December 4: Hanukkah

Tonight is the final night of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival celebrating a great miracle. Hanukkah is not a major holiday in the Jewish calendar and is in fact one of the only Jewish holidays whose story is not actually in the Torah. The story comes from the book of Maccabees, a separate text of history not considered part of the Hebrew bible. The importance of the holiday has been inflated by its proximity to Christmas, a holiday that has been eating other holidays for decades, apparently. It is an important holiday, though, in that it reminds us about miracles that happen when we least expect it.

Fitz inspects the menorah and latkes

Twenty two hundred years ago the Jewish people were being forced into assimilation and persecuted for their religion and culture by a dominant Syrian-Greek culture. Jewish resistance was met with crushing retaliation and the temple, the place where god lived, the holiest of holies, was desecrated and used for pagan sacrifices. After years of terrible persecution a leader arose out of the family of a temple priest and Judah Maccabee led his people in victory over the Syrians. When they retook the temple they immediately set about cleaning it and went to relight the menorah, the candelabra signifying the divine presence. They needed pure olive oil for this flame but most of the temple's stores had been destroyed or defiled. Only one tiny vial was found, only enough for one night. Miracle of miracles, the oil burned for eight nights, enough for more oil to be prepared.

Miracle of miracles the oil burned. Miracle of miracles the Jewish people survived. Miracle of miracles traditions are maintained or revived. Miracle of miracles the sun rises despite the long night. Miracle of miracles family gathers another year. Miracle of miracles it all works and it is all good.

What miracles are you celebrating this winter? Do you have a family tradition of celebrating Hanukkah or have you ever celebrated with friends? Do you like to make latkes or play dreidel or do you celebrate the miracles of winter in some other way? When was the last time you lit candles just to watch the miracle of their light?

Happy Hanukkah!