Chanukah Thoughts

פדה, redeem is the same gematria as חנוכה as in Tehillim (25,22). The 25th word in the Torah is אור, light and the 22 letters in the aleph beis as the word בך in you, bringing us close to Hashem.

In this Parasha Vayishlach, Yaakov Avinu returns by endangering himself for the pachim ketanim, small pitchers to teach us not dismiss them as they will be required by Chanukah in order that the neis of burning longer should apply to oil in the pitcher. As we know from the story of Elisha that a neis can only apply to something in existence, so the Taz explains that some oil was left over the first day as the Shiltas says that there was not enough oil even for one day.

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When the shevotim, in Parashas Mekeitz, found their money doubled, Yosef said Hashem your G-d provided a find in your sack and your money came to me. Asks the Ksav Sofer it should have said that your money came to me first? So he explains in great detail that a blessing must come on something already there. By Chanukah the Taz says that some oil was left over on which the the blessing of the additional oil, or long burning of oil came. The Chashmanaim knew that they cannot defeat the Greeks but did their own part. Similarly Ruvein did his own to save of Yosef even though it was not a complete save as snakes and scorpions were there. He figured that they have no bechira, free choice being being in the hands of Hashem compared to human beings.

Miketz stands for ממון, קול and צום which are ממון, תפילה and תשובה. Why in reverse order rather than תשובה, תפילה וצדקה ? Maybe it is in the order of the amount of effort one must exert to accomplish it from less to more. Each one is 136 together 3 x 136 = 408, Zos as Zos Chanukah, Ches Chanukah (8th day). It reminds us of the ladder, סולם (136) of Yaakov Avinu to climb to spiritual heights from the ground to heavens where the malachim are either above him or below him. One should keep in mind constantly what Hashem told Adam Harishon, איכה, ayeka where are we on the ladder?

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