Derasha 5 on Haazinu 32:7

Parashas Haazinu · Passuk 32:7

The Complete Passuk

זְכֹר יְמוֹת עוֹלָם בִּינוּ שְׁנוֹת דֹּר וָדֹר שְׁאַל אָבִיךָ וְיַגֵּדְךָ זְקֵנֶיךָ וְיֹאמְרוּ לָךְ

Chabad.org — Devarim 32

Source Citation

Torah Temima points to Shabbat 23a on the source for the Chanukah blessing.

Sefaria — Shabbat 23a

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
נֵר חֲנֻכָּה מְבָרְכִין עָלֶיהָ אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר חֲנֻכָּה. וְהֵיכָן צִוָּנוּ? אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן, שְׁאַל אָבִיךָ וְיַגֵּדְךָ זְקֵנֶיךָ וְיֹאמְרוּ לָךְ

English: Over the Chanukah lamp one recites the blessing “…Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to kindle the Chanukah lamp.” And where did He command us? Rav Nachman said: “Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders and they will say to you.”

Type of Learning

A source for rabbinic mitzvot drawn from the authority of tradition transmitted by the elders.

What Chazal Learned

Even commandments that are not explicit in the Written Torah rest on the authority of the chain of tradition. The verse “ask your father… your elders” is the warrant for the blessing over Chanukah lights and, by extension, for the binding force of the oral tradition.

Audio: dafyomi.org · YICC (Rav Etshalom)