Your Guide to Chanukah

A Chanukah Message from Rabbi London

The celebration of Chanukah revolves around a miracle story that was shaped by the rabbis and appears in print for the first time in the Talmud (Tractate Shabbat 21b) in the 6th century—600 years after the Maccabees battled the Greeks, recaptured the Temple in Jerusalem, and rededicated it.

The Books of the Maccabees, which recount the historical events of 168-165 BCE, make no mention of the cruse of oil that should have lasted only one day but miraculously burned for eight.

The rabbis teach that the main mitzvah (sacred obligation) of Chanukah is pirsuma nisa—to advertise the miracle of the light. This means placing our hanukkiot near a window for all to see.

Rather than focusing on a military victory, the rabbis emphasized the outcome of the Chanukah story—the preservation of our Jewish faith. The celebration itself, named Chanukah (which means “dedication”), became the central miracle.

Each night of Chanukah we light the candles and reflect on the meaning of this eight-day festival. Some families give gifts each night, which makes the holiday fun, but perhaps we could all add something to our celebration to deepen its meaning in our lives.

Here are my suggestions:

• Chanukah means dedication. Choose a Jewish ritual object and explain why it is important to your understanding of Jewish values.
• In place of, or in addition to, a material gift, give someone a gift of love—a thoughtful note, a letter, a certificate for a special outing.
• We are supposed to advertise the miracle of Chanukah. Think about and discuss ways we can bring light into the world.
• Collect tzedakah each night and donate the money at the end of the festival.
• Find a volunteer project to do during Chanukah.
• On the Shabbat of Chanukah, we read in the Haftarah portion from the Book of Zechariah: “Not by might and not by power, but by My spirit alone shall we live in peace.” Discuss what this verse means to you. How can you live by it?
• Discuss what a miracle is: Theodor Gaster, in Festivals of the Jewish Year, offers this definition of the Chanukah miracle: “A miracle is not an act of supernatural grace. Rather, it is the working within man of a passion which transcends the momentary and spurns the opportune. Its symbol is appropriately the light which illumines the House of God, and the real miracle is that the light is never extinguished.”
• Invent your own tradition that will enhance your celebration.

You will find a host of resources including books, activities, recipes, and more at PJ Library and ReformJudaism.org.

This year, amplify your celebration of Chanukah and make the lights of the hanukkiah shine brighter than ever.

Hag Urim Sameach! (Happy Festival of Lights)

Rabbi London