Hanukkah and Israel: all about miracles

The Holiday of Hanukkah is inescapably linked with the State of Israel. A brief look at the history of the two makes this obvious. Throwing off the yolk of a forgeign government and restoring sovereignty in our Land and religious freedom for our People is just one link.

There is yet another link – Miracles. The Rabbis capitalized on the miracle of the lights of the Candelabra in the Temple which lit for eight days on fuel sufficient for just one. One who follows the news carefully will know that Israel is being attacked on a daily basis from all geographical sides. Many of these attacks simply and inexplicably do not pan out. An explosive device sent towards Israel malfunctions and explodes too early or does not explode at all.

Many people see the existence of the State of Israel as a miracle and recurrence of miracles. Others, dispite the continued occurance of such events continue to find an explanation of the phenomenon in the amateur and unadvanced nature of the enemy.

One certainly can not exclude the latter approach, but at the same time serious consideration must be given to the former. The Teachings of the Land of Israel through and through factor God’s involvement into the daily lives of our People. We are taught that even if one fell into a lion’s den he can not be considered dead without proper evidence. Perhaps God performed miracles for him and saved him like he did for Daniel.

Heaven forfend were there ever another attack, perhaps  when we say “it is  a miracle that it missed by just a centimeter” we ask ourselves if we should mean it just as an expression.

To read more, please visit: www.torateretzyisrael.org/lessons