miracle oil?
were they allowed to use oil from a miracle for the menorah in the temple?
One of the famous questions that is asked regarding the Chanukah miracle is how were they allowed to use this oil to light the menorah if the oil was miracle oil? Meaning that if this oil was only supposed to last one day and a miracle occurred that it lasted 8 days, then the oil was created from a miracle and would thereby be unfit to light with?
Many answers are given to this question. A novel approach is an answer given by the Imrei Emes of Gur. Interestingly enough, his answer is based upon two other questions.
First, in describing the event that prompted the establishment of the holiday of Chanukah, the Gemara relates that upon being victorious against the Greek army, they entered the Bais Hamiksah and wanting to rededicate it, they searched around for oil and all they found was "one jug of oil", etc. The terminology implies that the jug was empty except it was a jug used for oil.
Secondly, what's the connection that the Kohen Gadol would have sealed a jug of oil with his official seal?
In light of these two questions, the Gerrer Rebbe explains that perhaps the incident with the oil went like this:
Perhaps some time before the war of the Chasmanaim, a jug that was used for oil that could contain 3-1/2 Lugim (the required amount of oil needed to kindle one light) was brought into the Bais Hamikdash and they filled it to capacity, three and a half lugim of oil, but lo and behold, the jug which was made to contain this amount did not become filled so they poured in more oil. They did this eight times and since they saw that this was a wonder jug of oil, therefore, the Kohen Gadol sealed it with his seal to mark it as a special jug of oil.
This would explain all the aforementioned questions:
The jug they found indeed was an empty jug made for oil, and when they attempted to pour in the oil to capacity, it did not fill. They kept filling it up until they had filled it eight times. Therefore, it wasn't the oil that was miraculous oil but the jug that had a miraculous ability to hold eight times its capacity. Being that the oil was not miracle oil, it was regular oil, so it could therefore be used to light the menorah and that is why it was worthy of the distinction that it was given.
Many answers are given to this question. A novel approach is an answer given by the Imrei Emes of Gur. Interestingly enough, his answer is based upon two other questions.
First, in describing the event that prompted the establishment of the holiday of Chanukah, the Gemara relates that upon being victorious against the Greek army, they entered the Bais Hamiksah and wanting to rededicate it, they searched around for oil and all they found was "one jug of oil", etc. The terminology implies that the jug was empty except it was a jug used for oil.
Secondly, what's the connection that the Kohen Gadol would have sealed a jug of oil with his official seal?
In light of these two questions, the Gerrer Rebbe explains that perhaps the incident with the oil went like this:
Perhaps some time before the war of the Chasmanaim, a jug that was used for oil that could contain 3-1/2 Lugim (the required amount of oil needed to kindle one light) was brought into the Bais Hamikdash and they filled it to capacity, three and a half lugim of oil, but lo and behold, the jug which was made to contain this amount did not become filled so they poured in more oil. They did this eight times and since they saw that this was a wonder jug of oil, therefore, the Kohen Gadol sealed it with his seal to mark it as a special jug of oil.
This would explain all the aforementioned questions:
The jug they found indeed was an empty jug made for oil, and when they attempted to pour in the oil to capacity, it did not fill. They kept filling it up until they had filled it eight times. Therefore, it wasn't the oil that was miraculous oil but the jug that had a miraculous ability to hold eight times its capacity. Being that the oil was not miracle oil, it was regular oil, so it could therefore be used to light the menorah and that is why it was worthy of the distinction that it was given.
Based on ספר שלל רב על חנוכה
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