“[T]he wicked Greek Kingdom rose up against Your people Israel to make them forget Your Torah and to force them to transgress the statutes of Your will. It was then that You in Your great compassion stood by them in the time of their distress” (Al HaNissim).

The Eish Kodesh writes that the Greeks attempted “to make them forget Your Torah and to force them to transgress the statutes of Your will” by causing great distress and suffering to the Jews. However, the Jewish nation was aware that all of their physical suffering was an attempt to manipulate them away from their faith –the true “distress” that resulted from this was a fear of succumbing to their oppressors. They therefore strengthened themselves in their belief in Hashem, and it was in the merit of this increased bitachon, trust in Hashem, that they were redeemed from their suffering. “Treat [Hashem’s] will as if it were your own will, so that He will treat your will as if it were His will” (Avos 2:4). When we demonstrate to Hashem that our greatest distress is our inability to perform His will – He will bless us with the opportunities to rededicate ourselves to Him. Good Shabbos, Good Chodesh and a Freilichin Chanukah!