Prayer in the Parashah תְּפִלָּה
On Hanukkah, we light candles each night, and this reminds us of the miracle of the little jar of oil. The Talmud (Bavli Shabbat 21b) describes how the Jews found this little jug in the otherwise defiled Temple, used it to light the Menorah, and the oil lasted for eight days!
We also say a special tefillah on Hanukkah, called Al Ha-Nissim. It’s inserted in the Amidah and in Birkat Ha-Mazon.
As you read it, consider: What miracles does Al Ha-Nissim describe?
עַל הַנִּסִּים וְעַל הַפֻּרְקָן וְעַל הַגְּבוּרוֹת וְעַל הַתְּשׁוּעוֹת וְעַל הַמִּלְחָמוֹת שֶׁעָשִׂיתָ לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה.
בִּימֵי מַתִּתְיָהוּ בֶן יוֹחָנָן כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל חַשְׁמוֹנָאִי וּבָנָיו כְּשֶׁעָמְדָה מַלְכוּת יָוָן הָרְשָׁעָה עַל עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהַשְׁכִּיחָם מִתּוֹרָתָךְ וּלְהַעֲבִירָם מֵחֻקֵּי רְצוֹנָךְ.
וְאַתָּה בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים עָמַדְתָּ לָהֶם בְּעֵת צָרָתָם רַבְתָּ אֶת רִיבָם דַּנְתָּ אֶת דִּינָם נָקַמְתָּ אֶת נִקְמָתָם מָסַרְתָּ גִבּוֹרִים בְּיַד חַלָּשִׁים וְרַבִּים בְּיַד מְעַטִּים וּטְמֵאִים בְּיַד טְהוֹרִים וּרְשָׁעִים בְּיַד צַדִּיקִים וְזֵדִים בְּיַד עוֹסְקֵי תוֹרָתֶךָ.
וּלְךָ עָשִׂיתָ שֵׁם גָּדוֹל וְקָדוֹשׁ בְּעוֹלָמָךְ וּלְעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל עָשִׂיתָ תְּשׁוּעָה גְדוֹלָה וּפֻרְקָן כְּהַיּוֹם הַזֶּה.
וְאַחַר כָּךְ בָּאוּ בָנֶיךָ לִדְבִיר בֵּיתֶךָ וּפִנּוּ אֶת הֵיכָלֶךָ וְטִהֲרוּ אֶת מִקְדָּשֶׁךָ וְהִדְלִיקוּ נֵרוֹת בְּחַצְרוֹת קָדְשֶׁךָ וְקָבְעוּ שְׁמוֹנַת יְמֵי חֲנֻכָּה אֵלּוּ לְהוֹדוֹת וּלְהַלֵּל לְשִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל.
We thank you for the miracles, redemption, mighty deeds, saving acts, and wars that You waged for our ancestors in these days, at this season.
In the days of Mattityahu, son of Yohanan the High Priest, and his sons, wicked Greece threatened Your people Israel to make them forget Your Torah, and to force them to leave Your rules.
In Your amazing mercy, You rose up for them in their time of trouble; You pleaded their cause, You judged their case, You avenged their wrong; You handed over the strong into the hands of the weak, the many into the hands of the few, the impure into the hands of the pure, the wicked into the hands of the righteous, and the arrogant into the hands of Torah learners.
You made Yourself a great and holy name in Your world, and for Your people Israel You worked a great deliverance and redemption.
After this, Your children came into Your house, cleaned Your temple, purified Your sanctuary, lit candles in Your holy courts, and established these eight days of Hanukkah to thank and to praise Your great name.
- Al Ha-Nissim focuses on the miracle of the Jews’ military victory against the Greek army. How is this miracle different from the miracle of the jug of oil?
- What’s God’s role in each of these miracles? What’s the role of humans?
- Do you think one is a greater miracle than the other? Why?
- Which kind of miracle would you more like to see in the world today?
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