Pray for a Miracle? Only on Chanukah!

IBy RABBI HILLEL SHAPS

DIRECTOR, GREATER WASHINGTON COMMUNITY KOLLEL

s one allowed to pray for a miracle?

The Mishna in Brachos (44a) implies not. It teaches that if one prays for the gender of a fetus to change in utero, it is a tefillas shav, a worthless prayer.

The Vilna Gaon explains that although the Almighty is certainly capable of altering the course of nature, it is inappropriate for us to request it.

Based on this Mishna, the commentaries raise a question on the ruling of the Rama (Orach Chaim 187:4) regarding one who forgets to say Al Hanisim in Bircas Hamazon on Chanukah or Purim. The Rama rules that in such a case, one should insert the following at the end of the Harachaman section:

“Harachaman (The Merciful One) – He should make miracles and wonders for us as He did in those days (He should do) in these days.” How could the Rama rule that we should say, “He should make miracles and wonders for us” if it forbidden to pray for a miracle?

The Shaarei Teshuva cites two answers.

1) Only requesting a miracle for an individual is prohibited. In this case, we say He should make miracles “for us.” Requesting a miracle for the public is permitted.

2) Only requesting a miracle that is beyond the laws of nature is prohibited. Requesting a miracle like that of the victory of the Maccabees over the Greeks, which worked within the laws of nature, is permitted.

Rav Yosef Shaul Nathanson (Divrei Shaul – Drashos) suggests that specifically on Chanukah (and perhaps Purim) it is permitted to pray for a miracle. The Gemara (Rosh Hashana 11a) states that “we were redeemed in Nisan and the future redemption will be in Nisan.” The Ran explains that once an extraordinary event has occurred in a specific time period, that period becomes more predisposed to similar events in the future. This is true for Chanukah as well. Being that Chanukah is a time in which miracles occurred, it is an auspicious time for miracles to occur again. Therefore, specifically on Chanukah it becomes permitted to pray for a miracle.

Perhaps we can suggest another reason why specifically on Chanukah it would be permitted to pray for a miracle. The Alter from Kelm writes (Chachma U’Mussar 59) that the purpose of open miracles is to remind us that every aspect of our lives is a miracle from G-d – just a hidden miracle. This is what we mean when we say in the blessing of she’asa nissim, that “He made miracles for our ancestors ba’yamim hahem ba’zman hazeh, in those days – in these days.” The miracles of those days remind us that even that which appears natural, is also a miracle in these days. This perspective also provides an answer to the famous question regarding why there are eight nights of Chanukah if on the eighth night the oil simply burned down and no miracle occurred. The answer could be that it is to remind us that even when it burned naturally, that was also a miracle. Perhaps then, it is specifically on Chanukah, when we blur the lines between the natural and the miraculous and we realize that from G-d’s perspective there is no difference between a naturally occurring event and an open miracle, it is then that it is appropriate and permitted to pray for an open miracle.

This Chanukah, may we once again merit to see miracles for our people.