This year we start our
Hanukkah celebration on Kislev 25-Tevet 2
December
21 - 29, 2008.
In order to relate the
story that led up to Hanukkah, we will need to start
with Antiochus III, the King of Syria, his reign was from 3538 to 3574 (222-186 B.C.E.).
He warred with King Ptolemy of Egypt over the possession of the Land of Israel. Antiochus III was victorious and the Land of Israel was added to his empire. At the beginning,
he was favorably disposed toward the Jews and accorded them some privileges.
Later on, he too was beaten by the Romans and was compelled to pay heavy taxes,
the burden fell upon the various peoples of his empire who were forced to
furnish the heavy gold that was required of him by the Romans. When Antiochus
died, his son Seleucus IV took over, and Jews were oppressed
even further.
Along with the woes from
the outside was the grave danger that endangered Judaism from within. The pressure
of the Hellenists (people who accepted idol-worship and the Syrian way of life)
was on the rise. Yochanan, the High Priest, was
able to foresee the danger to Judaism from the infiltration of Syrian-Greek sway
into the Holy
Land. For,
in dissimilarity to the best of superficial splendor held by the Greeks and
Syrians, Judaism emphasizes truth and moral purity, as commanded by G-d in the holy Torah.
The Jewish people could by no means give up their belief in G-d and agree to
the idol-worship of the Syrians.
Yochanan as a result
opposed to any attempt on the part of the Jewish Hellenists to establish Greek
and Syrian customs into the land. The Hellenists detested him. One of them told
the King’s commissioner that in the treasury of the Temple there was a great deal of riches. He
banned the study of Torah and the performance
of its commands, and defiled the Holy Temple in Jerusalem with Greek idols
The wealth in the treasury
consisted of the offerings of "half a shekel"
made by all adult Jews once a year. This money was for the purpose of the
sacrifices on the altar, as well as for repairing and improving the Temple building. Additionally part of the treasury was consign
to an orphans’ funds which were deposited for them until they became of age.
Seleucus needed money in order to pay the Romans. He sent his minister
Helyodros to take the money from the treasury of the Temple. In unsuccessfully Yochanan, the
High Priest, plead with him not to do it. Helyodros did not take note and
entered the gate of the Temple. However, suddenly, he became pale
with fright. The next moment he fainted and fell to the ground. After Helyodros
came to, he did not have the courage enter again.
A little, enormously
outnumbered group of Jews waged battle in opposition to the forceful Greek
armies, and drove them out of the land. Reclaiming the Holy Temple, on the 25th of Kislev, they wished to light the Temple's menorah
("candelabra"), only to realize that the Greeks had polluted practically
all the oil. All that remained was one cruse of pure oil, adequate to last one
night – and it would take eight days to obtain new, pure oil.
Miraculously, the one-day
supply of oil lasted eight days and nights, and the holiday of Hanukkah was established.
To memorialize and make
known these miracles, we light the Hanukkah menorah
(also known as a chanukiah) on each of
the eight nights of Hanukkah. This year, we
start lighting the menorah on Sunday evening, December
21, 2008
There were plentiful
miracles, large and small, accompany the deliverance of Israel from Hellenic control and the
reclaiming of the Holy Temple as the lighthouse of G-d. Nevertheless,
there is one specific miracle that is the sum and substance of Hanukkah: the miracle of the small cruse of pure oil
that burned for eight days.
The challenge faced by the
Jewish people at that time was unlike any that had confronted them before..
Only the cruse of pure oil the heart of the Jewish soul, from which stems the
Jews natural self-sacrificial loyalty to G-d could illuminate the way out of
the of Hella. Only by evoking this inner reserve of uncontainable oil were we
able to banish the pagan trespasser from G-d's home and relight the torch of Israel as a light unto the nations.
During the eight days of Hanukkah, we add the V'al
Hanissim ("And for the miracles...") section in the amidah (daily silent prayers) and in the Grace after Meals. Here we sum up the miracles of the Maccabee triumph, and thank G‑d
for the "miracles, deliverance, almighty deeds, saving acts and
wonders" that He produced for our ancestors.
Hanukkah Gelt Gifts (Money)
During Hanukkah it is traditional to give gelt
(money) to children, so that we can teach them to give some of it to charity.
Some have the admirable custom of gelt-giving each weeknight of Hanukkah.. In Chabad,
it is customary to give gelt every night, but to hand out a heftier sum
on the fourth or fifth night.
About that dridel
. dreidel (spinning
top)
Jewish children resorted to
learning Torah in outlying areas and forests. Even this plan was not
infallible, for the enemy had many patrols. The children therefore brought
along small tops that they would promptly pull out and play with after hiding
away their texts, so that they could pretend to be merely playing games.
Shalom,
Geketa