The motto of Chanuka, ""NES GADOL HAYA PO" (a great miracle occurred here) makes us think of the one day supply of oil that burned for 8 days. It is striking that the Chanuka liturgy omits mention of this miracle entirely.

The AL HANISIM addition to the prayers and even the paragraph HANEROS HALALU (these candles) introducing the lighting of the Menorah, express praise and thanks to G-D only for the military victory. How can this be explained?

There are two more puzzles in the details of our celebration of Chanuka. The Maccabees entered the Temple and purified it on the 25th of Kislev. They lit the Menorah on the night of the 26th of Kislev. Why then do we start lighting on the night of the 25th? Also, the Beit Yosef asked-one day's supply of oil burning for 8 days, is only 7 days of the miracle. Why then do we light for 8 days?

The Greeks sought to defile all that the Torah defined as holy. The miracle demonstrated that the Kohen Gadol's seal of the purity of the oil, is beyond the reach of Greek power and defilement.

The miracle expressed G-D's purpose in the war. The victory was not for the sake of political independence but for the sake of G-D and His holy service. It was because the Maccabees fought for G-D's purpose that they were victorious. Thus, the Maharal states that the miracle of the oil shows the Divine Providence in the military victory as well.

Why do we start lighting the Menorah one day early? And why do we light for 8 nights when the miraculous burning was only 7 nights? Because the lighting on the first night commemorates the military victory. We celebrate the victory as an expression of Divine Providence. The absence of the miracle of the oil from the Chanuka liturgy directs us to focus on the natural military victory and recognize its miraculous nature. As important as the miracle of the oil is, do not get lost in the oil! The message of Divine Providence in seemingly natural events is the ultimate message of all miracles in Jewish history.

The lesson of Chanuka is that there is a balance between Divine Providence that is revealed and that which is not, and sometimes, time and patience reveals what was formerly hidden. Could anyone 70 years ago have imagined the flourishing of Torah study and the incredible life in Israel, the super power of the Middle East? Internalizing this lesson is the goal of the Chanuka celebration.