Post date: Dec 22, 2014 2:41:16 AM
Mai Chanukah?
At the beginning of the Gemara’s discussion about Chanukah (Shabbos 21b), the question is asked “Mai Chanukah,” which is simply translated as “What is the reason for Chanukah? The Gemara proceeds to answer the question by starting off with the common phrase “Detanu Rabbanan…” (For our Rabbis taught…).
The Tiferes Shlomo (in his Sefer Inyanei Chanukah) takes full advantage of this opening and renders his unique understanding of this snippet of the Gemara as follows:
Mai Chanukah - What is the most important thing you should do on Chanukah?
Detanu Rabbanan - Learn Torah zealously!
The Kedushas Halevi similarly teaches us that the Yevanim enacted decrees to push the Jews away from learning Torah with the intent of causing every last memory of Torah to be forgotten from the collective minds of the Jews. Hashem saved us from spiritual annihilation, and in appreciation for that we should recommit ourselves to learning His Torah with renewed enthusiasm.
[The Essence of Chanukah, p. 15]
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The story of the miracle in one word
The Sha’alah tells us that the Gematriah of the letters of “Chanukah” (ches, nun, vav, kaf, heih) alludes to the miracle of the oil.
Ches: To burn for 8 days,
Nun, Vav: the menorah needed 56 half-luggin (volume measurement) of oil.
Kaf, Heih: Despite there being only enough oil for the singular day of the 25th of Kisleiv, it miraculously burned for 8 days!
[Inside Chanukah, p. 462]
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A new answer each night! -- The Beis Yosef poses a very famous question about the length of the Chanukah holiday. “When the Chashmonaim found the jar of oil, they had the first day’s oil at that point. Since the miracle seemed to begin with the second night, why was Chanukah instituted for eight days instead if just seven?” (Below is another possible answer.)
The Mekor Chaim (Chavas Daas) tells us that all along, the Kohanim knew that there was a jar with enough pure oil to light the Menorah for one day that was hidden in the Beis Hamikdash. After the defeat of the Yevanim, they searched for that hidden jar. To their surprise, they found that the jar now contained enough pure oil to light the Menorah for eight days! Hence, the first day was also to be celebrated as part of the holiday because of the miracle that took place with the jar of oil.
[The Essence of Chanukah, p. 31]