Reb Yisrael of Ruzhin zt'l taught, "What tzaddikim accomplish on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, simple Yidden can accomplish on Zos Chanukah."
The Vayaged Yaakov (of Pupa) zt'l said, "Don't feel bad if you didn't take advantage of Chanukah until now. Zos Chanukah means 'This is Chanukah.' The peak of Chanukah is before you, and you can benefit from Zos Chanukah immensely."
The Maharal says that the number seven represents nature (as there are seven days in the week, seven notes for music, seven wisdoms, etc.), and Chanukah is for eight days because Chanukah is beyond nature. Zos Chanukah is even higher because it is double eight (the eighth day of the eight days of Chanukah, שבשמינית שמיני). It is a day of miracles, and even simple Yidden can draw yeshuos from this day.
Throughout the year, we must construct miracles in heaven in order to draw them down. Not everyone can construct miracles in heaven; therefore, the average person cannot perform miracles throughout the year. But on Zos Chanukah, a time beyond nature, miracles are prepared in heaven. All that is needed is to draw them down.
The Bnei Yissaschar (Kislev Teives 2:10) writes, "The earlier Rabbanim often said that Chanukah is mesugal for עקרות פקידת, for barren women to bear children. In my opinion, the segulah is primarily on Zos Chanukah."
Rebbe Pinchas of Koritz zt'l said that Zos Chanukah is mesugal for parnassah. He learned this from the eight praises we say in דוד ויברך (Divrei HaYamim I 29:11). והגבורה .(1) הגדולה 'ה לך ובארץ בשמים כל כי .(5) וההוד .(4) והנצח .(3) והתפארת .(2) .(8) והעושר .(7) לראש לכל והמתנשא .(6) הממלכה 'ה לך והעושר, wealth, is the eighth praise, corresponding to the eighth day of Chanukah. The other days of Chanukah are also mesugal for parnassah, as the Arugas HaBosem zt'l (Vayigash) teaches on the pasuk (Bereishis 45:5) כי לפניכם אלקים שלחני למחיה, "for the sake of parnassah, שלחני, Hashem sent me before you..." The word שלחני is roshei teivos להדליק ימים שמונת חנוכה נר, “To light the candles of Chanukah eight days.”
The Eighth Day and Its Significance
It is nice to receive the aliyah of shlishi on Zos Chanukah because we read there about the immense wealth donated to the Beis HaMikdash for chanukas habayis. We say there (Bamidbar 7:84) עשרה שתים כסף קערת עשרה שתים זהב כפות עשר שנים כסף מזרקי, "There were twelve silver bowls, twelve silver basins and twelve gold spoons..." and so on. However, remember that many brachos come from being mevater, too. So, it certainly isn't worthwhile to fight over this aliyah.
This can be another answer to Beis Yosef's renowned question. True, Chanukah should be for seven days because there was enough oil for the first day, but Hashem requests that we keep an extra day, an eighth day, because it is hard for Hashem to part with us.
On Zos Chanukah, Rebbe Yisrael of Ruzhin zt'l saw chassidim playing dreidel with money. The Rebbe said, "Play. What a person earns during Chanukah, he might lose. But what one gains on Zos Chanukah, he won't lose. It will remain with him forever."
The Beis Aharon (p.42) writes, "The primary miracle occurred on the eighth day. Although there was a miracle for all seven days, the primary miracle was the eighth day, because it is above seven. As people say about miracles, 'Miracles are above this world.'"
The Ostrovtza zt'l said that the miracle that a lamp can remain lit for seven days had happened before. Sarah Imeinu's Shabbos lecht remained lit all week, from erev Shabbos to erev Shabbos. But a miracle that lasted eight days happened only by the Chanukah miracle. The eighth day revealed to everyone that it was above nature. It revealed that also the first seven days were a miracle beyond nature.
Every day of Chanukah, we read in the Sefer Torah the end of Parshas Naso which discusses the korbanos that the nesi'im brought during the chanukas hamizbeach in the desert. On the eighth day, we read all the remaining korbanos of the nesi'im, and we conclude with the pesukim that discuss the menorah (which is written at the beginning of parashas Behaloscha) הנרות את בהעלתך, etc. On the final day of Chanukah, we read in the Torah about the נרות, which is directly related to Chanukah. This is another indication that the primary day of the miracle was the final day, the eighth day.
The Beis Aharon writes, "I think the eight lamps of Chanukah are of the same concept as עצרת שמיני. Tzaddikim say Zos Chanukah is the חתימה גמר when we are inscribed for a good year."
Parashas Emor (Vayikra 23) talks about the yomim tovim, concluding with Succos and Shemini Atzeres. Then, the Torah discusses the menorah (see Vayikra 24:2). The Rokeach says that the menorah, mentioned after the yomim tovim, hints at Chanukah. Chanukah is written after Succos, so it is compared to Succos. Just as Succos is for eight days, so is Chanukah for eight days.
Accordingly, the final day of Chanukah represents Shemini Atzeres.
Rashi (Vayikra 23:36) explains the essence of Shemini Atzeres: "It can be compared to a king who invited his children for a meal for several days. When it was time for his children to leave, the king said, 'My children, please, remain with me one more day. קשה פרידתכם עלי, it’s hard for me when you leave.'"
Similarly, after seven days of Chanukah, Hashem says to the Jewish nation, "I enjoyed your mitzvos so much. Your Chanukah lecht, your Hallel, your Al HaNisim... Stay with me one more day. It’s hard for Me when you leave."
About Shemini Atzeres, the Zohar (vol.3, 32.) states, "At this joyous time, the Jewish people are alone with the King. And when one is alone with the king, whatever he asks for will be given to him." We can say that the same applies to Zos Chanukah. Whatever we ask Hashem for on this day will be granted.
The Power of Belief and Revelation
It states (Tehillim 92:7) זאת את יבין לא וכסיל ידע לא בער איש, "A boorish man does not know; neither does a fool understand זאת את יבין לא ".זאת can be explained that he doesn’t understand the significance of חנוכה זאת. זאת ישכילו חכמה לו, if you were wise, you would understand the importance of חנוכה זאת, and בוטח אני בזאת, in the merit of Zos Chanukah, I trust and will experience Hashem's salvation.
Rebbe Shlomo (the first Rebbe) of Bobov zt'l said that the miracles of חנוכה זאת are alluded to in the pasuk מאת נפלאת .בעינינו נפלאת היא זאת היתה 'ה, wonders occur on חנוכה זאת.
Rebbe Aharon of Belz zt'l would repeat this idea from the Bnei Yissaschar every year at his Zos Chanukah tisch.
Chazal say that a kameia (amulet) that heals people doesn't accomplish anything for an animal. The Meiri explains this because the kameia doesn't work if one doesn't believe in it. We have to believe in these days and in the miracles and salvations we can attain from them, and then they will have the desired effect.
Seeing the Kedushah of Zos Chanukah
It states (Shemos 12:2) לכם הזה החודש, and Chazal explain that הזה indicates that Hashem showed Moshe the new moon. Because when it says זה, it refers to something visible.
The Divrei Chaim zt'l explains that there was a time when the yomim tovim from the Torah were sufficient, but the Chachamim understood that in the later generations, Yidden needed more holidays to help them survive in galus. This is why they added Chanukah and Purim. These additions aren't solely for ruchniyos. They are for gashmiyos too. We wouldn’t survive the galus, even with respect to gashmiyos, without Chanukah and Purim; therefore, the Chachamim established these holidays.
Once, Reb Shmuel Minkus zt'l felt that he needed chizuk in avodas Hashem, so he went to the marketplace to seek out someone who could take him to Liadi, where his rebbe, the Baal HaTanya zt'l, lived. A merchant of hard drinks (vodka, etc.) told him he was traveling in that direction, but he only had space in the wagon's uncovered section next to the spirits' barrels. Reb Shmuel agreed and got on. It was cold in the uncovered wagon, and Reb Shmuel asked for permission to drink some vodka from the barrels to warm up. Permission was granted. When Reb Shmuel came to the Baal HaTanya, he said shalom aleichem and tzeischem l'shalom simultaneously. "You just came!" the Baal HaTanya said. "Why are you leaving already?” "I came because I needed chizuk in avodas Hashem. However, I got my inspiration on the way here. Therefore, I can go home now." The Baal HaTanya asked, "What inspiration did you get?" Reb Shmuel said, "I sat among barrels of alcohol, but the barrels didn’t warm me up. I only warmed up when I drank the alcohol. I learned from this that it isn't sufficient to learn chassidic ideas. To warm up, one must allow these ideas to seep in and become part of his being."
The Beis Aharon zt'l teaches that we should say Tehillim on Chanukah. Certainly, one should say Tehillim on חנוכה זאת.
The Yismach Yisrael (Chanukah 53) says that when the Torah says זאת, it refers to something one can see with his eyes. זאת חנוכה means the kedushah is so great on this day that tzaddikim can physically see it. "But this revelation is only for the perfect tzaddikim. It states (Tehillim 118:23), היתה 'ה מאת זאת, we believe that Hashem gives this revelation on חנוכה זאת; however, נפלאת היא בעינינו, we can’t see it... Although we don’t see or feel this special revelation, we are happy for the tzaddikim, for we believe that they see it, and we rejoice in their joy." בי חפצת כי ידעתי בזאת (Tehillim 41:12). The Yismach Yisrael explains בזאת, since You gave us זאת חנוכה, I know that You desire me and that You want to grant me goodness and kindness.
