The feast of Hanukah celebrates the liberation and the re dedication of the second Temple in Jerusalem (164 B.C)and the miracle of the oil.
The city was under the domination of the Greek-Syrian Empire and the temple in Jerusalem had been desecrated by the king Antiochus Epiphanes IV.
Hannukah commemorates the liberation the Maccabees performed and the rededication of the defiled Temple.
A little history to understand better what Hanukkah is about …
In 333 BC Alexander the Great conquests Syria, Egypt and Babilonia. The result of that conquest was the hellenisation: a deep and strong impact and influence of the greek culture over the culture, costumes and religion of those people.
Over a century later in 167 BC also the region of Judea came under the control of the Seleucid king Antiochus Epiphanes IV, who took Jerusalem, persecuted the Jews and tried to assimilate them to the Greek culture: he would not allow the study of the Torah, nor to worship the God of Israel; eventually he dared to sacrifice a pig on the altar of the temple desecrating this holy place.
The Maccabees were a group of brave Jews which revolt and fight against the occupying Syrian army. Their name is an acronym standing for the Hebrew phrase “Mi kamocha ba’elim Adonai” meaning: Who is like you, Lord, among the gods?
With the help of God these men won the victory in 163 BC, taking back Jerusalem and rededicating the Temple to God.
The miracle of the oil.
According to tradition, the Maccabees only found a one-day supply of oil (the one that had to burn night and day in the Menorah). However, the oil miraculously burned for eight days, the time it took them to fetch new oil for lighting the Menorah back again.
How do we celebrate Hanukah?
The holiday is celebrated with praise and thanksgiving, as well as the lighting of candles on a Hannukiah (nine branches lampstand) over the eight days of the feast Another name given to the holiday is Chag HaOrim, which means in Hebrew “Festival of Lights”.
Sufganiyot (donuts) and latkes (potato pancakes) served with sour cream and applesauce, are two traditional Hanukah foods.
I believe that the victory of the Maccabees was the preparation for the coming of the LIGHT of the world, that is our Lord and savior Yeshua HaMashiach.
Although the holiday is not a Biblical Feast, Yeshua celebrated it nonetheless.
In the Book of John 10: 22-23 it is written: “Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter.And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch.”
Only the son of God can make purification and liberation of the temple, and by the way He purified us from our sins and made us free.
May this time and every time be an opportunity for us to clear up and to re dedicate our temples, our entire lives to our Holy King, to keep our lamps filled up and to shine forth the light of Yeshua (Jesus).
God bless you.
Shlomi.