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The Festival of Lights
In the dark days of December comes the wonderful holiday of Hanukkah, celebrated in Jewish homes. Originally known as the "Festival of Lights," Hanukkah commemorates a miracle that occurred in 165 B.C., after Judas Maccabaeus and his followers reclaimed Jerusalem from a Greek emperor who considered Israel a Greek province.
In an attempt to assimilate conquered nations into a cohesive and controllable society, the Greek empire prohibited any other religion; Jews were forbidden to study the Torah, celebrate their holidays, or practice Jewish customs. Many Jews, disobeying the edict, died for their beliefs. After a three-year guerrilla campaign, the Maccabees were victorious and the temple was restored to Jewish worship. As part of their rededication ceremony (the word "Hanukkah" means dedication) the Maccabees began an eight-day purification rite, only to discover there was barely enough sacred oil to keep the temple menorah - a candelabrum with eight branches - lit for one day. Miraculously, the temple lamp burned continuously for eight days. Ever since that time the Jewish people have observed Hanukkah in remembrance of their struggle for religious freedom and the miracle of restoration, symbolized by the abundance of oil.
Many who celebrate Christmas believe that Hanukkah is a festival reserved solely for those who practice Judaism. But as Harold Kushner points out in his enlightening and engaging meditation..
To Life: A Celebration of Jewish Being and Thinking, if it weren't for Hanukkah, we wouldn't be celebrating Christmas. Had the Maccabees not rebelled against the Greeks, the Jewish faith would have faded into Greek culture, never to be heard of again. There would have been no Jewish community for Jesus to be born into a century and a half later. No one would have remembered the messianic promises he claimed to fulfill. Without Hanukkah, there would have been no Christmas.
When one follows any family tree back far enough, there are bound to be surprises. And those who follow the Christian path will discover, if they truly search for their roots, that by faith, we belong to the House of David. Jesus lived his entire life as an observant Jew. He celebrated Hanukkah as a child; the Last Supper was a Passover seder. All the apostles and most of those who became his early followers were Jewish. The crowds who came to hear Jesus preach called him "Rabbi," the Hebrew word for teacher. Perhaps our similarities and heritage are greater than our differences after all.
Hanukkah is a celebration of authenticity. The Maccabees refused to surrender what made them authentic... their faith... even if it cost them their lives. Not to be able to live as observant Jews was not to live at all. The Hanukkah miracle was the earliest recorded demonstration of Simple Abundance. Two thousand years ago there was only enough sacred oil for one night. But all that these faithful, courageous, and grateful people had was all that they needed.
Sacred oil in a temple. Loaves and fishes on a mountainside. Miracles are of God, not of any one faith. Miracles are for anyone who believes. That is the heart of Hanukkah and the soul of Christmas. The more we allow ourselves to recognize the wisdom and truth in other spiritual paths, the closer to Wholeness we become.
Sarah Ban Breathnach
Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain.
~Author Unknown
Hanukkah is an eight-day celebration commemorating a miracle that occurred in Jerusalem in 165 B.C.
