What is special about Chanukah? The Ri of Lionel, one of the Rishonim, said that Chanukah is the only Yomtov commemorating a miracle which occurred to enable our doing Mitzvos. (Even Paroh didn’t decree against the Mitzvos) The Greeks didn’t wish to harm us physically, rather they forbade observance of Mitzvos. That’s why even were it not for the oil burning eight days there would still have been an eight day Yomtov. Maybe we would not light candles, for that relates directly to the miracle with the Menorah, but we would have Yomtov nonetheless. Why eight days? So that it would be the size of the longest Yomtov that we have, (Succos) and so underscore its importance!
I asked the children, is Chanukah the only Yomtov about Mitzvos – isn’t Shavuos when we received the Torah also a Yomtov about Mitzvos?
One of the children said that since all the crippled people were healed by Har Sinai, there was joy about physical things there too. Chanukah is purely spiritual.
Another said that really Shavuos is the The Festival of New Fruit, i.e. an agricultural festival, which is non-Mitzvah related. Chanukah is nothing other than a spiritual holiday.
I suggested that starting a business with someone means something, it means you trust the fellow enough to give him a chance. However then proceeding on going out of your way to keep that business going means that not only are you willing to give chances, but that the enterprise is really worth it to you. Starting a business with someone merely means that you are willing to risk taking him as a partner, but fighting to keep the operation running means that you have deemed your association worthwhile and productive. So even though Hashem offering and delivering us the Torah is very great event, nevertheless Shavuos commemorates only when we began our dealing with Hashem. Even greater is when He comes out and fights for our being able to continue observing the Torah, because that means that we are worth His while, and He is happy with us. And that is only evident on Chanukah!
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