The most famous query regarding Chanukah - and one of the most enthusiastically discussed issues relating to any yom tov- is the question of why the celebration lasts for eight days instead of seven. After all, there was enough oil in the flask to kindle the Menorah for at least one full night, meaning that there was no miracle on the first day. Only the lighting of the Menorah during the subsequent seven days was miraculous. Chanukah should therefore be observed for only seven days, not eight!

One of the popular answers to this question posits that the first day is a celebration of the discovery of the cruse of שמן טהור itself. The fact that we were still in possession of even one small bottle of unsullied oil was deemed a distinct miracle deserving of a full day of commemoration, in addition to the latter seven days, which mark how the little bit of oil was miraculously able to last for the next week.

However, this interpretation of the events and their commemoration is questionable. Was the discovery of one cruse of oil really all that miraculous? How could there not be any שמן טהור available in the entire city of Yerushalayim? After all, Yerushalayim, home to the בית המקדש, had the distinction of being one of the most - if not the most - populated cities in all of ארץ ישראל. It is estimated that there were nearly two hundred thousand residents in Yerushalayim and its surroundings during the days of the Chashmonaim. It seems unlikely that not a single one of Yerushalayim's inhabitants possessed even a few cups of pure, uncontaminated olive oil. There should have been ample supplies of oil!

One might challenge this by saying that the oil of a private inhabitant wouldn't be certified as שמן טהור. However, this certification would be unnecessary. The unfitfulness of household olive oil for use in the lighting of the Menorah of the בית המקדש is not because of a halachic need for adequate certification of טהרה. The mishnah in Chagigah (3:4) states that any resident of Yehudah could be trusted to attest to the purity of oil donated to the בית המקדש. Although the mishnah is referring to oil used for menachos, not oil used for the Menorah, in regard to requirements of טהרה their dinim are identical. What distinguishes the oil for the Menorah from that of menachos is the Menorah's requirement for pure virgin olive oil, not an extra טהרה requirement. Therefore, even if oil fit for the Menorah was more difficult to come by, the mishnah nevertheless describes an atmosphere in which many Jews sought to provide the שמן טהור for the needs of the בית המקדש. It was considered a high privilege to purvey a product usable for עבודת המדקש, and it was not even necessary for שמן טהור to be sealed with the stamp of the כהן גדול. Oil could be trusted as טהור without that kind of hechsher, so there should have been plenty of oil available. How is it possible that no reliably pure שמן טהור could be obtained in the entire city of Yerushalayim for the sake of הדלקת המנורה?

The aforementioned mishnah in Chagigah reflects the pervasive attitude of people who were always ready to help prepare the Avodah in the בית המקדש. The presumption of purity, with respect to oil, was founded on the expectation that the need for such oil would be met. During the Greek occupation of Yerushalayim the Avodah in the בית המקדש was forcibly discontinued. Had the Jews of Yehudah all believed that the Avodah would soon resume they would have no doubt continued squeezing oil with every necessary precaution for its טהרה, and those proficient in the preparation of שמן זית זך fit for the Menorah would have been among them. It would appear, therefore, that the dearth of such oil reflects the despair of a citizenry that had given up all hope of seeing the resumption of the Avodah. Having forsaken their faith in the speedy resumption of הדלקת המנורה, oil producers could not be trusted to guard the purity of their product. Why trouble for the purity of oil when it would, in all probability, never be used? The נאמנות regarding the purity of their oil was forfeited.

When Chazal tell us that the Chashmonaim discovered only one cruse of oil whose purity was guaranteed by the seal of the כהן גדול, they are describing the pitiful state of Jewish faith in the aftermath of Hellenist rule. All other oil was unacceptable due to the doubt sown in the hearts of Jews that the Menorah would ever be rekindled.

The discovery of a flask of pure oil serves as a tribute to those faithful few who stubbornly kept the faith in our rebirth as a Torah-nation. The miraculous discovery of a lone cruse of oil was in their merit alone. The מעטים in whose hands were delivered the רבים, about whom we speak in the recitation of על הנסים, were the small band of fervent believers who never doubted that the עבודת המקדש would be restored.

Chanukah sends the message that fragments of faith can prevail even when most of our hope seems lost. The discovery of one pure, untainted flask of oil represents the small but precious kernel of faith hidden deep in the recesses of our Jewish souls, even in moments of spiritual doubt and uncertainty. The miraculous power of that kernel of faith “בימים ההם” continues “בזמן הזה”. The miracle of Chanuka perpetuates the potency of that bit of faith, enabling us to pick up ourselves again and again, achieving rebirth, and finding new hope and trust in the רבונו של עולם.