Festival Of Lights

Aside from my Puritan and Irish heritage, my paternal grandfather was Jewish-- that's him at the bottom of the middle photo in the blog's banner image above, with his mother Nachama (seated) and some of his siblings, aged about 13, circa 1914.

I was baptized Catholic, though my family didn't attend Mass regularly, and my family celebrated Christmas.

It wasn't until just a few years ago that I really learned what Hanukkah was about, and as a now-practicing Catholic (Byzantine rite), it resonated with me. I now have a menorah (9-pronged candleabra), and light candles on this feast.

My menorah, in my prayer corner in front of my Christ of Sinai icon, last year on the first night of Hanukkah.

THE STORY OF HANUKKAH

Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after an evil king, Antiochus, had oppressed the Jews and forbade them from practicing or learning about their faith. He desecrated the Temple in Jerusalem with a statue of a pagan god, Zeus, and with pig's blood-- considered unclean by the Jews.

But an army of Jewish freedom-fighters, led by Judas Maccabeus, succeeded in restoring religious freedom, and the Temple was cleansed and rededicated.

The miracle of Hanukkah is that, when the candles were lit, there was only supposed to be enough oil to keep them burning for one night-- and instead they burned for eight.

This story is told in books 1 and 2 Maccabees, which are part of the deuterocanonical books of the Bible.

Christian theology regards King Antiochus as a prefigurement of the Antichrist, who will do the same thing to Christians as King Antiochus did to the Jews.

I like to imagine Jesus celebrating Hanukkah, as He, being a Jew, would have done: Mary lighting the candles and Joseph telling the story while He as a little boy sits and listens, wide-eyed.

CELEBRATION OF HANUKKAH

Hanukkah is actually a minor feast in the Jewish calendar, but because of its proximity to Christmas, Jews in predominantly Christian countries give and receive small gifts on each of the eight nights. I'm sure Jewish parents felt bad when their kids asked why their gentile friends got presents and they didn't.

Hanukkah, like every Jewish holiday, begins at sundown. Hanukkah candles are not to be used for anything functional or for work-- just for looking at. Therefore, the candles are lit by a special "working" candle called the shamash, which does not count as an actual Hanukkah candle, since it's being used to light the others.

The first night of Hanukkah, only one candle is lit, then another is added (from right to left) each night until the last night, when all eight are burning. The shamash is placed in its own holder-- usually in the center, but sometimes on the side.

Traditionally, the eldest woman in the house lights the candles, and the eldest man recounts the story of Hanukkah.

The following blessings are sung/recited as the candles are lit:

1. Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to kindle the Chanukah light.

2. Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who performed miracles for our forefathers in those days, at this time.

3. Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion.

The third is only to be recited on the first night on Hanukkah; on each subsequent evening, only the first two blessings are recited.

If didn't go to Hebrew school and are feeling brave, you can try reciting them in Hebrew instead of English with the following transliteration:

1. Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-he-nu Me-lech ha-olam a-sher ki-de-sha-nu be-mitz-vo-tav ve-tzi-va-nu le-had-lik ner Cha-nu-kah.

2. Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-he-nu Me-lech Ha-olam she-a-sa ni-sim la-avo-te-nu ba-ya-mim ha-hem bi-zman ha-zeh.

3. Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-he-nu Me-lech Ha-olam she-heche-ya-nu ve-ki-yi-ma-nu ve-higi-a-nu liz-man ha-zeh.

Usually Jewish families get together with relatives and friends on the first and/or second night and have a nice meal with traditional Jewish food such as brisket, latkes (potato pancakes, usually served with sour cream or apple sauce), borscht (beet soup), kugel (casserole with noodles), and sweet honey-dipped donuts.

The dreidel game is played by children, who also get Hanukkah gelt ("coins" made of chocolate wrapped in gold colored foil made to look like money), in addition to small gifts each night.

I wish all of my readers who celebrate this Festival Of Lights a very happy holiday.