 | ||||||
| ||||||
Chanukah Lights and Shadows
Sammy lay awake in his bed, his eyes fixed on the wall in front of him. He could not sleep; the excitement of the evening was too much for him. He kept thinking of his father lighting the first Chanukah candle and he kept hearing the lovely tune. The door of his bedroom was open and the Chanukah lamp in the adjoining room was throwing shadow on the bedroom wall. The shadows jumped on the wall forming strange and fantastic shapes and figures. Sammy looked at the shadows very closely and then he began to see things.
First he saw the march of the cruel Greek legions advancing towards Jerusalem. He saw them storm into the grounds of the Holy Temple, breaking and smashing everything they could lay their hands on. They put out lights of the sacred Menorah, then they rushed into the store-rooms where the sacred oil was stored away in containers, each sealed with the seal of the High- priest. They broke the seals and spilled the oil. But wait! One little container slipped away. It rolled and rolled, and a wicked soldier began chasing it.
Sammy closed his eyes; he prayed that the little container escape and disappear so that it should not fall into the unclean hands of the wicked soldier. When Sammy opened his eyes again, he saw that the shadows on the wall had become even darker and gloomier than before. No, they were not shadows at all. There was wicked Antiochus, and in front of him Hannah and her seven sons. Sammy saw how the wicked Antiochus put all the boys to death one after another for refusing to bow to him. Now it is the turn of the younger one, a boy of his own age.
Again Sammy closed his eyes, he could not look any more.
Slowly Sammy opened his eyes. Now the shadows on the wall were dancing merrily. Judah the Maccabee was leading his victorious Hasmoneans, driving the enemies away. Now the Hasmoneans are in the Holy Temple. They get busy cleaning and tidying up the Holy place. The Temple is crowded with happy Jews; they are all waiting for the Menorah to be lit again. But alas! There is no oil. They look everywhere, but throw their hands up in despair.
Sammy wanted to shout, " but there is some clean and pure oil somewhere! I saw a little container escape."
As if they could read his thoughts, the shadows go into a hustle, and soon a little container rolls out of its hiding place.
Now the shadows have almost disappeared. For there is so much light, ever so much light. Sammy wondered how a little bit of pure olive oil could give so much light. The light grew bigger and better until it was almost dazzling to the eye. Sammy closed his eyes and heard very sweet music… The Priests and Levites were chanting psalms in the Holy Temple, thanking G-d for the wonderful miracle. It was really his father in the next room, but Sammy was drowsy and falling asleep. He was very, very happy.
Source Unknown
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.
