Jewish Holidays

 The Torah, written by Moses, although it was written long before Purim, also includes the celebration of Chanukkah. Where can we find that?

Leviticus 23, is a very famous chapter, because it lists all the holidays that the Israelites were to celebrate. In order, Hashem lists them:

• Pesach (Leviticus 23:5)
• Matzah Festival (Leviticus 23:6)
• Omer (Leviticus 23:15)
• Shavuot (Leviticus 23:16)
• Rosh Hashanah (Leviticus 23:24)
• Yom Kipur (Leviticus 23:27)
• Sukkot (Leviticus 23:24)

In fact, the Purim event itself only took place thousands of years after the establishment of Yom Kippur. On Yom Kippur, the high priest would cast lots for two goats, which one should be released into the wilderness. In the feast of Purim, Esther also involved lots, but at that time it was Haman who cast lots, with the intention of wiping out the entire nation of Israel.

So by naming the Day of Atonement as Yom Hakipurim, Hashem is giving a message that later, there will be real Purim.

The Rabbi explained that, during the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai, there HaShem manifested His power and greatness very clearly, as recorded in the book of Shemot (Exodus), by seeing all that, the Israelites could easily say: Yes, I accept Your Torah Hashem.

But in the event of Purim Esther, there was no open miracle, Hashem was ‘hiding’ and here the Israelites were tested, whether they would hold on to the Torah and remain Jewish, or let it go because of Haman’s threat. Because Haman’s reason to Ahasuerus to eradicate the Israelites was because of their Jewishness, having their own customs and rules, their own calendar calculations, their own way of praying, etc., all of which were based on the Torah.

Baruch Hashem, even this test, the Israelites were able to pass with Hashem's help. For more details on the teachings of Purim, you can read the summary of Rabbi Tovia Singer's teachings on Purim that was previously sent.

where is Hanukkah?

The rabbi explained that the Torah was not broken down into chapters in the original manuscript. So in the original manuscript, there was no gap between chapters 23 and 24 (The Book of Leviticus).

We see in Leviticus 24:2-4, there Hashem explains the commandment regarding the menorah, the oil to be used, and the procedure. Logically, the commandment could have been placed when explaining the duties of Aaron and his sons, which is long before chapter 23. But clearly there is a purpose here from Hashem so that he placed the commandment about the menorah and its oil after Sukkot, because the event of Chanukkah occurred after Sukkot, in the winter, where after thousands of years there was no winter holiday, but in the year 164 of the Common Era after a 4-year war with Greece, Hashem performed the miracle of Chanukkah, which was after the Jewish victory over Greece, where the Jews were led by the Maccabee family, who were a priestly family, they found only 1 bottle of pure olive oil that was not contaminated by Greece, the oil still had the seal of the high priest, but one bottle was only enough to light the menorah for 1 day. To produce more pure olive oil for the menorah requires a 7-day process. So Hashem made a miracle of the oil from one bottle being able to burn for eight days.

Here, Hashem is saying to his people, in the time of winter, when the darkness is longer than the day, when the cold envelops his people, Hashem is saying: I still care for you, I still love you, see I still give you the miracle of my menorah.