The Festival of Lights

Chanukah falls in late November, early December, just after we go off daylight savings time and the hours of daylight diminish. This year is no exception as the last days of Chanukah precede the winter solstice by a few days.

In ancient days, all people feared the darkness since they believed that evil spirits haunted by night. Lighting fires chased away the evil spirits and evoked the wish for longer days ahead. But, this primal urge to light fires against the darkness took on greater cultural significance and religious meaning over time.

Judaism regards light as the visible symbol of God’s presence in the world. Our ancestors kindled a perpetual light in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem every day of the week. During the historical events that gave rise to Chanukah, the lights of the Temple were extinguished due to the capture of the Temple by the Assyrian Hellenists. They sought to impose idolatry on the Israelites and defiled the Temple. When the Jewish Maccabees succeeded in recapturing the Temple in 165 BCE, their first act after cleansing the Temple was to relight the Temple menorah! It is not clear whether the Maccabees established the custom of lighting lights for eight days, but they celebrated their victory for eight days every year for more than a century!

Following the destruction of the Temple by the Romans in 70 CE, leadership of the Jewish people passed to the Rabbis, who were both religious leaders and legislative authorities. They ordained the lighting of lights in the structured manner we use today and prescribed that the lights be placed in the doorway or window so that passersby could see them. These lights not only illuminate the outside world, but they serve as a reminder to everyone that God is present in our world and cares about us.

While Jews are celebrating the miracle of the victory of the Maccabees over enemies who would have extinguished the light of Judaism, all of us can celebrate the comforting, assuring presence God in our world.  May the lights of this season be a source of joy and comfort to us all.

Rabbi Art Vernon
Jewish Community Center of West Hempstead