THE FESTIVAL OF HANUKKAH

The Feast of Dedication

Hanukkah (sometimes spelled Chanukah) was also known historically as the “Feast of Dedication”. Every year between the end of November and the end of December, Jewish people around the world celebrate the holiday of Hanukkah / Chanukah. Chanukah literally means dedication and is often referred to as the Festival of Lights in reference to the miracle of he light that lasted eight days. The festival begins on the 25th day of the Hebrew month Kislev but the date varies from year to year on the western calendar. The holiday celebrates events that took place 2,300 years ago in the land of Israel just 200 years before the birth of Messiah Yeshua.

The Story of Chanukah

The story of Chanukah begins after the death of Alexander the Great who had conquered Judea and most of the known world. Prior to his passing, Alexander divided his kingdom among four of his generals. One of these, a Syrian named Antiochus Epiphanies, conquered the land of Israel. He began to oppress the people of Israel severely, placing a Hellenistic priest in the Temple, massacring Jews, prohibiting the practice of the Jewish religion, and desecrating the Temple by erecting an alter to Zeus and requiring the sacrifice of pigs on the altar of G-d. Antiochus destroyed Torah scrolls, saturated others in pigs’ broth, murdered mothers for circumcising theirs baby boys and hanging the babies in the temple courts. He was a brutal dictator yet his atrocities proved to be a major miscalculation as they provoked a large-scale revolt. Mattathias, a Jewish priest, and his five sons led a rebellion against Antiochus. His eldest son, Judas, became known as Yehuda HaMakabi (“Judah the Hammer”) and he became the leader of the armies. The armies of Israel fought agianst overwhelming odds using citzen soldiers armend with farm tools against the vast professional soldiers of Syria. A few priest led a citizen army against a world super-power! Miraculously, the revolution succeeded and the Temple was cleansed and rededicated to the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

According to tradition, at the time of the rededication, there was but one vial of oil left that had not been defiled by the Greeks. Oil was needed for the menorah (candelabrum) in the Temple, which was supposed to burn throughout each night of the eight day dedication. There was only enough oil to burn for one day, yet miraculously, it burned for eight days, the time needed to prepare a fresh supply of oil for the menorah. An eight day festival was declared to commemorate this miracle. Thus the holiday is a celebration of miracles both in battle and in the Temple. It is called the Festival of Lights, because HaShem caused His light to burn in the Temple once again!

“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…” Flavious Josephus Antiquities of the Jews 12.7.7

The Chanukah Menorah

Perhaps the best known symbol of the holiday is the Chanukah menorah, a nine branch candelabra used to remember the eight days of burning light in the Temple. The unique menorah has eight candles plus a shamash candle. Shamash means servant in Hebrew. Each night of the holiday is commemorated by lighting the shamash candle and then using it to light the appropriate number of candles. On the first night, one is lit. On the second night, two are lit and so on. After lighting the candle and saying the blessing it is customary to sing holiday songs and enjoy a special meal together as a family, all while enjoy the light of the Menorah.

The light of the Menorah is holy; it speaks of G-d’s light. Thus, the Rabbis ruled that the light of the menorah should not be used for common purposes, or as is stated in the Talmud, “for benefit”. That is to say that the holy light is not intended to provided reading light, or cooking, or for other “common” purposes. Rather the light is for stirring up our Spirit and for reflecting upon the miraculous deliverance of HaShem.

“Then the light is kindled to give inspiration for the light of Messiah must burn brightly in our hearts.” Artscroll Mesorah Publications 1981.

The use of the Hanukah menorah serves as a reminder to us to separate between the holy and the common. Too often we belittle the holiness of HaShem; we fail to give proper reverence and to distinguish between that which is holy and that which is not. Hanukah is a season for rededication and reflection. It is a time to remember that G-d’s house, His Temple, is to be a place of holiness.

The most striking halachah (Jewish law) surrounding the menorah is to place the candelabra in a widow so that passers-by may see the light of the Hanukah menorah. In Matthew 5 Yeshua declares that we are the light of the world and we should not hide that light but put it on display so that all who pass us may see His light! Hanukah is a season to let your light shine among men!

Celebrating Chanukah

The season is celebrated by eating foods cooked in oil (such as latkes or potato cakes ) cheese, wine and sweets. Children play the dreydel game, an ancient game that has its roots during this holiday. In the days of the revolt, Jews would study the Torah (the Bible) in the streets which was forbidden by the Syrians. When soldiers would pass, they would quickly hide the scrolls and pretend to be playing a game of tops. Hence, the dreydel game. Today, children play for gold foiled chocolate made to look like coins. Each Hebrew letter on the dreydel has its own value for keeping score. The four letters on the dreydel stand for the phrase, “A great miracle happened there.” It has also become customary to give gifts each night of Chanukah. Some families give money to their children. Perhaps .25 cents for each year of their age.

Chanukah and the Messiah

“Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Yeshua was in the temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.” John 10:22-23

Messiah Yeshua was a Jew, the son of David; the son of Abraham. It would stand to reason then that one would find him celebrating Chanukah. Ironically, the only mention of this feast in scripture is found in the New Testament.

Yeshua – the Divine Messiah – is the light of the world given to men to bring light into their spirit. Thus it seems natural that He would be found in the Temple during the festival of light. After all, the menorah speaks of him who turns darkness into light.

Yeshua is this light that burns brightly in us. He is the shamash (servant) candle that ignites those who trust in him. While Yeshua was in the Temple on Chanukah the Jews asked him to declare to them if he was the Messiah. His Chanukah message built upon the celebration of G-d’s miracles. He said to them “I did tell you but you do not believe the miracles I do in my Father’s name.” (John 10:25). He went on to tell them “Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does. But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” (John 10:37-38). At Chanukah faith in the majesty of G-d is built upon the miracle of the oil. Every year the Jews celebrated the G-d of miracles. Yeshua was pointing to the miracles he had done and was saying. Just as you have seen this miracle and believed so believe in me. Just as Adonai had brought light, so Yeshua had brought light. Truly the miracles that he did in his Father’s name, spoke for him. (John 10:25)

Chanukah still holds a spiritual lesson for those who believe. Proverbs 20:27 says, “the soul of man is the candle of HaShem”. The man dedicated to HaShem is a temple unto himself. The heart of each believer is the place where the Shekinah (Divine Presence) dwells. All to often we allow this Temple to be defiled by doubt, idolatry, lust, and other sin. Soon we see that the flame we once had has been extinguished. Chanukah, then, is a season for cleansing our Temple and rekindling the fire of G-d in our hearts. May we rededicate our lives in this season to faith in the light of the World and the G-d of the Universe!