Overview:

The Oil of Consecration:

The miracle of Hanukkah was a miracle of consecration lights.

The one vile of clean oil was only to last one day. But since the Israelites regained the temple from the Greeks, they would need to consecrate the Priests, the Temple, and the altar for seven days in order that the Israelites could fully regain the temple and its function.

The testing of the one day of clean oil was a test to see if the teshuvah of the  faithful Jews (namely the Maccabees and their followers who faught for Israel and the Jewish faith) was accepted. This single vessel of oil that was found when the Jews reconquered the Temple from the Greeks was enough to last one day. But miraculously,  Hashem made the oil last for 8 days.  This miracle of 8 days holds a profound meaning, especially with regards to consecration. 

Leviticus 8:35 tells  us that ordination and consecration of the Temple and the priests  takes 7 days so that the Jewish people and priests don’t die—part of  the miracle of Hanukkah was that the Jews reconquered the temple  from the Greeks, who had defiled the temple and altar. As such, both  were in need of reconsecration—for 7 days.  

Thus, during those 7 days, the priest would not be able to leave the temple for while he  and the temple were reconsecrated. Meaning, he could not make  more oil—the one flask would HAVE to be enough if rededication was  to occur. And that is the miracle Hashem provided on Hanukkah!

The fact that the one day of oil lasted, not only seven days, but eight days proved that teshuvah was accepted and the sins were forgiven. The temple and priests were reconsecrated, with a day’s worth of leftover oil to “live on”—Like Elijah’s wife and her miraculous oil.

Elijah's Wife: The Oil of Redemption

This miracle of the Hanukkah oil is also much like the miracle that Elisha performed with Elijah's wife in 2 Kings 4:1-7. 

A widow, Elijah's wife was gravely in debt; the creditors were hounding her, and she had nothing  left to give. She and her son were about to die. Then Elisha  showed up. He told her to collect empty jars from her neighbors,  go inside, shut the door, and keep pouring the small flask of oil that she had as one of her only possessions.  

The oil kept flowing until she ran out of jars (not oil). Elisha then to Elijah's wife to sell the oil, which proved enough to pay her debt with  extra to “live” off of—the extra oil, is like the excess oil of the  soaked meal offerings that we will learn about in Parsha Tzav—it  is the excess oil that provides the fat for the poor people’s sin  offerings (of meal ) to be accepted—without fat turning to smoke,  there is no expiation. Like the Torah (which by keeping we will live), the extra oil provides sustinance for life while providing the redemption price for sin.

Thus, the excess oil leads to the forgiveness of sin FOR ALL. In the Hanukkah story, the excess oil proved that the sins had been forgiven, which allowed the Temple to be reconcecrated.  The single vile of oil provided the 7  days' worth, which was all that was needed for re-consecration. Yet Hashem provided for 8  days. 

Finally, the extra day (8) signifies heavenly completion—Just as  Hashem lit the flame on the first altar (see Leviticus 9); His flame never goes out.  Thus, the light of His people never goes out. One day He will return, marry us like Negev land— without bride price. In that day there will  be no need for sun or moon, Hashem will be our eternal light. The  flame will return to the altar, and CHAI will reign as all evil and  darkness falls (see Isaiah 60:1-3; Isaiah 61:19-22).

Elijah & The Prophets of Baal:

This order of events of the oil allowing "extra fire" to fall from Hashem is also much like the scene Elijah calling for fire from heaven when he was battling the false profits of Baal.

In Elijah's miracle, Hashem comes immediately to Elijah’s calls and burns the mincha-time afternoon burnt offerings despite them being drenched in water. This miracle proves the reality of Hashem as the One True God and debunks the claims of false gods and their false prophets.

In the Hanukkah story, Hashem created the fire in His Temple through the oil that lasted eight days instead of a single day. Through the fires of reconsecration, Hashem proved that the false gods of Greece were like those of Baal. Though the Greeks tried to desecrate His Holy Temple, Hashem banished their presence through the ignition of His Holy Fire.

May Hashem do the same speedily in our days. May He rebuild His Third Temple and reignight His Holy Flames in Jerusalem!

Am Yisrael Chai!

Kimberly Davis