Chanukah: Miracles V

“Blessed is God, for He has been wondrously kind to me in the besieged city.” (Psalms 31:22) The Chasid Ya’avetz explains that someone who is in a besieged city can be saved only by an external reason; another army attacks the siege force, or the besieging army is called away or runs out of supplies. The “wondrous kindness” is one that appears from nowhere, unexpectedly, to save the besieged city. Any kindness that seems to appear from nowhere is a “Wondrous Kindness.”

David’s greatness was they he lived trusting in such wondrous kindnesses. He had achieved the highest level of being a Botei’ach, a Truster in God. (See Rabbeinu Menachem Meiri’s Commentary to Psalms.)

The Chashmonaim too, lived as such Botchim, Trusters in God. They were rewarded with countless miracles on the battlefield and off, when they were fighting for their lives and when they were desperate to honor the Beit Hamikdash.

Chanukah is our time of miracles. We can prepare for Chanukah by learning how to be Botchim, Trusters. (See “The Six Steps of Bitachon”)