When the ancient rabbis declared that Hanukkah would be a festival, the Temple had been rededicated only one year earlier, in 165 BCE. But what, exactly, were they celebrating? Was it the military victory over the Syrian Greeks that allowed them to continue to worship in the Temple? Perhaps, this was the nature of the celebration on face value. But there was something deeper as well.
First, they acknowledged the power in the few overcoming the many, the weak overcoming the strong. Certainly this has been a theme in our people’s history, and it was important to have this holiday mark what we are capable of as a people, even if we are small in number. But the rabbis were reluctant to create a holiday that didn’t seem to involve God’s intervention; they didn’t want to create a holiday that was solely about a military victory won by human power.
So why did they create this holiday, one with beautiful rituals and connection for so many of us? They understood that Hanukkah was about much more than a miraculous military victory, it was about a miracle of the spirit. Perhaps this is why the story of Judah Maccabee entering the Temple, desecrated and non-functional, finding that small vial of oil that lasted for longer than it should have, is so powerful. It’s not just fantastical – it represents the notion that our spirits can be rekindled even when we think they are nearly burnt out for good.
During Hanukkah, we say a prayer in every service called Al Hanisim – “for the miracles.” In this prayer, we don’t glorify the military victory, but we celebrate what that victory allowed for. That is spiritual renewal. Mirrored by our bringing light into the world during the darkest time of the year, the miracle of Hanukkah allows us to remember that we are always capable of re-igniting our spirits. This year, I’ll be celebrating Hanukkah with many of our members in Israel, and I look forward to sharing our travels with you. Shabbat Shalom and Chag Urim Sameach, Rabbi Sarit
