Chanukah

Today at sundown , the celebration of Chanukah begins. Some people look at it as a "Jewish Christmas", but it has nothing to do with Christmas . The celebration is actually one of a miracle associated with the re-dedication of the temple in Jerusalem.

Another name of this eight day celebration is the Festival of Lights, the reason for the celebration is that the Second Temple (more on that in a moment), in Jerusalem was where the miracle occurred, and it was a miracle of one day's worth of lamp oil, lasting eight days.

The reason it is called the Second Temple, is that the first one was destroyed. The area and the times were very violent, and the area of Jerusalem is the home of three of the world's major religions (Islam, Judaism and Christianity). The first temple was more commonly known (after all they didn't expect there to have to be a second), as Solomon's Temple. Solomon's Temple originally housed the Ark of the Covenant. It was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar II in 587 BCE.

Cyrus the Great of Persia allowed the Jews to come back to the temple in 538 BCE. Around 19 BCE , Herod the Great rededicated the temple and it became known as Herod's Temple. The Romans destroyed the temple (and Jerusalem) in 70 CE, under Titus. The Second Temple stood for about 420 years.

Today a menorah, a sacred nine branched candle holder, is used to light a candle each evening to celebrate the miracle of the oil. The ninth spot is for the candle used to light the others, as the daily candles are to be used for no other reason except to mark the night of celebration. The ninth candle is called the shamash. The word Chanukah means to "dedicate".

The back and forth of the temple is a long and complicated story. From friendliness of a conquering army to allow the Jews to continue their practice, to those who in the name of Romans defiled and destroyed the temple, on more than one occasion. They even slaughtered pigs at the altar to make the Jews never want to use the temple again. All this destruction in the name of power and religion.

The Chanukah celebration of eight days occurs as, when rededicating the temple, there was thought to be oil for only one day, not enough to even begin to clean up the mess, desecration and destruction. The oil however lasted for eight days and the temple was ready and rededicated.

In modern times, a candle is lit each night at sundown and blessings are said. There are sometimes small gifts, and community gatherings. Jerusalem schools close, but not in the US.
 There is no set of strict rules that go with Chanukah like the High Holy Days, it is a more laid back type of celebration. There are traditional foods like latkes (potato pancakes), and games, like spinning a dreidel. Actually any food fried in oil is a Chanukah celebration food. There are stalls in Jerusalem that sell these , and a very popular one is doughnuts called sufganiyot.

There is much history to the Chanukah celebration, and many places to read up on it. This is just an overview of the day.

Chanukah is a family time , and a time to remember the miracle of the oil. It just happens to fall each year around Christmas time.

May your celebrations be fun, enlightening, and healthy.


Peshaui Wequashimese




(C)2011 Dr. R M Wolf. May not be used, copied or reproduced without prior written permission