Having trouble viewing this site? Try going to mobile.ohr.edu
ohr.edu
Ohr Somayach / Chanukah

WorldWide Branches
back to Holidays home pageback to Chanukah home page
Just a Little Miracle
by Rabbi Yaakov Asher Sinclair - www.seasonsofthemoon.com
If there was only a miracle for seven days, why do we light for eight?
The lights of Chanukah celebrate a little miracle: After a small band of Jews had beaten the might of Greece, one small flask of oil for the Menorah was discovered in the Holy Temple - One small flask, un-defiled by the Greeks... That flask contained enough oil to last just one short day. But it burned and burned for eight days... To commemorate that little miracle we kindle the lights of Chanukah for eight days.

But if you think about it - we should really only light the lights for seven days, because on that first day the lights burned completely naturally - there was enough oil for one day!

So why do we light candles for eight nights - one of those nights was no miracle at all!

That eighth candle we light is for the little miracle called the Jewish People. When Louis the XIV asked Pascal for one piece of evidence of G-d's presence in this world, he replied "The Jews, Your Majesty..."

The survival of the Jewish People is like that one pure flask of oil. It seems so frail. You think it will never survive. But it goes on burning and burning and burning... And the reason it goes on burning is because it is pure.

It's just a little miracle...



printable version
© Ohr Somayach International

Buy audio tapes by Rabbi Yaakov Asher Sinclair - <a href='http://www.seasonsofthemoon.com'>www.seasonsofthemoon.com</a>
Subscribe!

Get new
articles from
Ohr Somayach sent to your
inbox

 

also on ohr.edu


Is Classical Music in
Harmony with Judaism?
Breaking The Barriers
Breaking The Barriers
Of Bombs and Burials
Of Bombs & Burials
 

WorldWide Branches
ohr somayach
contact us
donate
apply online for courses
email subscriptions



TalmuDigest - by Rabbi Mendel WeinbachLove of the Land - by Rabbi Mendel Weinbach
Seasons of the Moon - Photography by Rabbi Yaakov Asher Sinclair

© 1995-2008 Ohr Somayach International
Ohr Somayach International is a 501c3 not-for-profit corporation (letter on file) and your donation is tax deductable.