During the holiday of Chanukah the Menorah casts a giant shadow. We are taught, from a young age, of the miracle of the small jar of oil which kept the Menorah burning for eight days. In fact, the primary mitzvah of the holiday, the lighting of the “Chanukiah” serves as a public reminder of the miracle of the kindling of the Menorah and the restoration of the Beis Hamikdash. But with all the focus on the Menorah we lose sight of the stories of the vessels that didn’t have as happy an ending. More specifically, we lose sight of the story of the Mizbeach.

The Maharsha on Shabbos 21b says   ” ונראה לפרש דנקרא חנוכה ע"ש חנוכת המזבח “The very name Chanukah, according to the Maharsha, comes from the rededication of the Mizbeach. It would appear that the thematic symbol of the holiday is not the Menorah but is, in fact, the Mizbeach. What does the Mizbeach teach us about the nature of Chanukah?

The Gemara in Avodah Zara 52b recounts that when the Greeks breached the sacred walls of the Beis Hamikdash, they offered pagan sacrifices on the Mizbeach. Their offerings rendered the Mizbeach unfit for future service in the Beis Hamikdash. When the Chashmonaim miraculously prevailed over their foes and reclaimed the Beis Hamikdash, they stowed the unfit Mizbeach in a North-East chamber of the Heichal. A new Mizbeach was built and consecrated. The Gemara was troubled by the fact that the Chashmonaim went through the trouble of stashing away the old Mizbeach and replacing it with a new one, a very tedious process, when they had a much simpler option at their disposal. Why didn’t the Jews ask a non-Jewish pagan to break the stone of the Mizbeach, thereby nullifying the prohibited nature of the Mizbeach? The Gemara answers that while breaking a stone of the Mizbeach would indeed nullify the prohibited nature, the Torah requires smooth stones for the Mizbeach. A single nick in its stone renders it unfit for use. So why not use a tool to smooth out any nicks? The Gemara cites the Pasuk in Sefer Devarim (27, 5)” תניף עליהם ברזל  לא”, an iron tool that touches the Mizbeach would also render it unfit. The only option was to stow away the old Mizbeach and build a new one.

The Mishna in Midos (3, 4) sheds light onto the Gemara. The Mishna says that the reason why no metal implement can touch any stone of the Mizbeach is because “שהברזל נברא לקצר ימיו של אדם והמזבח נברא להאריך ימיו של אדם אינו בדין שיונף המקצר על המאריך” (Iron was created to curtail the life of man, while the Mizbeach was created to lengthen the life of man. It is not proper to raise that which shortens against that which lengthens.)  Iron, the metal of weaponry, symbolizes war and destruction. The Mizbeach, on the other hand, is the conduit through which man connects to God and brings peace and longevity into the world. While implements of war have their practical uses, they cannot reach the level of implements of peace.

Now let’s revisit the Gemara and try to imagine the scene. The Chashmonaim heroes have just accomplished the impossible; with the help of God they handily defeated the mighty Greek army. With a victorious cheer they re-enter the Beis Hamikdash and attempt to salvage all they can. Unfortunately, in their search they discover the defiled Mizbeach.  Ultimately they cannot salvage the Mizbeach because iron, the implement of war, cannot be used to fix the Mizbeach the conduit of peace and connection to God. These same warriors, whose bravery and military prowess helped save the Jews, concluded that there were some things their weapons just could not touch.

On Chanukah we do celebrate the military victory of מָסַרְתָּ גִבּוֹרִים בְּיַד חַלָּשִׁים. וְרַבִּים בְּיַד מְעַטִּים. However, while we celebrate military might and victory, it is not an end in and of itself. Rather, we cherish peace and treasure וּלְךָ עָשִׂיתָ שֵׁם גָּדוֹל וְקָדוֹשׁ בְּעוֹלָמֶךָ. We strive to connect to God in this world.

Perhaps this is what is meant by דנקרא חנוכה ע"ש חנוכת המזבח. It is the Mizbeach that symbolizes the true essence of Chanukah.