Published December 20, 2009
Back when the land of Israel was under Greek-Syrian (Hellenistic) rule, there were oppressive decrees on the Jewish People, meant not only to demoralize the people, but to wrench them (us) away from Judaism… You know the story - at least the rough outline of it - the Chashnona’im fought against great odds and were victorious, thanks to G-d’s help and the bold, tenacious cunning of the Chashmona’im… and then they cleaned up the Beit HaMikdash and wanted to restore the service therein, and especially wanted to light the Menora as a beacon to announce to the people that they can once again keep the mitzvot and learn Torah without the fear that had plagued them for years. But, after intensive searching, only a one day supply of oil was found usuable for the Menorah and they needed 8 days to prepare and acquire a new supply of oil. Whatever they did with that one day supply - and the theories as to what they did and what exactly happen are numerous - it miraculously lasted for 8 days.
To be sure, there is a lot more to the story than this brief, traditional summary. But the point is coming. Ask the average Jew why Chanuka is 8 days and you’ll hear about the 8 day miracle of the oil. (Maybe only 7 days? See the Y8 article.)
Can it be that just because the Chashmona’im could not get fresh, good oil for 8 days and the miracle solved their problem, that we have an 8-day holiday? Who says that the length of a holiday needs to correspond to a period of days in the events that triggered the holiday? And why would we praise those who established Chanuka to be 8 days long as B’NEI VINA, men of deep understanding? It doesn’t take deep understanding to say 8 days? Okay, 8 days.
Too simple. To arbitrary. We might have expected a day’s holiday in celebration of miracles and victories that took place… That wouldn’t have surprised us. So, Why 8? Really, why 8 days.
One of the “targets” of the Y’vanim in challenging and attempting to wrest us away from Judaism was Brit Mila, circumcision. This was not just an attempt to prevent us from doing one of the mitzvot we have. This was a clash of philosophies and concepts.
The Y’vanim saw Mila as a mutilation of the perfect human form with which we are born. They saw it as a desecration of their worship of nature, of the physical. Of the arts and of sports.
We see Mila as a symbol of our perfecting the physical form and our challenge to perfect our souls as well. This is not going against nature - it is rising above nature. G-d expects all people of the world to be good people. Honest, ethical people. He expects all that of the Jewish People as well, but He expects even more. That “more” is in the spiritual realm, connected to, but above the natural world.
And that “more” is symbolized by the number 8. The seven days of Creation are followed by the Eighth Day. Brit Mila is on the 8th day.
Every Jewish baby boy first goes through one whole week. One each of a Sunday, Monday, Tuesday… and one Shabbat. The starting point is different, depending upon what was the day of birth. But there is one of each of the natural days.
And then comes the 8th day. This is why men of deep understanding established Chanuka as specifically an 8 day holiday. Not only do the lights of the Chanuka candles publicize the great miracles - the simple fact that we celebrate 8 days speaks volumes as well.
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