Parshas Mikeitz (Chanukah) 5786
- Torah Tavlin
- Dec 19, 2025
- 2 min read
על ניסך ועל נפלאותיך ועל ישועתיך ... (לכבוד שבת חנוכה)
MASHAL: A distraught individual once came to the renowned Chazon Ish zt”l, complaining bitterly about his troubles. He had fallen into astronomical debt and felt his life was unbearable. “Only a real miracle could save me from my desperate situation,” the man claimed. “However, Lav kol yoma itrchish nisa,” he concluded.
The man was quoting the well-known Talmudic phrase, conventionally understood as: “Not every day does a miracle occur.” One should not rely solely on divine intervention.
The Chazon Ish, however, offered a profound reinter- pretation. He read the phrase not as a statement of negation, but as a powerful display of Hashem’s constant Divine intervention: “Lav! Kol yoma itrchish nisa,” meaning, No! Every single day miracles happen! The Chazon Ish explained it in a way only he could about Hashem’s intimacy with us and assured the fellow that with the right frame of mind, Hashem will surely come to his rescue in unimaginable ways.
The man was deeply moved by Chazon Ish’s words. He realized that his problems were not proof of Hashem’s absence, but that he had been blind to the Divine Presence, sustaining his life every moment. Miracles do indeed happen, and Hashem can easily perform them at a moment’s notice.
NIMSHAL: The Chanukah story centers around the miracle of the oil burning for eight days, stemming from the small, undefiled Pach Shemen (flask of oil) found by the chashmonaim after they defeated the Greeks and rededicated the Holy Temple. This seemingly insignificant quantity of oil, sufficient for only one day, miraculously sustained the Menorah’s light for eight full days. A key takeaway from Chanukah is that miracles can happen, even when least expected!