This article discusses the explanation provided by Rashi for the Gemara’s question – namely, “On what miracle was it established?” It explores why Rashi explained it this way and not as: “What is Chanukah and why is it called Chanukah?” He could have then answered that it is because they rested on the 25th. Secondly, if the question was “What is Chanukah – on what miracle was it established?” Rashi should have answered that when the Yevanim entered the Mikdash, they defiled all the oils, etc. But this posed a difficulty for Rashi. If Chanukah was established on the miracle of finding the oil on the 25th, it should have been called מָצְאוּכָּה (Matzukah – they found on the 25th), and if it was established on the miracle of our victory over the Yevanim, it should have been called נִצְחוּכָּה (Nitzchukah – they were victorious on the 25th).
The Maharsha explains the confusion for us. He focuses on the Ran’s commentary and asks how we can say the festival is on the miracle of them resting on the 25th while work is then permitted on Chanukah – meaning, the holiday added Hallel and thanksgiving to the Tefillah but has no commemoration whatsoever of resting! He explains that the festival is called חֲנֻכָּה because of חֲנֻכַּת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ – the dedication of the altar, as the Midrash says the Chashmonaim hid the stones of the altar that the Yevanim had defiled for idolatry, and they needed to build a new altar after their victory. Therefore, it is called Chanukah and not something else.
The Ben Yehoyada then brings another explanation. They did not establish Chanukah as a full holiday but only for thanksgiving, and if it were called Nachukah (they rested on the 25th), the word נָחוּ would imply a cessation from work, which would mean it is like other holidays that have a cessation from work. Therefore, they changed the letters from נָחוּ to חֲנוּ and called it חֲנֻכָּה. Alternatively, he says, it seems to explain that they established the festival for eight days, unlike other miracles for which only one day was established. Therefore, it is called חֲנֻכָּה and not נָחוּכָּה to have the letter ח' (8) at the start of its name, indicating the novelty of eight days.
So, let's clarify why this holiday is specifically called Chanukah and not one of the other variations. During Chanukah, we say both in the Amidah and Birkat Hamazon: בִּימֵי מַתִּתְיָהוּ בֶּן יוֹחָנָן כֹּהֵן גָדוֹל חַשְׁמוֹנַאִי וּבָנָיו. In the days of Matityahu the son of Yochanan the Kohen Gadol the Chashmonai and his sons.
Rabbotai, look closely at the words and parsing. Who was the Kohen Gadol – was it Mattityahu or was it Yochanan? Why is his father, Yochanan, even mentioned at all? Mordechai’s lineage isn’t found in the version of Al HaNissim recited on Purim, and this is despite its full details being laid out for us to copy and paste from the Megillah. Why Yochanan?
