Today is the final day of Chanukah, otherwise known as “Zos Chanukah” (This is Chanukah). The simple reason for this day is that the Torah reading for the final day of Chanukah contains the passage “Zos Chanukahs Hamizbeiach,” (This is the dedication of the altar)- and the word “Chanukah” is rooted in “chinuch” (dedication/education).
The last day of Chanukah encapsulates all of Chanukah.
We find two schools of thought “Beis Shammai and Beis Hillel”- This two academies differed in the way we should light the Menorah. Shammai was of the opinion that the first night we should light the eight lights in the Menorah and each day we should decrease one light until the eighth day we light only one candle.
Hillel, on the other hand, was of the opinion that we should light one candle the first day, two lights the second, three the third, and so on until we light eight lights on the last day plus the shamash.
The reason for this disagreement was that Shammai says that we should look at matters as they are in their potential, Hillel maintains that we look at things as they exist in actuality.
The sages ruled that we go by Hillel’s approach. So we view Torah and mitzvahs as they are in the actual, but every day we should add to our current state, so if today I did A tomorrow we should do A and B, the day after We should do A,B, and C and so on.
We should never diminish our light,on the contrary every day it should be more. This is why it is only on the final day of Chanukah-when all eight days and lights have been actualizad and lit that we say “Zos Chanukah” (This is Chanukah).
Chag Chanukah Sameach
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