From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz of Bialaרבי דוד מתתיהו רבינוביץ מביאלאProfile ›
Miracles Today: The Order of the Chanukah Blessings
Why do we say the blessing “Who performed miracles” only after the blessing over kindling the lamps, when it would seem right first to recall the miracle and then light in its memory? And what do “at this time” and “as on this very day” really mean?
Shabbos 23a
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר חֲנֻכָּה
Blessed are You, Hashem our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to kindle the Chanukah lamp.
1“Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to kindle the Chanukah lamp.”1 My holy great-grandfather of Biala, zt"l, asked:2 Why do we say the blessing “Who performed miracles” after the blessing “to kindle the Chanukah lamp”? It would seem more fitting to say “Who performed miracles” first, to make known and recall the great miracle Hashem did for Israel. Only then should we say the blessing “to kindle,” which is said over lighting the lamps in memory of the miracle.
אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר חֲנוּכָּה. כ״ק זְקֵנִי זצללה״ה מביאלא הִקְשָׁה (דברי בינה פרשת מקץ ד״ה ויהי [הז׳]), מַדּוּעַ מְבָרְכִים בִּרְכַּת ׳שֶׁעָשָׂה נִסִּים׳ לְאַחַר בִּרְכַּת ׳לְהַדְלִיק נֵר חֲנוּכָּה׳, דְּלִכְאוֹרָה הָיָה יוֹתֵר נָכוֹן לְבָרֵךְ תְּחִילָּה ׳שֶׁעָשָׂה נִסִּים׳, לְהוֹדִיעַ וּלְהַזְכִּיר אֶת הַנֵּס הַגָּדוֹל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה ה׳ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וּלְאַחַר מִכֵּן לְבָרֵךְ בִּרְכַּת ׳לְהַדְלִיק׳, הַנֶּאֱמֶרֶת עַל הַדְלָקַת הַנֵּרוֹת לְזֵכֶר הַנֵּס.
- The first blessing over the Chanukah lamps; Shabbos 23a. ↩
- Divrei Binah, Mikeitz, s.v. Vayehi (the seventh). The first Biala Rebbe, author of Divrei Binah, the Rebbe's great-grandfather. ↩
Sources here
In shortShould we not first bless “Who performed miracles,” recalling the miracle, and only then bless over the lamps that commemorate it?
2We must also look closely at the wording of the blessing “Who performed miracles … in those days, at this time.” What is meant by “at this time”? And in the prayer Al HaNissim we say, “And for Your people Israel You performed a salvation … as on this very day.” What do the words “as on this very day” mean? We must also explain why this day, the eighth of Chanukah, is called Zos Chanukah,3 a question the holy sefarim have dwelt on.
עוֹד יֵשׁ לְדַקְדֵּק בִּלְשׁוֹן בִּרְכַּת שֶׁעָשָׂה נִיסִּים ׳וּבַזְּמַן הַזֶּה׳, מַה הַכַּוָּונָה בָּזֶה. גַּם יֵשׁ לְדַקְדֵּק בְּנוּסַּח הַתְּפִילָּה ׳וּלְעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל עָשִׂיתָ תְּשׁוּעָה וְכוּ׳ כְּהַיּוֹם הַזֶּה׳, מַה מַשְׁמָעוּת תֵּיבוֹת ׳כְּהַיּוֹם הַזֶּה׳. גַּם יֵשׁ לְבָאֵר מַדּוּעַ קוֹרְאִים לְיוֹם זֶה בְּשֵׁם ׳זֹאת חֲנוּכָּה׳, כַּאֲשֶׁר עָמְדוּ בָּזֶה בַּסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים.
- The day's Torah reading begins “Zos, this, was the dedication of the altar” (Bamidbar 7:84). ↩
Sources here
In shortWhat do “at this time” in the blessing and “as on this very day” in Al HaNissim mean, and why “Zos Chanukah”?
3We can explain this through the way the holy sefarim interpret Chazal's words “One who reads the Megillah lemafrei'a, backward, has not fulfilled his obligation.”4 The Jewish people must believe that the miracle did not happen only “in those days,” as if only then did Hashem perform miracles for His people Israel. They must believe that in every generation, the very fact that we live and endure is a great miracle. As we say in the Haggadah, “In every generation they rise up against us to destroy us, and the Holy One, blessed be He, saves us from their hand.” For Israel is called “a scattered sheep,”5 scattered among the nations, and its whole existence rests on a miracle alone. That is the meaning of “One who reads the Megillah lemafrei'a”: one who looks back on the Megillah and its miracle as something of the past that has nothing to do with now “has not fulfilled his obligation.” He must know and believe that today too, every single day, miracles are done for Israel just as in the days of Mordechai, only they are hidden.
וְאֶפְשָׁר לְבָאֵר, עַל פִּי מַה שֶׁפֵּירְשׁוּ בַּסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים (מאור ושמש פורים, בני יששכר טבת ד, ט בשם רבותינו) אֶת מַאֲמַר חז״ל (מגילה יז, א) ׳הַקּוֹרֵא אֶת הַמְּגִילָּה לְמַפְרֵעַ לֹא יָצָא׳, דִּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל צְרִיכִים לְהַאֲמִין שֶׁהַנֵּס לֹא הָיָה רַק בַּיָּמִים הַהֵם, שֶׁרַק אָז עָשָׂה הקב״ה נִיסִּים לְעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶלָּא צְרִיכִים לְהַאֲמִין שֶׁבְּכָל דּוֹר וָדוֹר כָּל מַה שֶׁאָנוּ חַיִּים וְקַיָּימִים הוּא נֵס גָּדוֹל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָנוּ אוֹמְרִים (הגדה של פסח) ׳שֶׁבְּכָל דּוֹר וָדוֹר עוֹמְדִים עָלֵינוּ לְכַלּוֹתֵינוּ והקב״ה מַצִּילֵנוּ מִיָּדָם׳, שֶׁעַם יִשְׂרָאֵל הַנִּקְרָא ׳שֶׂה פְזוּרָה׳ (ירמיהו נ, יז. ועיין במדבר רבה ד, ה), שֶׁמְּפוּזָּר בֵּין הָעַמִּים, וְכָל קִיּוּמוֹ הוּא רַק בְּנֵס. וְזֶה הַכַּוָּונָה ׳הַקּוֹרֵא אֶת הַמְּגִילָּה לְמַפְרֵעַ׳, הַיְינוּ מִי שֶׁנִּרְאֶה בְּעֵינָיו הַמְּגִילָּה וְעִנְיַן הַנֵּס כְּדָבָר שֶׁהָיָה בְּעֵבֶר וְאֵינוֹ שַׁיָּיךְ עַתָּה, ׳לֹא יָצָא׳, אֶלָּא צָרִיךְ הוּא לָדַעַת וּלְהַאֲמִין שֶׁגַּם כְּהַיּוֹם נַעֲשִׂים נִסִּים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכָל יוֹם וְיוֹם כְּמוֹ בִּימֵי מָרְדְּכַי, אֶלָּא שֶׁהוּא בְּהֶסְתֵּר.
- Megillah 17a; Maor VaShemesh, Purim; Bnei Yissaschar, Teves 4:9, in the name of our teachers. ↩
- Yirmiyahu 50:17; see Bamidbar Rabbah 4:5. ↩
Sources here
In shortReading the Megillah “backward” means seeing its miracle as past; Israel's survival among the nations is a hidden miracle every day.
4In the same way we can explain the words “as on this very day” in the prayer, and “at this time” in the blessing “Who performed miracles.” Miracles happened not only in their time. On this very day and at this time, too, Hashem constantly performs miracles for His people Israel.
וְעַל פִּי זֶה יֵשׁ לְבָאֵר גַּם הַכַּוָּונָה בַּמֶּה שֶׁאוֹמְרִים בִּתְפִילָּה ׳כְּהַיּוֹם הַזֶּה׳ וְכֵן בְּבִרְכַּת שֶׁעָשָׂה נִיסִּים ׳וּבַזְּמַן הַזֶּה׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁלֹּא רַק בִּשְׁעָתָם הָיוּ נִיסִּים, אֶלָּא גַּם כְּהַיּוֹם הַזֶּה וּבַזְּמַן הַזֶּה עוֹשֶׂה הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרֵךְ נִיסִּים תָּדִיר לְעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל.
In short“As on this very day” and “at this time” tell us that Hashem's miracles for Israel go on constantly, now as then.
5With this we can resolve the question we raised about the order of the blessings. We first say the blessing “to kindle,” because when we light the Chanukah lamps, they shine on us and draw down to us the light and the spiritual flow of those days. Then we recognize that Hashem is the Creator and Guide of the whole world, and that the whole existence of the Jewish people comes from His power. Once the lighting has taught us that we must always thank and praise Him for the miracles He performs for us every single day, we can say “Who performed miracles … in those days, at this time.” In this blessing we give Him blessing and praise for the miracles He performs for us every day as well, “at this time.” After that we say Shehecheyanu, the blessing “Who has kept us alive.” This blessing too is for the way the Holy One, blessed be He, saves us from the hand of those who rise against us, and keeps us alive and sustains us among the nations.
וּבָזֶה יֵשׁ לְיַישֵּׁב הַקּוּשְׁיָא שֶׁהֵבֵאנוּ בְּעִנְיַן סֵדֶר הַבְּרָכוֹת, שֶׁתְּחִילָּה מְבָרְכִים בִּרְכַּת ׳לְהַדְלִיק׳, כֵּיוָן שֶׁעַל יְדֵי הַדְלָקַת נֵרוֹת חֲנוּכָּה מְאִירִים עָלֵינוּ הַנֵּרוֹת וּמַמְשִׁיכִים לָנוּ אֶת אוֹרוֹת וְהַשְׁפָּעוֹת הַיָּמִים הַהֵם, וְאָנוּ מַכִּירִים שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרֵךְ הוּא בּוֹרֵא וּמַנְהִיג לְכָל הָעוֹלָם, וְכָל קִיּוּם עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא מִכּוֹחוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ שְׁמוֹ. וְאַחֲרֵי שֶׁלָּמַדְנוּ עִנְיָן זֶה מֵהַהַדְלָקָה, שֶׁצְּרִיכִים לְהוֹדוֹת וּלְהַלֵּל תָּמִיד עַל הַנִּיסִּים שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה עִמָּנוּ הקב״ה בְּכָל יוֹם וְיוֹם לְאַחַר מִכֵּן יְכוֹלִים אָנוּ לְבָרֵךְ ׳שֶׁעָשָׂה נִיסִּים בַּיָּמִים הַהֵם וּבַזְּמַן הַזֶּה׳, וּבוֹ אָנוּ מְבָרְכִים וּמְשַׁבְּחִים גַּם עַל הַנִּיסִּים שהקב״ה עוֹשֶׂה לָנוּ בְּכָל יוֹם, ׳בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה׳. וּלְאַחַר מִכֵּן מְבָרְכִים בִּרְכַּת ׳שֶׁהֶחֱיָינוּ׳, וּבְרָכָה זוֹ הִיא גַּם כֵּן עַל זֶה שהקב״ה מַצִּילֵנוּ מִיָּדָם, וּמְחַיֵּינוּ וּמְקַיְּימֵנוּ בֵּין הָעַמִּים.
In shortThe lighting comes first because its light shows us that Israel lives by Hashem's power; then we can praise Him for today's miracles too.
6aThis lets us understand the wondrous words of the holy Rebbe R' Moshe of Kozhnitz, zt"l.6 He writes that the three blessings over the Chanukah lamp are hinted in the verse “Make yourself a fiery serpent and set it upon a pole, and whoever is bitten shall look at it and live.”7 “Make yourself a saraf,” a serpent named for burning, hints at the blessing “to kindle the Chanukah lamp.” “And set it upon a nes,” a pole, a word that also means “miracle,” hints at the blessing “Who performed nissim, miracles.” “Shall look at it and live” hints at the blessing “Who has kept us alive.” But what does this verse have to do with the blessings of Chanukah? We may explain it through a well-known teaching of Chazal on this verse: “Does a serpent kill, or does a serpent give life? Rather, when Bnei Yisrael looked upward and subjected their hearts to their Father in Heaven, they were healed …”8
וְעַל פִּי זֶה אֶפְשָׁר לְהָבִין הַדְּבָרִים הַנִּפְלָאִים שֶׁכָּתַב הרה״ק רַבִּי מֹשֶׁה מקוזניץ זצללה״ה (בספר דעת משה דרושים לחנוכה ד״ה ראיתי, ועיין מטה משה סימן תתק״פ) שֶׁבַּפָּסוּק (במדבר כא, ח) ״עֲשֵׂה לְךָ שָׂרָף וְשִׂים אוֹתוֹ עַל נֵס וְהָיָה כָּל הַנָּשׁוּךְ וְרָאָה אוֹתוֹ וָחָי״ נִרְמְזוּ שְׁלוֹשֶׁת הַבְּרָכוֹת שֶׁמְּבָרְכִים עַל נֵר חֲנוּכָּה, ׳עֲשֵׂה לְךָ שָׂרָף׳ רוֹמֵז עַל בִּרְכַּת לְהַדְלִיק נֵר חֲנוּכָּה, ׳וְשִׂים אוֹתוֹ עַל נֵס׳ רוֹמֵז לְבִרְכַּת שֶׁעָשָׂה נִסִּים, ׳וְרָאָה אוֹתוֹ וָחָי׳ רוֹמֵז לְבִרְכַּת שֶׁהֶחֱיָינוּ. וְלִכְאוֹרָה אֵינוֹ מוּבָן מַה שַׁיָּיכוּת יֵשׁ לְפָסוּק זֶה עִם בִּרְכוֹת חֲנוּכָּה. אַךְ יֵשׁ לוֹמַר בָּזֶה, דְּהִנֵּה יָדוּעַ מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ חז״ל (ראש השנה כט, א) עַל פָּסוּק זֶה, וְכִי נָחָשׁ מֵמִית אוֹ נָחָשׁ מְחַיֶּה, אֶלָּא בִּזְמַן שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל מִסְתַּכְּלִין כְּלַפֵּי מַעְלָה וּמְשַׁעְבְּדִין אֶת לִבָּם לַאֲבִיהֶם שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם הָיוּ מִתְרַפְּאִין וְכוּ׳.
6bThis is what we take to heart from the miracle of Chanukah. Just as at the time of the miracle Israel was able to stand against its enemies only through the miracle the Holy One, blessed be He, performed for it, so in every generation the Jewish people exists only through Hashem's power and His wonders. The order of the verse hints at this well. “Make yourself a saraf” means that we first mention the kindling of the lamps, from which the light of Chanukah shines on us. That awakens us to understand that Hashem sustains His people Israel with His wonders, just as Bnei Yisrael came to see this through the copper serpent [that Moshe made as the saraf]. And this is “and set it upon a nes,” for through this we come to say “Who performed miracles in those days, at this time,” praising Him for today's miracles too. After that comes “shall look at it and live,” the blessing “Who has kept us alive,” for Hashem saves us and keeps us alive among the nations.
וְזֶה אָנוּ נוֹתְנִים לֵב לְהָבִין מִנֵּס חֲנוּכָּה, שֶׁכְּשֵׁם שֶׁבִּשְׁעַת הַנֵּס מַה שֶׁיָּכְלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לַעֲמוֹד נֶגֶד אוֹיְבֵיהֶם הָיָה רַק עַל יְדֵי הַנֵּס שֶׁעָשָׂה לָהֶם הקב״ה, כְּמוֹ כֵן הוּא בְּכָל הַדּוֹרוֹת, שֶׁקִּיּוּם עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא רַק מִכּוֹחוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ שְׁמוֹ וְנִפְלְאוֹתָיו. וּמְרוּמָּז הֵיטֵב עִנְיָן זֶה גַּם בְּסֵדֶר הַפָּסוּק, ׳עֲשֵׂה לְךָ שָׂרָף׳ הַיְינוּ שֶׁעַל יְדֵי שֶׁמַּזְכִּירִים תְּחִילָּה הַדְלָקַת הַנֵּרוֹת, אֲשֶׁר מֵהֶם מוֹפִיעַ עָלֵינוּ אוֹר חֲנוּכָּה, עַל יְדֵי זֶה מִתְעוֹרְרִים לְהָבִין שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרֵךְ מְקַיֵּים אֶת עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּנִפְלְאוֹתָיו, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁרָאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל זֹאת עַל יְדֵי נְחַשׁ הַנְּחוֹשֶׁת. וְזֶהוּ ׳וְשִׂים אוֹתוֹ עַל נֵס׳, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה תָּבוֹא לְבָרֵךְ שֶׁעָשָׂה נִיסִּים בַּיָּמִים הַהֵם וּבַזְּמַן הַזֶּה, וְכַנִּזְכָּר. וּלְאַחַר מִכֵּן ׳וְרָאָה אוֹתוֹ וָחָי׳ בִּרְכַּת שֶׁהֶחֱיָינוּ, שהקב״ה מַצִּילֵנוּ וּמְחַיֵּינוּ בֵּין הָעַמִּים.
In shortR' Moshe of Kozhnitz found the three blessings, in our order, in the verse of the fiery serpent: kindling, the miracle, then “Who has kept us alive.”
7This explains the name Zos Chanukah. We know that a mitzvah is called only by the name of the one who completes it.9 That is why on this day, the day we complete the mitzvah, the light of the days of Chanukah is revealed in full. We are privileged to reach the level we have described: to see how Hashem sustains His people Israel with His wonders. That is the meaning of zos, “this,” as in “This is my God and I will glorify Him”:10 Hashem's power is revealed and seen before the eyes of all flesh. That is why this day is called Zos Chanukah.
וּבָזֶה יֵשׁ לְבָאֵר עִנְיַן זֹאת חֲנוּכָּה. דְּהִנֵּה נוֹדַע שֶׁאֵין הַמִּצְוָוה נִקְרֵאת אֶלָּא עַל שֵׁם גּוֹמְרָהּ (רש״י דברים ח, א, ועיין סוטה יג, ב), וְעַל כֵּן בַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה שֶׁבּוֹ גּוֹמְרִים הַמִּצְוָה, מִתְגַּלֶּה בּוֹ בִּשְׁלֵימוּת הָאוֹר שֶׁל יְמֵי הַחֲנוּכָּה, וְהוּא שֶׁזּוֹכִים לְמַדְרֵגָה הַנִּזְכֶּרֶת, לִרְאוֹת אֵיךְ שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרֵךְ מְקַיֵּים אֶת עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּנִפְלְאוֹתָיו. וְעִנְיָן זֶה הוּא בְּחִינַת ׳זֹאת׳, כָּעִנְיָן ״זֶה אֵלִי וְאַנְוֵהוּ״ (שמות טו, ב), שֶׁמִּתְגַּלֶּה וְנִרְאֶה לְעֵינֵי כָּל בָּשָׂר כֹּחוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ שְׁמוֹ, וְעַל כֵּן קוֹרְאִים לְיוֹם זֶה בְּשֵׁם ׳זֹאת חֲנוּכָּה׳.
- Rashi on Devarim 8:1; see Sotah 13b. ↩
- Shemos 15:2. Rashi there explains that at the sea Hashem revealed Himself so clearly that they could point to Him and say “This.” ↩
In shortOn the day that completes the mitzvah, Chanukah's light shines in full and Hashem's sustaining power is seen, as if to point and say “this.”
8We know that the days of Chanukah continue the Days of Awe. That is why the custom on Zos Chanukah is to bless one another with “Gmar chasimah tovah,” “a good final sealing.” There is a proof for this in the Gemara, which says that Chanukah corresponds to the bull offerings of the Festival of Sukkos.11 This hints that Chanukah, like Sukkos, is a time of teshuvah out of love. This is true above all of Zos Chanukah, when the miracle is so dear to us that it brings us to teshuvah out of love. So these days are days of mercy, especially suited to a good final sealing.
וְהִנֵּה נוֹדַע שֶׁיְּמֵי חֲנוּכָּה הֵם הֶמְשֵׁךְ לְיָמִים נוֹרָאִים, וְלָכֵן הַמִּנְהָג בְּזֶה הַיּוֹם לְבָרֵךְ זֶה לָזֶה בְּבִרְכַּת ׳גְּמַר חֲתִימָה טוֹבָה׳. וְיֵשׁ רְאָיָה לָזֶה מִן הַגְּמָרָא (שבת כא, ב) שֶׁאָמְרוּ שֶׁחֲנוּכָּה הוּא כְּנֶגֶד פָּרֵי הֶחָג, וְהוּא רֶמֶז שֶׁכְּשֵׁם שֶׁבְּסוּכּוֹת הוּא זְמַן תְּשׁוּבָה מֵאַהֲבָה, כָּךְ גַּם בַּחֲנוּכָּה, וּבְיוֹתֵר בְּיוֹם זֹאת חֲנוּכָּה, שֶׁמֵּחֲמַת חֲבִיבוּת הַנֵּס בָּאִים לִבְחִינַת תְּשׁוּבָה מֵאַהֲבָה, לָכֵן אֵלּוּ הַיָּמִים הֵם יְמֵי רַחֲמִים וּמְסוּגָּלִים לִגְמַר חֲתִימָה טוֹבָה.
- Shabbos 21b. According to Beis Shammai, one light fewer is lit each night, like the bull offerings of Sukkos, which grow fewer each day. ↩
In shortLike Sukkos with its bulls, Chanukah continues the Days of Awe as a time of teshuvah out of love, suited to a good final sealing.
9[This explains why tzaddikim counted the days of Chanukah as days of Divine favor:12 these days draw down a power that awakens teshuvah out of love. That is why the tzaddikim said that Zos Chanukah, the last of these days, is the day of the sealing and a time of pardon and forgiveness. So everyone must make good use of the day of Zos Chanukah and turn his thoughts to teshuvah.]
*[וּלְפִי זֶה מְבוֹאָר מַה שֶׁצַּדִּיקִים הֶחְשִׁיבוּ אֶת יְמֵי חֲנוּכָּה לִימֵי רָצוֹן, כִּי אֵלּוּ הַיָּמִים מַשְׁפִּיעִים לְעוֹרֵר לִתְשׁוּבָה מֵאַהֲבָה. וּלְכָךְ אָמְרוּ הַצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁזֹּאת חֲנוּכָּה שֶׁהוּא הָאַחֲרוֹן שֶׁבְּאֵלּוּ הַיָּמִים, הוּא יוֹם הַחֲתִימָה, וּזְמַן מְחִילָה וּסְלִיחָה, לָכֵן כָּל אֶחָד צָרִיךְ לְנַצֵּל אֶת יוֹם זֹאת חֲנוּכָּה וּלְהַרְהֵר בִּתְשׁוּבָה].
- The sefer's note: An addition from another place. ↩
In shortTzaddikim prized Chanukah as days of favor, and Zos Chanukah as the day of sealing; no one should let it pass without thoughts of teshuvah.
10May Hashem grant that we be privileged to receive a good final sealing and a rich flow of every good. And may the hidden light, the light of Creation stored away for the righteous, be revealed to us with the coming of Moshiach. Amen, may it be His will.
יִתֵּן ה׳, שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לִגְמַר חֲתִימָה טוֹבָה, וְשֶׁפַע רַב טוּב, וְיִתְגַּלֶּה עָלֵינוּ אוֹר הַגָּנוּז עִם בִּיאַת מָשִׁיחַ, אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן:
In shortMay we receive a good final sealing and abundant good, and see the hidden light revealed with Moshiach's coming.
His great-grandfather of Biala asked why the blessing over the miracle follows the blessing over the lighting. The holy sefarim read “one who reads the Megillah backward has not fulfilled his obligation” as one who sees its miracle as past: Israel, a scattered sheep among the nations, lives every day by hidden miracles. That is what “at this time” and “as on this very day” mean. So we light first: the lamps shine on us and show that Israel’s whole existence comes from Hashem’s power, and only then can we truly praise Him for today’s miracles. The verse of the copper serpent, in which R’ Moshe of Kozhnitz finds the three blessings, hints at the same order. On Zos Chanukah, the day that completes the mitzvah, this light shines in full; continuing the Days of Awe, it is a day of sealing and of teshuvah out of love.
Takeaway
The Chanukah miracle is not only a memory: “at this time” and “as on this very day” tell us that Hashem's miracles for us go on every day, only hidden. We light first so that the small flames open our eyes to see that our whole survival among the nations rests on His wonders, and then our thanks becomes real. Zos Chanukah, when this light shines in full, is a day of sealing and of teshuvah out of love, and we should make good use of it.
Learn this in the merit of Rav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz of Biala. His yahrzeit and life ›
English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.