I don’t believe that (spoiler alert) the “miracle of the oil” on Hanukkah truly happened. But even if it is myth concocted by the Rabbis to make God the hero of the Maccabean revolt instead of brave Judah, it is still worth retelling, because the tale conveys two essential teachings of Hanukkah.
First, this Hanukkah story reminds us that it is worthwhile to notice miracles. If you don’t believe in supernatural miracles (divine hocus-pocus to alter the laws of nature), then consider the miracle of the awe-inspiring processes inherent in the laws of nature.
In Jewish tradition, every evening we offer a prayer, ma’ariv aravim, acknowledging the One who brings darkness. Whoever or whatever is the catalyst for the earth’s incessant spinning, turning day into night and back again, this prayer comforts us with the notion that darkness and light are cyclical. The predictability of the natural cycle of days and seasons is, in itself, a miracle. This cycle reminds us very concretely that “this too shall pass.”
Second, the story of the oil also affirms the significance of humans in lighting up the darkness. We light candles or oil or electric bulbs to banish the darkness. Whether we are experiencing shorter days as the winter solstice approaches, or whether our minds are clouded by dire events looming around us, we humans have a miraculous capacity to create light.
We retell stories, fashion poems, compose music, and dream up art. We reframe reality and reorient our minds away from despair. We manufacture joy to quell our fears. Humans invented hope, the miraculous capacity to persevere in the face of seemingly irredeemable darkness. We establish rituals that convey layers of meaning, bringing to mind a lifetime of experiences and transmitting ancient wisdom across generations.
On Hanukkah we celebrate that partnership between the divine and the human. Hanukkah prompts us to recognize what is beyond our control and inspires us to respond with ingenuity that is distinctly human. What is more miraculous than that?
May we all transform these dark days, for ourselves and for others, with the light of Torah, the lights of Hanukkah, and the light that shines uniquely through every one of us.
Hag urim same’ach—Happy Festival of Lights!
Rabbi Barbara Penzner