01 Dec ZOS CHANUKAH
The Rebbe of Ruzhin zt’l said, “What tzaddikim are able to accomplish on Rosh Hashanah and on Yom Kippur, a simple Yid can accomplish on Zos Chanukah.” The explanation may be that Chanukah is a time of miracles.
Therefore, a drop of tefillah, even from a simple Yid, can bring forth the miracles. Another explanation for the miracles of Chanukah is because this is a day that’s beyond the laws of nature. The Maharal (Ner Mitzvah 2) teaches that the number seven represents nature and the number eight represents above nature. Chanukah is eight days, therefore all days of Chanukah is a time for miracles. This uniqueness is enhanced on Zos Chanukah, which is the eighth day of the eight days of Chanukah. It is doubly eight, doubly beyond the rules of nature of this world. The Maharal writes, “The world of nature is subjected to the number seven, as the physical world was created in seven days. Therefore, whatever is beyond nature is in the realm of eight… it’s beyond nature, since according to nature, a person was born with a foreskin… Therefore the milah is on the eight day… The Torah was also given after seven, as it states (Devarim 16:9) count seven weeks, and after the seven weeks, on the fiftieth day, the Torah was given… We already explained that a small jug of oil remained with the cohen gadol’s seal, and it’s known that the cohen gadol served with eight clothes. All of this is because of his level, that he had the level of eight [beyond nature]…. Therefore the miracle was eight days.” Chanukah is eight days, as they are days beyond nature. This is more pronounced on Zos Chanukah, because then it is doubly eight, and miracles beyond nature can occur. A hint to the specialness of Zos Chanukah is found in the brachah that we say each morning. This brachah has a list of eight praises. Mekubalim say that these eight praises correspond, respectively, to the eight days of Chanukah. The eighth praise is Adon Haniflaos, which means Hashem performs miracles. It’s appropriate that this praise corresponds to Zos Chanukah, a day of wonders and miracles. Rebbe Shlomo (the first Rebbe) of Bobov zt’l said that the miracles are alluded to in the passuk. wonders, happen because of Zos Chanukah. Yet another explanation for the uniqueness of Zos Chanukah, and for the miracles that are bestowed on this day is because this day corresponds to Shimi Atzeres, which is also a day for tefillah and salvations.
To explain this we will have to make a few introductions: The end of parashas Emor lists all the yomim tovim. Then the Torah writes “Take for yourself pure olive oil to light [the menorah]” (Vayikra 24:2). What is the connection between the yomim tovim and lighting the menorah? The Rokeiach teaches that the passuk is hinting to the mitzvah of Chanukah licht. The passuk that discusses the menorah is very much related to the previous pesukim, because it is discussing a holiday – the holiday of Chanukah. With this information, the Rokeiach answers the renowned question of the Beis Yosef. Why is Chanukah eight days? There was enough oil for one day, so the miracle was really only for seven days!
The Rokeiach explains that since Chanukah is stated in the Torah after Succos and Shemini Atzeres, which are eight days, therefore the chachamim established Chanukah for eight days. Being that the eight days of Chanukah correspond to the eight days of Succos, we can assume that the eighth day of Chanukah represents the eighth day of Succos – Shemini Atzeres. (See also Sfas Emes, Chanukah 4640, who states other reasons to compare Zos Chanukah with Shemini Atzeres.) Shemini Atzeres is a day of immense love between Hashem and the Jewish nation. As Rashi (Vayikra 23:36) writes, “It can be compared to a king who invited his children for a meal for several days. When the time came for them to return home, he said, ‘My children, please, remain with me one more day. It’s hard for me when you leave.’ Similarly, on its parallel day Zos Chanukah, Hashem apparently says, “Remain with me, and celebrate one more day. It’s hard for me when you leave.” This is the reason Zos Chanukah is a time for miracles. The Zohar states, “At this time of joy [of Shemini Atzeres] only the Jewish nation is with the King. And when one is alone with the King, he will receive whatever he requests…” Zos Chanukah is therefore also a special time for tefillah. Hashem requests that we celebrate Chanukah for just one more day, and on this day, the Jewish nation can request whatever they want, and Hashem will fulfill their requests. It’s taught in the name of the Vilna Gaon zt’l, that Zos Chanukah corresponds to Yom Kippur.
The Vilna Gaon teaches that the Hallels we say on the eight days of Chanukah complete the eight Hallels that we didn’t complete during the year. These are the six days of Pesach (when we only say parts of Hallel) one day of Rosh Hashanah (from the Torah, Rosh Hashanah is only one day) and one day of Yom Kippur. During the final days of Pesach we don’t say the complete Hallel, as Chazal say, “My creations are drowning in the sea [on the seventh day of Pesach] and you are saying Hallel?” And since we don’t say Hallel on the seventh day, we don’t say Hallel on Chol Hamoed Pesach, either.
On Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur we also don’t say Hallel, because Chazal say, “How could it be that the King is sitting on the throne of judgment, the books of life and the books of death are opened before Him, and Yisrael are saying shirah..” This means that these days are technically days when we should say the entire Hallel, but there is something that prevents us. The Vilna Gaon taught that the complete Hallel that we say on the eight days of Chanukah corresponds to those eight days when we only say a partial Hallel. The order of the holidays begins with Pesach. Therefore it is logical to assume that the first six days of Chanukah complement the Hallel of Pesach. On the seventh day of Chanukah, we complement the Hallel of Rosh Hashanah. And on the eighth day, Zos Chanukah, we say the Hallel that should have been said on Yom Kippur. According to this calculation, Zos Chanukah corresponds to Yom Kippur. We can therefore add that just as Yom Kippur is a day when the Jewish people are signed and sealed for a good year, so too, on Chanukah, the Jewish people are sealed for goodness and miracles. The Beis Ahron zt’l encourages people to say Tehillim on Chanukah. He said that during Chanukah, “a person must believe that by saying Tehillim one can leave his foolishness, his problems, and his difficulties. He can overcome thoughts of yeush, of despair, of losing hope, which the yetzer hara brings onto a person.” In particular, Tehillim should be recited to request all your heart’s desires, because on this day, Hashem is bestowing His kindness, and it is a day that’s mesugal for miracles and yeshuos. Someone came to the Chazon Ish zt’l, complaining about his poverty. The man said, “I need a miracle, and àîåé ìëá åàì àñéð ùéçøúî, miracles don’t happen every day.” The Chazon Ish corrected him, and said that this phrase should be read as follows, åàì, it isn’t so! Everyday miracles occur!” And this is for sure true on Zos Chanukah, a day that’s beyond nature. The Yismach Yisrael (Chanukah 53) explains since you gave us Zos Chanukah, I know that you desire me, and that you want to grant me goodness. The Rebbe of Ruzhin zt’l came into the beis medresh on Zos Chanukah and saw the chassidim playing dreidel. The Rebbe said, “What a person earns during Chanukah, he still might lose it [because when he plays dreidel on the next day of Chanukah, he might lose what he earned on the first day]. But what one gains on Zos Chanukah, he won’t lose.” It will remain with him forever.