Hanukkah – Lights
Importance: Low
Mood: Celebratory
Background: This holiday commemorates the victory of the Maccabees and the rededication of the Jerusalem Temple. It also commemorates the miracle of oil that burned for 8 days. This event took place after the last Old Testament prophet had written the scriptures. The scriptures were closed before this event, and thus, this holiday is extra-biblical. However, as seen below, there is evidence that Jesus celebrated this holiday. After all, who wouldn’t celebrate the liberation of our people and the rededication of the Beit ha Mikdash? What’s not to like?
Practice: Tell stories: We tell our children the story of the Jewish warriors, the Maccabees, beating the Syrian king Antiochus and rededicating the Beit ha Mikdash (the Holy Temple in Jerusalem) focusing on life lessons of fighting for liberty and making God a priority in our lives even at the cost of our lives.
We light a menorah which is a nine-branched candelabra. On Hanukkah eve, we light a “shamash” (the extra candle in the middle of the menorah) and then use this lit candle to light the first candle on the left. Each evening we light another candle until all eight candles are lit. We teach and sing Hanukkah songs or spiritual songs that portray God and His people as victorious over His enemies.
We play simple games of chance like the dreidel game in which the kids can win or lose candy by spinning the dreidel (an inscribed top).
We eat latkes (potato pancakes fried in oil). What would an Adonaic holiday be without food? We don’t eat a lot of them because they’re not very good for you (especially eight days straight!) so, we also eat a lot of other special dinners. The dinners during Hanukkah tend to be a little more formal and special than ordinary fare. Nothing crazy but just special.
We give small gifts. Hanukkah is not like Christmas where you give one or two big, expensive presents. During the eight days of Hanukkah we give each person in the family one small gift each day. They should be small, inexpensive gifts like toy soldiers (we ARE celebrating the Maccabees after all!), marbles, slinkies, etc.
Biblical Support: Hanukkah is mentioned in the Bible, but not in the Old Testament, since the Hebrew Scriptures were finished around 400 BC, and the story of Hanukkah occurred about 200 years later. Hanukkah is actually mentioned in the New Testament, although most readers do not realize where it is recorded. John 10:22-23, says this
The Hebrew word for “Dedication” here is actually “Hanukkah.”
Mood: Celebratory
Background: This holiday commemorates the victory of the Maccabees and the rededication of the Jerusalem Temple. It also commemorates the miracle of oil that burned for 8 days. This event took place after the last Old Testament prophet had written the scriptures. The scriptures were closed before this event, and thus, this holiday is extra-biblical. However, as seen below, there is evidence that Jesus celebrated this holiday. After all, who wouldn’t celebrate the liberation of our people and the rededication of the Beit ha Mikdash? What’s not to like?
Practice: Tell stories: We tell our children the story of the Jewish warriors, the Maccabees, beating the Syrian king Antiochus and rededicating the Beit ha Mikdash (the Holy Temple in Jerusalem) focusing on life lessons of fighting for liberty and making God a priority in our lives even at the cost of our lives.
We light a menorah which is a nine-branched candelabra. On Hanukkah eve, we light a “shamash” (the extra candle in the middle of the menorah) and then use this lit candle to light the first candle on the left. Each evening we light another candle until all eight candles are lit. We teach and sing Hanukkah songs or spiritual songs that portray God and His people as victorious over His enemies.
We play simple games of chance like the dreidel game in which the kids can win or lose candy by spinning the dreidel (an inscribed top).
We eat latkes (potato pancakes fried in oil). What would an Adonaic holiday be without food? We don’t eat a lot of them because they’re not very good for you (especially eight days straight!) so, we also eat a lot of other special dinners. The dinners during Hanukkah tend to be a little more formal and special than ordinary fare. Nothing crazy but just special.
We give small gifts. Hanukkah is not like Christmas where you give one or two big, expensive presents. During the eight days of Hanukkah we give each person in the family one small gift each day. They should be small, inexpensive gifts like toy soldiers (we ARE celebrating the Maccabees after all!), marbles, slinkies, etc.
Biblical Support: Hanukkah is mentioned in the Bible, but not in the Old Testament, since the Hebrew Scriptures were finished around 400 BC, and the story of Hanukkah occurred about 200 years later. Hanukkah is actually mentioned in the New Testament, although most readers do not realize where it is recorded. John 10:22-23, says this
- John 10:22-23 HCSB Then the Festival of Dedication took place in Jerusalem, and it was winter. (23) Jesus was walking in the temple complex in Solomon's Colonnade.
The Hebrew word for “Dedication” here is actually “Hanukkah.”
