Forever Today

One of the ways to gain insight into a Yom Tov is through its special Teffilos. Any addition to our Nusach HaTefillah comes at the hands of Kadmonim, and by examining the words we can often learn how Chazal defined the essence of the Yom Tov. This is no less true of Chanukah and the Teffilah of Al Hanissim. The text of Al Hanissim is familiar—we say it multiples times each day in both Davening and Bentching—but a careful reading will always uncover new insights.

One of the most striking, and perhaps most discussed, features of Al Hanissim is not what it says, but what it does not: at no point in the Teffilah is the Nes of the Pach Shemen mentioned. We speak about the purpose with which the Yevonim acted, “L’Hashkicham Torasecha U’Lehaviram M’Chukei Retzonecha”, and the way in which they met their downfall, “Danta Es Dinam…”, but not the Nes of the Shemen. In fact, the Menorah is mentioned, “V’Hidliku Neiros B’Chatzros Kodshecha”, but without reference to the Nes. This leads many to conclude that the purpose of Al HaNissim is to express Hoda’ah specifically on the Nes of the Nitzachon over Yavan, while Hadlakas HaNeiros is dedicated to our appreciation for the Nes of the Menorah.

Given that the Teffilah is focused on the unlikely victory that we were Zoche to, it would seem appropriate to examine just how that Nes is framed.

After enumerating the ways in which our victory was unusual, “Giborrim B’Yad Chalashaim…”, we speak about the effect that it had: “U’Lecha Asisa Shem Gadol V’Kadosh B’Olamecha U’Lamcha Yisroel Asisa Teshuah Gedolah U’Purkan K’Hayom Hazeh”. The Nitzachon, which was a clear demonstration of the Hashgacha Elyona, was of course a tremendous Kiddush Hashem, as well as a great salvation for Klal Yisroel.

While these phrases are well-suited to a discussion of this great Nes, there are two words that require some explanation: what is meant by the term “K’Hayom Hazeh”? We have said that the Nitzachon that took place B’Mei Matisyahu U’Banav was a Kiddush Shem Shamayim and a “Teshuah Gedolah U’Purkan”, what do these words mean and what do they add?

It is not clear who authored the Teffilah of Al Hanissim, but it is mentioned in Meseches Sofrim in a shorter and slightly different format, and our text originates from the Siddur of R’ Amram Gaon. We must therefore assume that its words were crafted with great Chachma and care. A phrase such as “K’Hayom HaZeh” is not haphazard, and its meaning is likely rooted in Divrei Chazal, giving us an opening to discover its meaning.

The Torah, in Parshas Nitzvaim, discusses the calamities that will befall us if we do not heed the Dvar Hashem. The Passuk there tells us: “Vayitshem Hashem M’Al Admasam…VaYashlichem El Eretz Acheres K’Yom Hazeh.” Meforshim explain that these Pessukim are referring to the times of Bayis Rishon, and these words appear in a Mishna in Sanhedrin that supports this approach.

There is a Machlokes in the Mishna whether the Aseres HaShevatim, who were Goleh by Sancherev during Bayis Rishon, will return to Eretz Yisroel in the days of Moshiach or not. R’ Akiva holds that they will not, and supports his opinion with a Drasha: the Passuk says “VaYashlichem El Eretz Acheres K’Yom Hazeh Mah HaYom Holech V’Aiyno Chozer Af Hem Holchim V’Einam Chozrim.” The words “VaYashlichem El Eretz Acheres” clearly refer to those who were sent to other lands—the Aseres HaShevatim—and the words “K’Yom Hazeh” teach us that they will not come back, just as a day that passes shall never return.

At first glance, the Mishna seems to be telling us that the phrase “K’Yom Hazeh” refers to the fleeting nature of a day: today is here now, but will soon pass forever. There is a Medrash, however, that highlights a slightly different nuance in the Drasha.

In Parshas Toldos, when Eisav demands a portion of the Nezid Adashim, Yaakov offers him a trade: “Machrah Kayom Es Bechorascha Li”. The word “Kayom” in this Passuk seems to be extra, and there are various Pshatim offered by Chazal and the Meforshei HaPhsat.

The Medrash Lekach Tov explains this word by borrowing from the Mishna in Sanhedrin: “Mah Hayom Holech V’Aiyno Chozer Af Mechirascha Kayemes B’Lo Charata UB’Lo Chazara”. Yaakov was demanding that the sale of the Bechora be like a passing day: just like once a day passes, it does not return, so to Eisav could not renege on his part of the deal.

The focus of the Drasha, according to the Medrash, is not on the fact that the day leaves, but on the fact that it does not return. There is a sort of permanence that each day has: whatever we accomplish on a particular day cannot be undone, and similarly, any opportunities lost cannot be recovered.

Perhaps we can explain the words “K’Hayom Hazeh” that appear in Al HaNissim in line with these Medrashim. In that case, the words “U’Lamcha Yisroel Asisa Teshuah Gedolah U’Purkan K’Hayom Hazeh” could be explained to mean that the Teshua Gedolah, the great salvation that we experienced at the time of the Nes Chanukah, had the same quality of permanence as a day. Just as a day is “Holech V’Aiyno Chozer”, the Teshua Gedolah was eternal.

How, in turn, can we understand this aspect of the Nitzachon? In what way did it have the element of permanence indicated by the words “K’Hayom Hazeh”?

In order to answer this question, we must better define the effects of the Nitzachon, so that we may see how they were indeed permanent.

The Passuk in Yeshayahu says: “Davar Shalach Hashem B’Yaakov V’Nafal B’Yisroel.” The Gemara in Chulin explains that words “Davar Shalach B’Yaakov” refer to the Gid HaNasheh and the words “V’Nafal B’Yisroel” to the fact that the Issur was extended to all of Bnei Yisroel.

Rav Hutner, in Pachad Yitzchok on Chanukah, wonders what the Gemarah is teaching us with this Memrah. Why is the Issur of Gid Hanasheh different than any other Issur such that we need a Passuk to tell us that it was “Pashat B’Kol Yisroel”? Is not every Issur applicable to all Yidden?

In his inimitable Derech, R’ Hutner takes a multi-step approach to answering this question, but perhaps his approach can be distilled as follows.

The battle between Yaakov Avinu and Saro Shel Eisav had a number of effects: Yaakov was injured, the Issur of Gid Hanasheh came to be, and he received the name Yisroel in addition to his original name, Yaakov. R’ Hutner explains that these were all related.

Yaakov was the only one of the Avos who did not emerge unscathed from a battle. Whenever Avrohom or Yitzchok faced an enemy, they were completely victorious with no adverse effects. When Yaakov faced Saro Shel Eisav, however, he was injured and did not emerge in a state of Shelimus. Rav Hutner points out that it might seem somewhat incongruous that this happened to Yaakov, the only one of the Avos that is described as “Shalem” in the Torah, “Vayavo Yaakov Shalem”, but it is in fact fitting.

Yaakov Avinu, he explains, was the third of the Avos, and with him arrived the concept of Chut Hameshulash Lo Yinatek. Whereas the first two Avos each had children that did not follow in their Derech—Yishmael and Eisav respectively—all of Yaakov’s children carried his legacy. It was at this point, after Yaakov Avinu that the concept of “Yisroel Af Al Pi SheChata Yisroel Hu”. A Yid, no matter what, despite any Aveiros that he might do, remains a Yid.

This reality was cemented when Yaakov faced Saro Shel Eisav. He was injured, the Malach struck him in a way that rendered him less than Shalem, but it was at that time that he received the name Yisroel, and the Issur of Gid Hanasheh came to be. The name Yisroel, “Ki Sarisah Im Elokim VaTuchal”, harkens to this moment, and it is the name that is given to each of Yaakov’s offspring, regardless of how far they may stray from his Derech: “Yisroel Af Al Pi SheChata Yisroel Hu”. The Mitzvah of Gid Hanasheh is related to this concept as well, as it reminds us of the way in which the Shelimus of Yaakov Avinu was affected, but that he remained Yaakov Avinu. It is therefore this particular Mitzva that is Pashat B’Kol Yisroel, even those who have strayed from the ways of their fathers, because it is this Mitzva that is so closely related to the concept of “Yisroel Af Al Pi SheChata Yisroel Hu”.

The Medrash tells us that the injury that the Malach caused Yaakov was directly related to the future “Doros Shel Shmad”, the times at which our ability to retain the title of Yisroel will be most acutely threatened by our enemies. Rav Hutner explains that the first time that this reality presented itself was during the times of the Yevanim. Never before were there a group of Klal Yisroel that declared their departure from Klal Yisroel: there were no Mismetzri’im or Misbabli’im, but now there were Misyavnim. There were those who could not withstand the pressures of the Yevanim and declared themselves to have joined the enemy, attempting to shed their title of Yisroel and become Yevanim.

The war against the Yevanim, and by association the Misyavnim, therefore presented a turning point in our history: would we be able to maintain the legacy of Yaakov Avinu, and defeat the forces of Shmad? Would we uphold the precept of “Yisroel Af Al Pi SheChata Yisroel Hu” that itself signifies the Shleimus of Yaakov Avinu?

In this way, concludes the Rosh Yeshiva, the victory in the war was twofold: we defeated the Yevanim and, but we also defeated the concept of Misyavnim. The first of these victories, he notes, related to that moment in time: we were now free of thee pernicious Gezeiros, and their goals of “L’Hashkicham Torasecha U’Lehaviram M’Chukei Retzonecha”.

More importantly, concludes Rav Hutner, the victory over the Misyavnim had a long-term affect. Although we could not destroy the Misyavnim themselves, because we were able to triumph during the original Dor Shel Shmad, the landscape of our future was forever altered. Though winds of change and outside pressures would be ever-present, the promise of V’Yavo Yaakov Shalem would endure. The tools that are needed, in every Dor, to withstand the Misyavnim of that time, were gained in the battles of the Chashmonaim, and gifted to each subsequent generation.

We can now see why the Nes of the Nitzchon called “Teshuah Gedolah U’Purkan K’Hayom Hazeh”. Our decisive victory over the Yevanim, not only secured our safety at that moment, but our ability to survive in the millenia to come. As we travel through Galus, the forces pulling us from the Derech Yisroel Saba grow stronger and stronger, but we can withstand them because of the Nitzachon over the concept of Misyavnim. On Chanukah we celebrate not only the survival of the Chashmonaim, but of our existence as Yidden. When we face moden day Misyavnim and their advances, we can stand strong because of Chalashim that stood in the way of the Giborim, the Tehorim who defeated the Temaim.

Certainly, then, this is a Nes with permanent ramifications, one that is truly befitting our Shevach V’Hodaah to HKBH, as we enjoy its benefits Ad HaYom Hazeh.