As a resident of Jerusalem, Vikke writes from its streets sharing the sounds, tastes and history of an annual celebration that has more to it than meets the eye. Here, she considers the rich spiritual meaning of this celebration not just for the Jews, but for all people.
The City of Jerusalem becomes illuminated with lights of all kinds. Menorahs and Hanukkiahs line the streets, the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem ignite with light shows and music, parents and children stand in line for bakeries’ famous filled doughnuts, the smell of hot fried potato latkes (potato pancakes) stuffed with applesauce fill the air, the call of “sahlab” (a hot milky Arabic drink) is heard on street corners, and children sing songs of banishing the darkness with light.
In the western world, Hanukkah has been called the “Jewish Christmas” because it usually occurs in December, and the holiday involves beautiful lights, tasty food, and giving gifts for eight nights. However, that designation is quite far from the truth.
Hanukkah has been celebrated since 164 BC. Today, Hanukkah in the Jewish world is referred to as the “Festival of Lights” because every night, a new light is lit on a nine-branch candelabra called a Hanukkiah (hah-noo-kee-ah): one for each night of the holiday, the ninth branch used for lighting the others. Hanukkah however has a much deeper meaning.
The word Hanukkah in Hebrew literally means ‘dedication’, coming from the verb chanak meaning ‘to dedicate’. Hence, this celebration has also been known as the Festival of Dedication. It was named this because of the nature of a pivotal event in the history of the Jewish people. In about 164 BC, the Maccabees fought to take back their place of worship, the Temple in Jerusalem, from the occupying Greek, Seleucid empire (an event reenacted on the streets of Jerusalem on unicycles!). The traditional story that many already know surrounding this event involved the miracle of the oil that filled the menorah during the rededication of the Temple—while there was only enough oil to keep it lit for one night, it remained lit for eight nights.
There is a song that is sung at this time of year by Jewish children:
“We came to drive away the darkness
In our hands, light and fire
Everyone is a small light
and all of us are a strong light
Fight darkness, further blackness!
Fight because of the light!”
These powerful words have a deeper meaning for all people. They reflect a spiritual idea that exists in most religions. The Christian New Testament explores this same idea of light driving out darkness in one of its most famous books, the Gospel of John. This same book records a fascinating reference to the celebration of Hanukkah and Jesus. Approximately a century and a half after it was first celebrated, Jesus celebrated Hanukkah in Jerusalem.[1]
As mentioned before, the eight branches of the Hanukkiah are lit by a ninth branch which stands in the middle, with four on each side. This middle candle is called the “Shamash” which comes from the same root as the word for “Sun”. This candle is the light, which then spreads to all the other lights. In Jewish and Christian tradition, we read in Genesis that before the sun was even created, God created light and thus it is thought that He Himself is the light. And John, the author of the gospel, came to be a witness to the light, “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.”[2] This gives Hanukkah greater meaning, as One who is the Light, spreads the light to the world. This true light was identified as the person of Jesus.
Hanukkah is a time of year when, in the depth of winter, when darkness seems to be more of the day than light, we remember that if we shine our light, it spreads to others. Light is the only force that can drive out darkness, and for Christians, Jesus and His way of life is that true light.
[1] The Bible, John 10:22-23
[2] The Bible, John 1:9