And that’s what the nes of the shemen came for. Because they were so fiercely loyal to Hashem, because they lit that flame of loyalty in their hearts, they were rewarded with a tremendous demonstration of approval by Hashem. Hashem encouraged them with that nes: “Yes, you are loyal to Me, and I’m going to be with you.”
When they saw that flame burning beyond the time – eight days it burned; one day’s supply of oil burned eight days – they saw that their loyalty was being requited. They went wild with happiness: “The Shechinah is among us! And so we’ll continue fighting. We’ll continue!”
You know after they kindled the neiros, they fought for thirty more years before they finished the wars. They fought because the flame of loyalty was burning strong. And therefore, הָּכֻנֲח י‡ַמ – what is Chanukah? Chanukah is the great symbol of those who, no matter what, would keep that flame of loyalty burning.
