Chanukah, the Jewish festival also known as the "festival of lights" is an eight day festival commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem in the 2nd century BCE - Chanukah begins on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev (but the starting date on the western calendar varies from year to year) - this is the anniversary of the exact day the Jews stopped fighting. The name "Chanukah" derives from the Hebrew verb "חנך", meaning "to dedicate". Chanukah is probably the best known Jewish holiday, not because of its great religious significance, but because of its proximity to Christmas. Many non-Jews (and even many assimilated Jews!) think of this holiday as the Jewish Christmas, adopting many of the Christmas customs, such as elaborate gift-giving and even the decoration of "Chanukah bushes". It is bitterly ironic that this holiday, which has its roots in a revolution against assimilation and suppression of Jewish religion, has now become the most assimilated, secular holiday on the Jewish calendar.
The story of Chanukah begins in the reign of Alexander the Great who conquered Syria, Egypt and Judea. When the Second Temple in Jerusalem was looted and the services stopped, Judaism was effectively stopped. Under Alexander's relatively benevolent rule, many Jews assimilated, adopting much of Hellenistic culture, including the language, customs, dress, etc., in much the same way that Jews in America today blend into the secular American society. More than a century later, a successor of Alexander, Antiochus IV was in control of the region. In 167 BCE Antiochus ordered an altar to Zeus erected in G-d's Temple, he banned circumcision and began to oppress the Jews severely - killing some, he placed a Hellenistic priest in the Temple, prohibited the practice of the Jewish religion, and desecrated the Temple by requiring the sacrifice of pigs (unclean, non-kosher animals) on the altar. Antiochus's actions proved to be a major miscalculation as his decrees were massively disobeyed and provoked a large-scale revolt. Two groups opposed Antiochus: a basically nationalistic group led by Mattathias, a Jewish priest, and his five sons Jochanan, Simeon, Eleazar, Jonathan, and Judah and a religious traditionalist group known as the Chasidim, the forerunners of the Pharisees (no direct connection to the modern movement known as Chasidism) - they joined forces in a revolt against both the assimilation of the Hellenistic Jews and oppression by the Selucid Greek government. Judah became known as Yehuda HaMakabi ("Judah the Hammer"). By 166 BCE Mattathias had died, and Judah took his place as leader. By 165 BCE the Jewish revolt against the Antiochus and the Seleucid monarchy was successful. After recovering Jerusalem and the Temple, Judah ordered the Temple to be cleansed, a new altar to be built in place of the polluted one and new holy vessels to be made. According to the Talmud, olive oil was needed for the menorah in the Temple, which was required to burn throughout the night every night but, at the time of the rededication, there was very little olive oil left that had not been defiled by the Greeks. There was only enough olive oil to burn for one day, yet miraculously, it burned for eight days - (the time it took to have new olive oil pressed and made ready). The eight day festival of Chanukah was instituted by Judah Maccabee and his brothers to commemorate the miracle of the oil, not their military victory: Jews do not glorify war.
Chanukah is not a very important religious holiday. The Jews regard this holiday's religious significance is far less than that of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Passover, and/or Shavu'ot. It is roughly equivalent to Purim in significance, but, you won't find many non-Jews who have ever heard of Purim! Chanukah is not even mentioned in Jewish scripture; the Chanukah story is found in the book of the Maccabbees, which Jews do not accept as scripture. The ancient Jewish Historian Flavius Josephus narrates in his book Jewish Antiquities XII, how the victorious Judas Maccabbeus ordered lavish yearly eight-day festivities after rededicating the Temple in Jerusalem that had been profaned by Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Josephus does not say the festival was called Chanukah but rather the "Festival of Lights": "Now Judas celebrated the festival of the restoration of the sacrifices of the temple for eight days, and omitted no sort of pleasures thereon; but he feasted them upon very rich and splendid sacrifices; and he honored G-d, and delighted them by hymns and psalms. Nay, they were so very glad at the revival of their customs, when, after a long time of intermission, they unexpectedly had regained the freedom of their worship, that they made it a law for their posterity, that they should keep a festival, on account of the restoration of their temple worship, for eight days. And from that time to this we celebrate this festival, and call it Lights. I suppose the reason was, because this liberty beyond our hopes appeared to us; and that thence was the name given to that festival. Judas also rebuilt the walls round about the city, and reared towers of great height against the incursions of enemies, and set guards therein. He also fortified the city Bethsura, that it might serve as a citadel against any distresses that might come from our enemies."
The only required religious observance related to the holiday is the lighting of the Chanukah candles. Hillel argued in favor of starting with one candle and lighting an additional one every night, up to eight on the eighth night. Jewish law adopted the position of Hillel. The candles are arranged in a candelabrum called a Hanukia. Many people refer to the Hanukia incorrectly as a menorah. The name menorah is used only to describe the seven-branched candelabrum that was housed in the Jewish Temple. The Hanukiah holds nine candles: one for each night, plus a shamash (servant) at a different height. On the first night, one candle is placed at the far right. The shamash candle is lit and three berakhot (blessings) are recited: l'hadlik neir (a general prayer over candles), she-asah nisim (a prayer thanking G-d for performing miracles for our ancestors at this time), and she-hekhianu (a general prayer thanking G-d for allowing us to reach this time of year). The first candle is then lit using the shamash candle, and the shamash candle is placed in its holder. The candles are allowed to burn out on their own after a minimum of 1/2 hour. Each night, another candle is added from right to left (like the Hebrew language). Candles are lit from left to right (because you pay honor to the newer thing first). Our rabbis taught the rule of Chanukah: ... on the first day one [candle] is lit and thereafter they are progressively increased ... [because] we increase in sanctity but do not reduce. -Shabbat 21b, Babylonian Talmud. Except in times of danger, the Chanukah lights were to be placed outside one's door, on the opposite side of the Mezuza, or in the window closest to the street. Rashi, in a note to Shabbat 21b, says their purpose is to publicize the miracle.
Because of the law prohibiting the lighting of a fire on Shabbat, Chanukah candles are lit before the Shabbat candles on Friday night, and they are lit after Havdalah on Saturday night. The following blessings are said: "Baruch atah adonai eloheinu melech ha'olam asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu l'hadlik neir shel Chanukah." or "Blessed are You our G-d, Creator of time and space, who enriches our live with holiness, commanding us to kindle the Chanukah light." On the first night, the Shehecheyanu is also recited. Why the shamash candle? The Chanukah candles are for this use only; we are not allowed to use them for any productive purpose. We keep an extra one around (the shamash), so that if we need to do something useful with a candle, we don't accidentally use the Chanukah candles. The shamash candle is at a different height so that it is easily identified as the shamash.
There is a custom of eating foods fried or baked in oil (preferably olive oil), as the original miracle of the Hanukkah menorah involved the discovery of a small flask of pure olive oil used by the Jewish High Priest, the Kohen Gadol. This small batch of olive oil was only supposed to last one day, and instead it lasted eight. Among Ashkenazic Jews, this usually includes latkes (pronounced “lot-kuhs” or “lot-keys” depending on where your grandmother comes from), or “potato pancakes.”
Gift-giving is not a traditional part of Chanukah, but has been added in places where Jews have a lot of contact with Christians as a way of dealing with children’s jealousy of their Christian friends. The only traditional gift of the holiday is “gelt,” small amounts of money. Chanukah gelt is a Jewish custom rooted in the Talmud: “The Talmud states that even a very poor person must light Chanukah lights, even if he can’t afford it. A person with no money is required to go ‘knocking on doors’ until he collects enough to buy at least one candle for each night of Chanukah. The Torah concept of charity -- tzedakah -- requires us to help the recipient in the most dignified manner possible. Therefore, the custom arose to give gifts of money during Chanukah so that someone who needs extra money for Chanukah candles can receive it in the form of ‘Chanukah Gelt.’”
Another tradition of the holiday is playing dreidel, a gambling game played with a square top. Most people play for matchsticks, pennies, M&Ms or chocolate coins. A dreidel is marked with the following four Hebrew letters: Nun, Gimmel, Heh and Shin. On Israeli dreidels, there is no Shin but rather a Peh, which stands for Po, meaning here.These letters stand for the Hebrew phrase "Nes Gadol Hayah Sham", a great miracle happened there, referring to the miracle of the oil. The letters also stand for the Yiddish words nit (nothing), gantz (all), halb (half) and shtell (put), which are the rules of the game! There are some variations in the way people play the game, but one way is where everyone puts in one coin. A person spins the dreidel. On Nun, nothing happens; on Gimmel (or, as we called it as kids, “gimme!”), you get the whole pot; on Heh, you get half of the pot; and on Shin, you put one in. When the pot is empty, everybody puts one in. Keep playing until one person has everything. Then redistribute it again, because nobody likes a poor winner.
A traditional song of this holiday is “Ma'oz Tzur,” (Rocky Fortress) better known to Christians as “Rock of Ages” (the tune is the same as one of the more popular ones; the Christian translation takes substantial liberties - see below.) The lyrics of this song date back to approximately the 13th century B.C.E. It is believed to be written by a man named Mordecai, because that name is encrypted in the first letters of the five stanzas. The music dates back to at least the 18th century, and possibly as far back as the 15th century. Most people are only familiar with the first stanza. This very literal translation is not what most people are used to seeing (it is usually translated as "Rock of Ages"). "Who can tell of the feats of Israel - Who can count them? In every age a hero arose to save the people. Who can tell of the feats of Israel - Who can count them? In every age a hero arose to save the people. Hear! In those days at this time - Maccabee saved and freed us. And in our days the whole people of Israel - Arise united to save ourselves." A popular less literal but more easily sung translation: "Who can retell the things that befell us, who can count them? In every age a hero or sage came to our aid. Who can retell the things that befell us, who can count them? In every age a hero or sage came to our aid. Hear! In days of yore in Israel's ancient land - Maccabeus led the faithful band. Now all Israel must as one arise - Redeem itself through deed and sacrifice."
Chanukah will begin on the following days on the Gregorian calendar:
December 1, 2010 (Jewish Year 5771)
December 20, 2011 (Jewish Year 5772)
December 8, 2012 (Jewish Year 5773)
November 27, 2013 (Jewish Year 5774)
Words to The Christian Rock of Ages - in John 8:12 we read: "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." In Matthew 5:14-16 we read: "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." So let your little light shine dear one!
1. Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
let me hide myself in thee;
let the water and the blood,
from thy wounded side which flowed,
be of sin the double cure;
save from wrath and make me pure.
2. Not the labors of my hands
can fulfill thy law's commands;
could my zeal no respite know,
could my tears forever flow,
all for sin could not atone;
thou must save, and thou alone.
3. Nothing in my hand I bring,
simply to the cross I cling;
naked, come to thee for dress;
helpless, look to thee for grace;
foul, I to the fountain fly;
wash me, Savior, or I die.
4. While I draw this fleeting breath,
when mine eyes shall close in death,
when I soar to worlds unknown,
see thee on thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
let me hide myself in thee.
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