Masechta Sofrim (20:9) states, “We say the entire Hallel during the eight days of Chanukah...and we make a brachah before and after Hallel, and one must say it בנעימה (with sweetness, pleasantly).” The Taz says that this proves that when the Kohanim lit the Menorah in the Beis HaMikdash on the 25th of Kislev, the oil wasn't entirely consumed. Some of the oil must have miraculously remained until the morning. If all the oil was consumed at night, there wouldn't be any oil left for the miracle to come upon it.
The Taz writes, "In retrospect, they realized that a miracle happened on the first night. Had the oil been completely consumed on the first night, there couldn't have been a miracle the next night. Certainly, some oil remained from the first night, and then the brachah came upon that remaining oil. So, we see that there was a miracle on the first night, too."
Reb Aryeh Leib zt'l, the Maharal Tzinz ('ז לחנוכה דרוש ,למנחה קומץ) explains the Taz with a mashal: Someone had ten crates filled with gold coins. Nine crates were stolen, and one wasn’t. With the remaining gold coins, he hired police to search for the nine stolen crates. He vowed that if the gold was recovered, he would give three gold coins from each box to tzedakah. The crates were eventually found, and true to his promise, he gave a gabbai tzedakah 27 gold coins, three from each stolen box. However, the gabbai tzedakah requested three gold coins from the tenth crate. The man replied, “That crate wasn't stolen. My gratitude to Hashem is that He brought back the nine crates. Why must I thank Hashem for the tenth crate, which was never stolen?” The gabbai tzedakah replied, “Had the tenth crate also been stolen, you wouldn’t have had any money to pay for the search. The fact that it wasn’t stolen is part of the miracle, and you should thank Hashem for that, too.”
On Chanukah, we praise Hashem for the menorah that lit seven days more than expected, and we also praise Hashem for the oil that was left over on the first night because, without that oil, the miracle couldn’t have occurred. We learn from this to praise Hashem for all the miracles we receive, including those that prepare the path for other miracles. We shouldn't praise Hashem only for those times when we had serious problems, and Hashem miraculously and kindly saved us. We should also praise Hashem for all the good we have, for all the problems that we don’t have. We have much to be grateful for, and Chanukah is a holiday to praise Hashem for all His kindness.
Hallel and Al HaNissim
Reb Shlomo Kluger zt’l (ג"תרפ שלמה חכמת) discusses the following scenario: A prisoner was granted the right to leave prison on Chanukah for a few hours. The prisoner's question was whether he should go out at nighttime, so he can light Chanukah lecht, or should he leave in the morning so he can say Hallel and Al HaNissim in beis medresh. Reb Shlomo Kluger answered that he should leave prison in the morning to say Hallel and Al HaNissim with a minyan. From this discussion, we understand the importance of Hallel and Al HaNissim. They are among the highest points of Chanukah. Therefore, we should certainly invest in saying Hallel and Al HaNissim with kavanah.
Chazal (Shabbos 21:) say יום להדליק אלא בו היה ולא קבעום אחרת לשנה ימים שמונה ממנו והדליקו נס בו נעשה אחד ובהודאה בהלל טובים ימים ועשאום, "The oil was sufficient for one day. A miracle occurred, and they used this oil for eight days. The following year, they established these days as a yom tov with Hallel and Al HaNissim." The Sfas Emes says that the Gemara's words, והודאה בהלל טובים ימים ועשאום קבעום, imply that saying Hallel and Al HaNissim make and create the holiday. ועשאום קבעום, it became established, and it became a holiday בהלל והודאה, when we say Hallel and Al HaNissim.
The Tchebiner Rav zt’l said, “Hallel on Chanukah shouldn’t be like Hallel on Rosh Chodesh because Hallel on Rosh Chodesh is a minhag, while Hallel on Chanukah is a mitzvah.” Some Rishonim say that Hallel is a mitzvah from the Torah (see Reb Yeruchem Fishel Perlow’s commentary on Sma’g, mitzvas asei ס-נ, p.258).
It states (Mishlei 27:21), ואיש לזהב וכור לכסף מצרף מהללו לפי, "The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, and a man according to his praise." The Chida explains that while the refining pot and the furnace purify silver and gold, מהללו לפי איש, man becomes cleansed and pure when he praises Hashem.
It states (Tehillim 106:47), בתהלתך להשתבח. This means that a person becomes improved, בתהלתך, by praising Hashem.
The Gemara (Pesachim 117) says, “We say Hallel עליהן תבא שלא וצרה צרה כל על, “for every tzarah that shouldn’t come...” The Ben Ish Chai says that these words imply that Hallel is mesugal, עליהן תבא שלא וצרה צרה כל על, that troubles won’t come. The Bnei Yissaschar (Kislev, 4:134) teaches that when one praises Hashem, he can use that praise as a prayer to Hashem. For example, in the second brachah of Shemonah Esrei, we praise Hashem, חולים רופא, "Who heals the ill." As one says these words, he can intend a prayer, "Hashem, please heal so-and-so."
When one says a standard tefillah, the malachim may prevent it from going up, claiming that the person doesn’t deserve his requests to be considered. But malachim never prevent praises from going up before Hashem. The praises go up, and Hashem hears the concealed plea and fills his request. This is the meaning of the pasuk (Tehillim 18:4), אושע אויבי ומן 'ה אקרא מהולל, “I call out to Hashem with praises, and I am saved from my enemies.” Similarly, it states, עניתני כי אודך לישועה לי ותהי, "I praise You when I'm suffering, and I will certainly have my salvation."
The Sfas Emes zt’l said that when one says 'ה אנא in Hallel, all his requests can be fulfilled. Chassidim thought that the Sfas Emes was referring to the pasuk, הושיעה 'ה אנא נא, “Please Hashem, save us, now.” The Imrei Emes zt’l said that he thinks the Sfas Emes was referring to the pasuk, אני כי 'ה אנא עבדיך, “Please Hashem because I am Your servant.”
We will be saying the same words of Hallel for eight days, but don’t allow the
