Why is the miracle of Chanukah commemorated with kindling lamps?
Surely, the primary miracle is the great victory won in the war against the Greeks, as in the liturgy of the Chanukah supplementary prayer ‘Ve’al Hanissim’. There, we thank Hashem for the miracles.
Focus on the War
[And this is even more significant in the liturgy of those who have the custom to mention the [word] war itself.]
Most Jewish holidays are focused around a special festive meal, as the adage goes: “they tried to kill us, Hashem saved us, we celebrate let’s eat” yet on Chanukah the holiday is commemorated with kindling lamps. What is the significance of this seeming diversion from the regular style of celebrations? Specifically, as in theory the bigger miracle was the triumph in battle yet by commemorating the lights we are implying that finding the oil and it lasting for eight days is actually a bigger miracle.
And it is only in the Al Hanissim prayer that we thank Hashem and mention the Triumph in battle but not with the lamps and not in Hallel.
In Nusach Ashkenaz they say עַל הַנִּסִּים וְעַל הַפֻּרְ קָן וְעַל הַגְְּ֒בוּרוֹת וְעַל הַתְְּ֒ שׁוּעוֹת וְעַל הַמִּלְחָמוֹת שֶׁׁעָשִִּֽׂ יתָ לַאֲבוֹתִֵֽׂינוּ בַיָמִּים הָהֵם בַזְְּ֒מַן הַזֶׁה: and in Nusach Sfard they add וְעַל הַנִּפְלָאוֹת וְעַל הַנֶׁחָמוֹת but in the Chabad Siddur we just say וְעַל הַנִּסִּים וְעַל הַפֻּרְ קָן וְעַל הַגְבוּרוֹת וְעַל הַתְשׁוּעוֹת וְעַל הַנִּפְלָאוֹת שֶׁׁעָשִּיתָ לַאֲ בוֹתֵינוּ בַיָמִּים הָהֵם בִּזְמַן הַזֶׁה:
