Chanukah: It’s Time to Say THANK YOU!

Chanukah is the Jewish Thanksgiving! While each day we express our “hakarat      
hatov” (appreciation) for all of life’s brachot (blessings), Chanukah is the special time for the People of Israel to celebrate and say: THANK YOU!

We thank God for the awesome miracles of Chanukah that took place over 2000 years ago. For the illuminating light of the Menorah. And for the Maccabees – a small Jewish army that defeated the Greeks. But what does this have to do with the People of Israel today? Are these ancient miracles relevant in today’s modern world?

The ‘Light’ Miracle                                                                

The mighty Greek Empire sought to destroy every vestige of our faith. They defiled our Holy Temple, rendering it impure and unfit for service. When the Jews regained control, they found a single jug of pure olive oil – enough to keep the Menorah lit for just one night.

And the rest is history. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days, allowing sufficient time to resupply. An open miracle! An awesome miracle! Something to celebrate! And that’s why we light the Chanukah Menorah continuously for 8 days! And eat lots of oily ‘latkes’ (potato pancakes)…

But why all the fuss?

Let’s take a step back. The Holy Temple had been defiled and impure for months, if not years. Would eight days less of light really have made a difference? Besides, the Jews restored ALL daily functions of the Holy Temple. So why all the fuss about the light?

Now here’s something worth celebrating: A tiny, weak, poorly trained, amateur force defeats the world’s premier military superpower. Yes, this actually happened! That’s big news. Something to really celebrate!

The True Celebration

It’s true. The real celebration of Chanukah was not about oil. And it was not about light. It was about the awesome victory of the Maccabees over the Greeks. Of a mighty empire “into the hands of the weak”. And a numerous armed force “into the hands of the few”.

It’s true. And it’s incredible! The Greeks outnumbered the small Jewish army by a thousand to one. A super-power second to none. They were stronger and better trained. They were a fighting machine. And the Jews had nothing – except for their faith.

OK, Back to the Light!

And that’s exactly why the Jews won. The Light of the Menorah is the spark of their soul – that ignited the LIGHT of their faith. Connecting them to the highest Source of Light. They believed in themselves, and in their ability to connect with the One Above, the Protector of Israel.

Yes, the real miracles WERE the battles. The battle to defeat a mighty Greek army. And the battle to hold onto our treasured faith. On Chanukah, we celebrate our faith and say ‘thank you’. For the victory of inner strength over weakness. The triumph of faith over fate. And of Light over Darkness.

Read more:
unitedwithisrael.org/chanukah-thank-you/