The Significance of the Found Oil

The Significance of the Found Oil

The story of the found oil sits at the pinnacle of the miracle of Chanukah. After the Maccabees defeated the much more powerful Grecian army and reclaimed the Bais Hamikdash (the Temple), they discovered one small flask of oil, enough to light the Menorah for one day. Instead, by Divine miracle, that oil lasted for eight days, allowing enough time to prepare new oil needed thereafter.

This is the miracle we know and love, the reason we celebrate the festive holiday for eight days and nights and the reason we, until today, light Menorahs of our own. However, the miracle could not have happened without the Maccabees first finding the oil. That part of the miracle is often overlooked.

The finding of the oil may seem insignificant to the miraculous story, right? After all, they needed oil so naturally, once they reclaimed the Temple, they’d search for it. However, when we look at the story more clearly, and the circumstances surrounding the flask of oil, the decision to search for it becomes quite interesting.

The Greeks knew what the Bais Hamikdash meant to the Jewish people, enough to deliberately defile and desecrate it amidst the war with the Maccabees, and leaving the Jews with almost nothing that could be used to light the Menorah once they’d eventually defeat the Greeks. And yet, they still searched for it, held onto hope until alas – an untouched flask.

A large and important part of the miracle of the found oil was the fact that the oil was pure which begs the question of its significance, especially since Jewish law could have permitted the use of impure oil during such circumstances.

There is a Jewish concept of amplifying and performing a Mitzvah in the holiest, most enhanced way possible. Interestingly, Chanukah is most associated with this concept. We see this through the custom of adding a light to every night rather than lighting one light for all eight nights. Rather than simply fulfilling the Mitzvah with one light, we make an additional and intentional effort to perform the Mitzvah in a more beautiful, elevated way.

This concept comes full circle when we realize how great the miracle of the pure oil was. Sure, Jewish law would have permitted the Kohanim to light the Menorah with impure oil considering the circumstances, which is why the miracle is so great. The Maccabees found the pure oil without having to rely on the allowance of a modification to the Mitzvah of the Menorah.

Chassidus explains that this reflects the special relationship between the Jewish people and Hashem. Hashem gave the opportunity to the Maccabees to perform the Mitzvah in the purest forms, even when doing so went beyond what was strictly necessary because there is a difference between doing something as a requirement or doing something to strengthen our bond with Gd. They are both important but it uplifts our own soul to go the extra mile and choose to do more, to do something more pure, to choose the harder option in the name of Hashem. We are not strangers to routine. We learn Torah, we pray, we give charity and take on Mitzvot to strengthen our relationship with Hashem. But how often do we ask ourselves: How can I be more intentional?

Through the story of the found oil in the Chanukah miracle, where they searched for pure oil so they could go the extra mile even if it wasn’t required to perform the Mitzvah, we learn the importance of pushing ourselves past the limits of comfortability and contentment. Sure, the Maccabees could have seen the desecrated Temple and chosen the easier route of obtaining impure oil so they can perform the Mitzvah of the Menorah however, even when it seemed like it’d be an impossible feat to obtain a flask of pure oil, they still searched for it, adding to the stack of miracles from that day.

May we merit to watch the Menorah being lit in the third Bais Hamikdash speedily, in our days. Happy Chanukah, from Judaica.com!