The miracle of Chanukah

The Festival of Chanukah is a very joyous one. It is also called the Festival of the Lights because it is our tradition to kindle lights during the eight days of Chanukah.

On the first night we light one candle. On each successive night we add another candle until eight candles are burning brightly and lighting up our homes and our hearts.

Chanukah goes back to an event in Jewish history that took place more than 2,100 years ago. The Jewish people in Israel were conquered by the Greeks and were forced to accept the Greek way of life. Many people yielded; many were prepared to accept the idea of worshipping Greek idols. Only a few decided to keep to the Jewish faith, no matter what the consequences.

Mattathias, the High Priest, and his five sons, known as the Maccabees, became the leaders of the few who defied the Greek command. It was indeed a miracle that they managed to be victorious against the mighty masses of the Greek army.

When the Maccabees drove out the Greeks from Jerusalem on the 25th of Kislev, the first thing they did was to light the Menorah, the candelabra, in the Temple again.

The Talmud relates a story in connection with Chanukah which has become a well-known part of the tradition. The story goes that when the Maccabees wanted to re-light the Menorah, they found only a small cruse of oil still unopened. The oil contained in that cruse was so little that normally it could only have lasted a day. Through a miracle the oil lasted for eight full days. Hence, we light the Menorah for eight full days.

What lessons do these legends of Chanukah teach us today? We are experiencing difficult and uncertain times. Many are dealing with unemployment, financial hardship, health problems and other issues that cause anxiety and stress. Chanukah teaches us to keep our faith and stick to our principles, even in the face of seemingly overwhelming odds.

The manner in which we add a candle to the menorah each successive night of the festival demonstrates that it takes time to see the brightest light, so we should persevere when faced with seemingly unsolvable problems. Chanukah reminds us that even in the darkest times, there can be light; that miracles can and do happen. May we all experience the joy and light of the Chanukah festival throughout the coming year.

— Rabbi Meir Dvir,
Malverne Jewish Center