The Feast of Hanukkah
What is it and why celebrate it?
Epiphanes IV crushes Jerusalem, leaving the Jewish people in deep affliction. Their lives in jeopardy, their faith torn from them, they are living without hope – until one humble man in Modein decides to challenge the Seleucid Soldiers. (Days of Fire: Battles for Freedom by Nancy Huber)
This humble man was none other but Mattathias, father of five head-strong sons. Together, they rebelled against the evil system; hiding in the woods and gathering all like-minded families around them to fight against the Seleucid Army.
King Antiochus Epiphanes IV took control over Jerusalem and the Temple, stopping the sacrificing and offering performed by the high Priest. Parents were no longer allowed to circumcise their children. Going against the king meant the death penalty. Hundreds and thousands lost their lives.
Using a unique Guerilla technique, Judah Maccabee and his brothers fought the soldiers earnestly. They circumcised their sons boldly, mocking the King. After years of fighting, they finally were able to recapture their beloved Temple, only to find it in a horrible state.
A statue of Zeus had been placed in the center, and pigs had been used to sacrifice on the offering table. It was a place of complete devastation, causing great sorrow among the people of Israel.
In December of 164 BC, the Temple of Jerusalem was rededicated and the lamps of the eternal light were lit once more in honor of the glory of the God of Israel, lovingly called Hashem by the Israelites.
In the Talmud, we can read some added detail about Hanukkah.
The story goes something like this:
When the Maccabees reclaimed the temple, only one small jug of sanctified oil was left, enough to keep the temple lamp, or menorah, burning for one day. Miraculously, the menorah burned for eight days. During this time, the priests prepared more sacred oil.
Unfortunately, this story is not backed up in the book of the Apocrypha. What we do know is that in the days of the Maccabees, all agreed to observe and remember the dedication of the temple and to celebrate with a special eight-day-celebration, starting on the twenty-fifth day of Kislev – usually in December. The Feast of Dedication became a yearly celebration we today call Hanukkah. Even our own Messiah, Yeshua, observed this feast as mentioned in John 10:22-23.
A nine branched menorah, called the Hanukkiyah, is used during the celebration of Hanukkah. Eight candles represent the eight days of Hanukkah. The ninth candle, in the center, is used to light the other candles – called the shammash or servant candle – representing our Messiah. The shammash reminds us of Yeshua, the Light of the World.
We use candles or oil lamps in lieu of the oil used in ancient times. Kings were anointed with precious oils. Priests were consecrated with oil. Our Messiah is our anointed King, and High Priest, His name meaning Anointed One.
I believe the festival of Hanukkah to be significant and relevant to our times today. Its heritage and meaning go much deeper than one expects.
The Jews of ancient Jerusalem found themselves in a pot of burning stew and did not notice it. The Greek lifestyle was appealing and slowly inched its way into their lives. They were blinded by the pleasures surrounding them.
History tends to repeat itself. Today, we find ourselves surrounded by the pleasures of Greek customs and feast days. People run to the stadiums for excitement.
Hanukkah remains to remind us to turn away from the pleasures of men and follow the true King of the Universe.
His Word still holds true, and He is calling us.
Hanukkah Definitions and Traditions
Yiddish – a language that originated in the 9th century in central Europe, provided the nascent Ashkenazi community with a high-German based vernacular fused with elements taken from Hebrew and Aramaic, as well as Slavic languages, and traces of Romance language. Many Jews lived in the Rhine Valley and hence incorporated the German language into their own.
Giving of Gelt – The word gelt is Yiddish. Giving money to children is called “giving of gelt.” This money was traditionally given to poor children, used for their religious education. With Christmas being so close to Hanukkah, giving of other gifts has become very popular, especially in the United States.
The Dreidel Game – Legend has it, Greeks outlawed the study of Torah. Jews came up with a solution and outsmarted the Greeks by playing with a spinning top – a popular gambling device – while learning Torah orally. Each side of the dreidel bears a letter of the Hebrew alphabet – a nun, a gimel, a hei, and a shin. These letters are translated in Yiddish to a mnemonic for the rules of the dreidel game. Nun is the Yiddish word for nisht (nothing), gimel means gants (all), hei means halb (half), and shin means shtel ayn (put in). Combined, these four letters represent the Hebrew phrase nes gadol hayah sham (a great miracle happened there), referring to the miracle of oil.
Food at Hanukkah
During the celebration of Hanukkah, families eat latkes (potato pancakes), sufganiyot (round jelly donuts), and other fatty foods to remember the miracle at the temple
I have very fond memories of my East Prussian grandmother. Every time I visited her, she made me the most delicious latkes ever.
My Grandmother’s Potato Latke Recipe
Peel about 3 pounds of potatoes. Grate them with a cheese grater.
Add 3-4 large eggs, ½ cup oats, 1 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. black pepper, and a little bit of flour.
Mix well. Let sit for a few minutes.
Heat a large skillet with a layer of olive oil. Using a large wooden spoon, place small mounds of potato mixture into the skillet. Flatten with the back of the spoon and fry on both sides until nice and crispy,
Serve hot with apple sauce.
Special Tip: It makes a big difference what kind of potatoes you use. For over thirty years, I have been trying to recreate my grandmother’s recipe. Of course, she did not write down her recipe. Everything was in her head. A little bit of this – a little bit of that. You get the picture.
One summer, I came very close to her original recipe. The reason? The potatoes I had planted in my garden – a German variety. Who knew?
If you would like to learn more about Hanukkah, read my novel Days of Fire: Battles for Freedom. A fun and adventurous time-travel fiction based on the true events concerning the Maccabees and the freeing of the temple.
www.nancyhuber.com
