In Those Days; In Our Time
Officially, these words that we say in the second bracha for Chanuka candle lighting, in Al HaNisim, and in HaNeirot HaLalu refer to our acknowledgement and thanks to G-d for the many miracles - open and hidden, obvious and subtle - He has performed throughout Jewish History.
Off the record, we can (and should) apply the concept of “Then & Now” to con- ditions and situations throughout Jewish History that put us into trouble, and the “need” for the miracles that saved us. This expansion of the idea gives the words “in those days, in our time” the flavor of MAASEI AVOT, SIMAN LABANIM - the deeds of our ancestors set patterns - good and bad - for their descendants, us.

Let’s look at the period of time from when Yaakov and his perennial adversary were born until Yosef rose to position of deputy ruler of Egypt, 2108-2229, more than 3500 years ago. And the period prior to and during the Chanuka miracles, 3570-3622, more than 2000 years ago. And our own times. BAYAMIM HAHEIM, BIZMAN HAZEH. In those days, and in our time.
Yaakov was miraculously successful in his survival (and flourishing) of his encounters with Lavan, the guardian angel of Eisav, Eisav and son Elifaz. Yosef miraculously survived the “pit”, his sale into slavery, his imprisonment, and more.

We celebrate the miracles of the victory of the Chashmona’im, of the few who vanquished the many, the weak who defeated the strong... and the miracle of the oil.

And in our own time, we note with gratitude to G-d, the survival and victories of the small State of Israel over the multitude of Arab states.

In those days, in our time.

But there is more. Yaakov’s family, the precursor of the Jewish Nation, faced enemies from the “outside” in the form of Lavan and Eisav, different from each other, but both determined to cut off the Jewish People before we really got started. And we were plagued by the enmity from within, in the form of “Yosef and his brothers”.

The Chanuka story is about the oppressive Syrian-Greek rule of Eretz Yisrael, designed to destroy the spiritual identity of the Jewish People. And it is also about the terrible rift within, between Hellenized Jews and those who tenaciously clung to Torah and Tradition.

And today we are faced with growing anti-Semitism around the world and Arab states and terrorists who still deny our right to exist and are continually attempting to see it that we don’t. And, we still suffer from the “Yosef and his brothers” syndrome: we still fight amongst ourselves. Ashkenazi-Sfaradi.

Religious-Secular (make that Religious - not-yet-religious). Political right vs. left. And them some. That’s the downside of “In those days, in our time”.

Our challenge is to break out of the negative side of the recurring themes in Jewish History... and to enjoy all of G-d’s miracles, big and small.