dedication of the alter.
[Inside Chanukah, p. 463]