It's Hanukkah, a holiday celebration I've always liked. Since so few of
my students had an understanding of the holiday, I taught them about it
every year. Guess you could consider it my little contribution to the
understanding of Kentuckians for someone else, a group different from
themselves.
Yet a few days ago, I heard a national newscaster say, "It's almost
Hanukkah, a Jewish holiday about the dedication of a temple." That was
ALL she said. Well, yes, it is, but it's SO MUCH MORE than that! It's
about the MIRACLE that happened! It's people standing up for their
faith. It's the little guy's victory over the big government, and a
story about people that did the best they could with what they had.
Above all, it's a reminder that God is with us.... ALL of us.
Way back, around 150-200 years before Jesus Christ was born, life was
hard if you were Jewish in many areas, as we know from reading the
history in the Torah and the Old Testament. In Jerusalem, the Syrian
Army had taken over the city, the Jewish temple was turned into a temple
honoring Zeus. (Unlike the Jews, the Syrians were Pagans, meaning they
were polytheistic, believing in more than one god. Most believed in the
Greek gods you read about today as mythology.) The Jews were forced
into slavery and their religion was forbidden. For many years, they kept
their faith alive underground.
Finally, in 165
B.C.the a group led by the Maccabee family, went to war against them.
This small group managed to drive the Syrian army out of
Jerusalem and reclaim their temple. But it'd been defiled and they
wanted to re-rededicate it to God. The temple had a menorah, an
"eternal" flame, which of course, had been extinguished by the pagans.
As it turned out, there was only enough consecrated olive oil to light
the flame for one day. It took eight days to get more oil, but they did
it anyway.
The Jewish temples had gold menorahs, a candlestick with 7 lamps. Only
the center one that was kept burning. The other 6, 3 on each side, were
only burned at night or during holy times. This was a design given to
Moses by God.
(You can read about it in Exodus 25) Most of these golden
menorahs, found only in temples, were taken by invading Armies because
they're valuable.
But that one-day supply of oil lasted for eight days! It was a miracle!
This is why Jewish families today celebrate Hanukkah, a word meaning
dedication, to remember the miracle that happened, and to encourage them
to remain faithful. A Hanukkah menorah has nine candles... one for each
night, plus one in the middle that is simply used to light the others.
(The traditional menorah was only allowed inside the temple, so they had
to create a different one for use at home.) During Hanukkah, families
light a menorah, for the 8 days of Hanukkah. The center candle is lit,
then readings are shared as they light one candle the first night, two
the second night, etc. It is a time for family celebrations, holiday
foods, and gift giving, as they remember the miracle.
The date of Hanukkah is based on the Jewish calendar, so the date
fluctuates between late November through December. It's NOT a "Jewish
Christmas" as some would say, but a noble remembrance that dates back
long before the birth of Christ. Indeed, Jesus Christ himself, a Jewish
boy, probably lit the Menorah, played the dreidel games, ate special
foods, and participated in readings reminding him of his Jewish
heritage.
While not Jewish, I've loved the story of Hanukkah for many years, ever
since I found out what it was about. I have an appreciation for the God
of the Jews, MY God as well, and am inspired by these faithful people
that stood up for God, and the right to worship Him. The miracle of the
light is a part of the Jewish heritage, a miracle we can all
appreciate.
Quilts are wonderful. You can use them to sit on for
a picnic on a warm summer day or take them to football games to ward off the
chill. Snuggling under a warm quilt on a cold, stormy night brings peace as you
are warm and safe under it.
