CLASH? No, Part of the Point

Of course Chanuka is to an important point a story about clashes. Between the Greeks and the Jews, Greek Philosophy and Torah. Even, sadly, between Jew and Jew. But this piece is about a significant non-clash - SHABBAT CHANUKA.

Prime time to light Chanuka candles is either sunset or stars-out. Any time earlier than sunset is generally less than ideal. Usually not L'CHATCHILA, but rather B'DI'EVED. The same applies to times later than stars-out. One can light later — even all night — but it is not the best. 

Along comes Shabbat — every single year, and occasionally twice — and has two different effects on the ideal Chanuka candle lighting time. On Friday, Erev Shabbat Chanuka, Shabbat does not allow lighting at the perfect, proper time. It insists that we light early. On Motza'ei Shabbat, Shabbat again does not allow us to light at the "proper" time; she insists that we light late. And on these two (or three) occasions, when Shabbat "clashes" with our Chanuka lighting schedule, Shabbat prevails. in fact, Shabbat turns the early and late lightings of Erev Shabbat and Motza'ei Shabbat into L'CHATCHILA, into the ideal. Because Shabbat is Shabbat.
So Shabbat and Chanuka clash two or three times a year and Shabbat wins. Is that it?

NO! Shabbat and Chanuka do not clash. They actually help each other put their messages across. (Shabbat doesn't clash with Rosh HaShana, or Sukkot - Lulav, that is, or Purim, or Tish'a b'Av, or Pesach — even though it seems to, but that's for another time.)

Chanuka says, "A great miracle happened here!" Chanuka says, "let us thank G-d for his miracles, both hidden within nature as well as revealed." SO DOES SHABBAT! Shabbat says, "G-d created the world and everything in it. He created Nature and He has complete power and control over nature. And that includes the performance of miracles. Appreciation of miracles help us not take the whole of Creation for granted. Whatever Chanuka says, Shabbat says, I tell you the same thing! Throughout the year! 
And on Motza'ei Shabbat, Shabbat has caused us to delay in the lighting of Chanuka candles. A clash? No. Because Havdala (whether you say it before or after Chanuka candles) has part of the Chanuka message. It says that there is a distinction between the sacred and the profane, between Israel and the nations. Is that not what the whole point of the Chanuka is? The Greeks (and others) said to us, Be like us. Accept our philosophy. Assimilate into our culture. There is no difference between us. The Chashmona'im said that the People of Israel are different. And that difference is our life. Our reason to exist. That's exactly Shabbat's message as it departs. No clash here. Shabbat says to us, Chanuka is once a year, but Shabbat is always. Hear the message. And live by it.