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Judaism is a much different religion from Christianity. Jews have different beliefs, traditions, and different ideas about how the world should see God. I personally believe that the most fascinating tradition of Judaism is Hanukkah. The hope of this essay is to discuss some of the many aspects of Hanukkah. An example of which is the history of Hanukkah, the celebration of candles, and the activities in which partake in to celebrate this special occasion.
The history of Hanukkah is a story of the struggle for religious freedom and it commemorates the victory of the Jews over the Hellenistic Syrians in the year 165 B. C. E. The story begins in 338 B. C. E.
when Philip of Macedon invaded Greece. Athens and the Greek states, along with their pagan customs, became part of the Macedonian empire. Two years later, Philip died, and his son, Alexander, assumed the throne. Alexander the Great, as he was known, conquered territories from Macedonia and Greece across the Persian empire to the borders of India. Included in this empire were Egypt and Israel, then considered part of Syria. When Alexander s army reached Jerusalem, the Jews, already under Syrian occupation, did not resist.
It was Alexander and his forces that first brought Hellenism to Jerusalem and the Jewish people. However, the Jews did not rush to adopt the Greek religion and culture. For all its beauty and accomplishments, especially in the fields of athletics, theater and philosophy, Hellenism had a dark side. In ancient Greece, behavior that is today considered abnormal, such as infanticide, pedophilia, adultery and institutionalized prostitution, were routine and even encouraged. To Jews, who valued the Torah and purity of family life, these aspects of Hellenistic culture were incompatible with their own. When Alexander died, his empire was divided between his generals: Antigonus, Seleucus, and Ptolemy.
Antigonus ruled Macedonia and Greece; Seleucus ruled Babylonia, Persia and Syria; and Ptolemy ruled Egypt and Israel. Like Alexander, Ptolemy was a great champion of Hellenism. The empire he established dominated Israel for almost 100 years. It was under Ptolemaic rulers that many Jews began to adopt aspects of Greek culture.
These Jews were referred to as Hellenists. For them, Greek culture represented the way of the future and the fastest way to succeed in Greek society. In 199 B. C. E. , the Seleucid dynasty that ruled Syria took control of Israel from the Greek Ptolemies. It was under the Seleucids that anti-Jewish decrees were first issued against the practice of Judaism.
Sabbath observance, the study of Torah, and male circumcisions, for example, were forbidden on pain of death. In the year 167 B. C. E. the Greek king, Antiochus Epiphanes began a campaign to force the Jews under his rule to formally adopt Greek practices. One Jewish family, five sons and their old father, took a stand.
One day Greek forces arrived at the home of Mattityahu, an elder and religious leader of the prestigious Hasmonean family. There, the army established a Greek religious altar and ordered Mattityahu to offer a sacrifice to a pagan god. Mattityahu refused, but while he stood firm, another Jew offered to make the sacrifice. Enraged, Mattityahu killed him and attacked the Greek soldiers. His action sparked a Jewish rebellion, which he and his sons led.
They became known as the Maccabees (in Hebrew, means (Men Who are as Strong as Hammers). Led by Judah Maccabees, the most famous of Mattityahu s five sons, the Maccabees, a force much smaller than the powerful Greek armies, finally triumphed in 165 B. C. E. On the 25 th of Kislev, the Maccabees reclaimed the Jewish Temple, which was almost completely destroyed. at that point, almost unrecognizable as a place of Jewish worship.
The Talmud says that when the Jewish army wanted to rededicate the Temple, they were unable to find enough specially prepared oil to light the Menorah, a holy lamp, or candelabra, used in the Temple service. Finally, in one of the Temple chambers, the Maccabees found a single bottle of oil, which normally would have lasted only one night. However, by a miracle, the one bottle of oil lasted eight nights, until new oil, fit for Temple use, could be produced. This is the miracle Jews commemorate to this day. By lighting the eight Hanukkah lights of the menorah, Jews everywhere recount the triumph of our ancestors against immorality, the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem and the miracle that a one day supply of oil lasted eight days. There are several parts and ideas that must be considered when speaking about the holy Hanukkah candles.
The candles are lit on a menorah; a genuine menorah must have space for eight candles all lined up in a straight row. All eight candles must have the same height. A ninth, extra, space must be raised above the other eight candle branches. Jews light the Hanukkah menorah in memory of the Menorah which was used in the Temple. The Temples Menorah was made from one piece of gold. Each of its seven branches, representing the days of the week, were topped by a container that held the oil that fueled the flames.
A Korea, a Jew of priestly descent, lights the Menorah on a daily basis. The Shamash is the lead candle that lights all other candles. If the Hanukkah menorah does not have a raised Shamash, it is not considered acceptable and should not be used. Even though electric menorahs are widely used, they are not considered a kosher alternative. On the first night of the Hanukkah, the first candle is placed to the far right of the menorah.
Each candle should reflect how many nights have passed. On each consecutive night, one additional candle is placed to the left of the candle lit on the previous night. The Shamash is used to light the candles from left to right, always lighting the new candle first. Two blessings are recited each night of Hanukkah. On the first night one additional blessing: First Blessing Praised are You, Our God, Ruler of the universe, Who made us holy through your commandments and commanded us to kindle the Hanukkah lights. Second Blessing Praised are You, Our God, Ruler of the universe, Who performed wondrous deeds for our ancestors in those ancient days at this season.
On the first night of Hanukkah, the third blessing is recited Praised are You, Our God, Ruler of the universe, Who has given us life and sustained us and enabled us to reach this season. There is much more to Hanukkah then just it bloody past, and it s sacred candles. There are also many enjoyable activities that can be taken part in; one example of this is that after the menorah is lit, songs that highlight the miracle of Hanukkah are sung. The Ma oz Tour (Rock of Ages), tells of the many times God saved the Jewish people. Another traditional song is Ha Nerot Halalu (These Lights), which celebrates the miracles and wonders performed by God. One is not supposed to use the lights of the menorah for personal benefit.
These lights are holy and we are not permitted to use them, rather all we can do is look at them. These words, from the song, Ha Nerot Halalu, give another meaning to the lights of Hanukah: Meditation and reflection. It is traditional to sit near the menorah and not do any work while the candles are burning. Through the commercialization of Christmas, Hanukkah has lost a little bit of it s sacredness; Meaning that there is a fading Jewish tradition of giving Hanukah get, real or candy money, to children on Hanukah. The fact that it evolved into eight nights of giving and receiving presents may have more to do with the influence of Christmas in the world than with the tradition of Hanukah.
Parents not wanting their children to feel bad for not receiving as many presents as their non-Jewish friends, may have begun this custom. It is nearly impossible to think about Hanukkah in Canada without feeling overshadowed by Christmas decorations and merchandising, most of which start well before Thanksgiving. It s hard not to get caught up in the excitement. The songs are on the radio, the stores are brightly decorated, the streets are lit and trees are strung with white lights.
Everywhere you look it is Christmas. This can be hard for a young child who is being brought up in such a commercial society where even there favorite TV show character has his own Christmas special. Another popular Hanukkah activity is to play the dreidel game. A dreidel is a four-sided top containing a letter on each side. Each letter stands for one word of the phrase, a great miracle happened there (here). The Hebrew letter, nun, stands for nes, or miracle; the gimmel stands for gaol, great; the heh, stands for happened, and the shin, stands for there, or when played in Israel, per, which stands for here.
According to the Kabbalah, or Jewish mysticism, there is a deeper meaning to the dreidel and its four letters. The simple dreidel represents a Jewish historical time line. The four letters stand for four different empires that tried to destroy the Jewish people: Babylonia, Persia, Greece, and Rome. To play, each player starts with ten items, pennies, nuts ect.
Each player puts a penny in the pot. One player at a time spins the dreidel. If the dreidel lands on nun, nothing happens. If the dreidel lands on gimmel, the player wins the pot.
If the dreidel lands on heh, the player takes half the pot. If the player lands on shin or per, the player adds two pennies to the pot. When no pennies are left in the pot, each player adds one. When one player has won everything, the game is over. Inevitably this essay must come to the section of Jewish food, for who can think about Hanukkah or for that matter think about Judaism without thinking about the Jewish cuisine. A favorite Hanukkah food is latkes, or potato pancakes.
Originally, the pancakes were made of cheese. The custom of eating cheese delicacies came from the middle Ages; Jews explained this custom by connecting it with the story of Judith that they linked with the story of Hanukkah. Judith, according to legend, was a daughter of the Hasmoneans. She fed cheese to the leader of the enemies of the Jews. He was made thirsty by the cheese and began to drink a lot of wine. When he became drunk she cut off his head.
For this reason, Jews eat cheese delicacies on Hanukkah. Another custom of the Jewish community is to eat foods fried in oil on Hanukah as a reminder of the miracle of the oil that lasted eight nights. During this essay many aspects of the Hanukkah celebration have been discussed; from the 2000 year old battle that started the tradition of Hanukkah, the celebration of candles, and the activities in which Jewish all around the world take part in. Through writing this I have become more open-minded to my personal religion, as well as other world religions.
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