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The Menorah Files
The inside story behind the Chanukah miracle
© Natalia Kadish
Burning a flask of oil for eight days may seem a plain vanilla sort of miracle, but for the engineering teams up in Heaven Inc. it was no piece of cake.
Here's the story from their perspective —and from that of the great halachist, Rabbi Yosef Karo.
Major miracle goes up for tender
Heaven Inc. e-mails all heavenly engineering firms conditions and stipulations for the menorah miracle.
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Guidance from the future
How the Heavenly Court commissioned the services of an earthly consultant.
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The best oil Heaven can provide
"No, I don't mean your schematics, or your software code or any of that. I'm talking about the human interface."
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Oil unlimited from Outanowhere inc.
Outanowhere inc. presents their alternative solution
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The limits of unlimitedness
Outanowhere discovers that more is less and infinite power is not always a sufficient solution.
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Talmudic thumbs vs. Syrian swords
Rabbi Karo stumps the Heavenly Court
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Flaming Wonders and the Angel of Athens
Yosef Karo confronts the angel of Ancient Greece
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The ultimate unresolution
Halacha emerges victorious over Greek logic
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...and the author's response
A puzzled fan learns that if it all makes sense, you've got it wrong.
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Here are 14 beautiful mini-teachings, couched in the mystical teachings of Judaism, to bring spirituality, light, and warmth to your Chanukah.
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Join the Discussion
Jaya
December 4, 2023
Thank you Rabbi Freeman for this extraordinary read. Would you kindly share the sources for this? I remember having studied it in seminary but can't remember if it was a maamar or a sicha.
Tzvi Freeman
December 4, 2023
Likutei Sichot, volume 15, page 183. See also Mai Chanukah, Kehot Publication Society, NY, 1994.
Bochur
RCA
December 5, 2023
It’s a Sicha. I believe chelek 15
Jaya
December 8, 2023
Thank you!
Hello. Here it is mentioned that it is a halacha that when any kli of the Beis HaMikdash is filled, it must be filled entirely. I could find this halacha as applied specifically to the nerot of the menorah, but could not find this 'klal' anywhere. Could you point me to a source? It is in Mishneh Torah somewhere maybe?