December 17, 2014 (Wednesday)
Yesterday I wrote about the Feast of Purim. Today I am writing about Hanukkah, a Jewish eight-day celebration that usually falls in December around the time of Christmas. The Jews celebrated Hanukkah before we began celebrating Christmas. This year’s celebration began yesterday at 6:00 p.m.
Hanukkah’s chief feature is a special menorah in which a candle is lit for each of the eight days. Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem in 165 B.C. The Hebrew word, Hanukkah, means “dedication,” “consecration” or “inauguration.”
When the Jews returned from captivity, they rebuilt the Temple, which had been destroyed by the Babylonians. It was a sacred and holy place that housed the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. Here the sacrifices of worship were made by the priests. I cannot find the words to describe how much the Jews loved the Temple.
Antiochus Epiphanes, the Syrian Greek despot, removed the holy contents from the Temple, replaced the Ark of the Covenant with a statue of Zeus, and sacrificed pigs upon the altar. The Jews rebelled and successfully won independence in 165 B.C. When they had replenished the furnishings and refurbished the Temple, they had an eight-day celebration. It came to be known as The Festival of Lights, Feast of Dedication or Hanukkah, and is celebrated by the world-wide Jewish family until this day.
The Temple was enlarged and renewed by King Herod during the days of Jesus’ ministry. But it was completely destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D. Later an Islamic mosque was built on the site. A portion of the Temple’s wall remains today and people come from around the world to leave written prayers in its crevices.
As noted above Hanukkah and Christmas are celebrated around the same time each year.
Happy Hanukkah and..
