CHANUKAH – SALVATIONS, MIRACLES AND WONDERS

בס”ד

Based on Likutei Sichot, vol. 15, p. 366

Lighting customs

● After lighting
– We kindle these lights [to commemorate] the salvations, miracles and wonders which You have performed for our forefathers, in those days at this time, through Your holy priests. Throughout the eight days of Chanukah, these lights are sacred, and we are not permitted to make use of them, but only to look at them, in order to offer thanks and praise to Your great Name for Your miracles, for Your wonders and for Your salvations.

The order of factors…

Beginning of song
– Hatshuot ( הַתְּשׁוּעָת)                         – Salvations
– Hasnisim ( הַנִּסִּים )                           – Miracles
– Hanifloot ( הַנִּפְלָאוֹת)                           – Wonders
End of song
– Nisecha ( נְסִיכְךָ )                                – Mircales
– Nefleeotecha ( נִפְלָאוֹתֶיךָ )                  – Wonders
– Yeshuatecha ( ייְשׁוּעוֹתֶיךָ )                   – Salvations

Definitions

● Salvation
– At war, the enemies’ strength (quantity and quality) is comparable.
– You need G-d’s salvation.
– It looks like a natural fact.
● Miracle
– Higher than nature. Opposite of the worldly order.
– The weaker (quality) and lesser (quantity) army wins
● Wonder
– Not open miracles. Could be explained in a natural way.
– Different from the normal behavior.
– Awakens “a wonder”.

The order of the story
”which You have performed for our forefathers, in those days”

● Salvations
– Rebellion at the town of Modi’in.
– Greeks wanted to sacrifice a pig. Small army.
● Miracles
– King Antioch sent a huge army.
– “You delivered the mighty into the hands of the weak, the many into the
hands of the few”.
● Wonders
– The Greeks impurified all oils in the Chamber of Oils.
– Jug of oil sealed.
– Semi buried in the ground!

The order of thankfulness
”in order to offer thanks and praise to Your great Name”

● Miracles
– Everyone recognized that it comes from G-d.
● Wonders
– After contemplation, one realizes that the “wondrous” facts
also come from G-d.
– But there is room for doubts…
● Salvations
– After deeper contemplation one recognizes that even the
apparent “natural” facts, also come from G-d.

Deeper concepts

● Nature transcends nature

– Everything is miracles…

Open miracles.
Miracles invested in “nature”.

● “Believes in the Eternal Life and plants” (Tosafot Shabat 31a)

– The rules of nature are not the reason why we plant…

● The lowest is connected to the highest

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By Rabbi Tuvia Serber

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