Today is the last day of Hanukah, also known as ZotHanukah, based on the reading of the Sefer Torah where it says, Zot Hanukat Hamizbe’ah.
What makes the eighth day so special?
One of the reasons given is that the eight days of Hanukah symbolize the power of the supernatural. There are seven days of the week, which is natural, but the number eight always symbolizes the supernatural. That is why the Brit Milah is on the eighth day.
We also find that the number eight symbolizes the supernatural in Parashat Shemini, where it says “On the eighth day,” on the day following the seven days of the inauguration of the Mishkan.
Rabbenu Bachye asks why it was referred to as the eighthday. He says that it is like referring to the day following the Sheva Berachot as the Eighth day of Sheva Berachot. Why do this, if the Sheva Berachot are meant to be seven, not eight?
The answer is that it is because the Torah wanted to stress that the Mishkan was starting with the number eight, which always symbolizes the supernatural.
Additionally, the first word of Az Yashir, the song we sang by the splitting of the sea, has the numerical value of 8 (the word Az in Hebrew א+ז = 8), so it is a given that the number eight symbolizes the supernatural.
If that is the case, then the eighth day of Hanukah is the most powerful day, because this is the day that symbolizes the supernatural.
As we have mentioned before, we light the menorah to show that the “natural” success that we had in the war was actually supernatural.
Furthermore, the Sefer Rokeach, one of the Rishonim, tells us that the rabbinical holiday of Hanukah was fashioned around the Torah holiday of Succot, which is also eight days.
The eighth day of Succot is actually Shemeni Aseret,which is the most powerful day. It says that God said, “I want to have one more day with you.” The holiday of Succot is really only seven days, and the eighth day is a separate holiday. We don’t sit in the Succah on the eighth day. It is the day that we dance with the Torah. It is the final day of judgment, and it is the day where God shows His extra love for the Jewish people.
And the same is true for Hanukah. The eighth day of Hanukah symbolizes that same concept, of Hashem requesting another day with us.
Based on this, the rabbis answer the famous question of the Bet Yosef who asks why, we celebrate for eight days if the miracle of Hanukah wasn’t in fact eight days (it was actually seven days because they had one jug of oil, which was enough for one day).
One answer to this question, of which there are hundreds, is that it’s true that the holiday of Hanukah is only seven days, just like the holiday of Sukkot. But we added the eighth day because that is the day where Hashem says, “I don’t want you to leave.” This shows the special power of the last day of Hanukah.
Finally, the Gaon of Vilna tells us that the eight days that we say full Hallel on Hanukah correspond to the eight days that we should be saying full Hallel during the year, but we don’t.
These are the six days of Pesach, when we really shouldsay full Hallel, but we don’t. We don’t say full Hallel on the seventh day because that is the day that the Egyptian’s were drowning.
And if we don’t say full Hallel on the seventh day, which is a holiday, then we don’t say it the other days (which are Hol Hamoed) either.
Therefore, we only say it on the first day, and lose out on saying full Hallel for those other six days.
Then, on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we don’t say Hallel because God is sitting on the throne of judgment and the books of the living and dead are open- so we can’t possibly sing Hallel then.
Thus, these days in which Hallel is missing are filled in with the eight days of Hanukah. In this case, on the final day of Hanukah, we are singing the Hallel for the missing Hallel that we would like to say on Yom Kippur, thanking Hashem for a good judgment and praising him with Hallel.
These are all reasons that the eighth day of Hanukah is a special day. And although we are not lighting the candles anymore (they were lit last night) we shouldn’t feel burned out (no pun intended) but rather, we should take advantage of this final day.
And just like on Shemini Aseret, when Hashem wants one more day to connect with us, the same is true for Hanukah.
Rav Wolbe calls the last day of Hanukkah the holiday of hizuk. It should give us extra strength, enough to last through the winter days and get us to Purim, especially this year when we have a double Adar. We need the extra strength to keep us going.
May the power and light of Hanukah, which symbolizes the light and power of Torah Sh’b’Al Peh/Oral Law allow us to make it to Purim and Pesach, and continue on with our beautiful calendar year.