Thus we begin the special prayer of thanks we add to our regular prayers on Chanukah.
Human slavery takes many forms.
In its most literal sense slavery refers to economic servitude to an exploiting master. But a man can be a slave to time, to creativity and to passion. It was Hashem's special gift to His beloved people to provide them with three mitzvot that would liberate them from such enslavement. This is in stark contrast to the word shanah used for year in the solar calendar of other nations whose months are artificial units unrelated to the cycle of heavenly bodies. You will be liberated as well from the enslavement of time, for you will be given the power to determine the time of your sacred season, free from the immutable pattern of a solar calendar.