על ניסים, חנוכה ומשמעות

Someone who sees a place where miracles were done for Israel, such as: the crossing of the sea, the crossing of the Jordan, the crossing of the Rivulets of Arnon, the stones of Elgavish of Beit Choron, the stone which Og wanted to throw on Israel, the stone that Moshe sat on during the war of Amalek, and the walls of Jericho, should bless as follows: "she'asah nissim la'avoteinu bamakom hazeh" - "who wrought miracles for our forefathers at this place." And both this blessing and the other blessings made upon seeing things, are like all other blessings; they are all recited with the mention of God's Name and Kingship.

We kindle these lights on account of the miracles, the deliverances and the wonders which thou didst work for our fathers, by means of thy holy priests. During all the eight days of Chanukah these lights are sacred, neither is it permitted us to make any profane use of them; but we are only to look at them, in order that we may give thanks unto thy name for thy miracles, thy deliverances and thy wonders.

Rabbi Yannai would examine the ferry and cross. The Gemara comments that Rabbi Yannai acted in accordance with his reasoning stated elsewhere, as he said: A person should never stand in a place of danger saying that they on High will perform a miracle for him, lest in the end they do not perform a miracle for him. And, moreover, even if they do perform a miracle for him, they will deduct it from his merits. Rabbi Ḥanin said: What is the verse that alludes to this? When Jacob said: “I am not worthy of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which You have shown unto Your servant” (Genesis 32:11), and he explains: Since You have bestowed upon me so much kindness and truth, my merits have been diminished. Similarly, the Gemara relates that Rabbi Zeira would not go out and walk among the palm trees on a day when there was a southern wind blowing due to the fear that the trees might fall on him.