Introduction:
In
the Sherman Park neighborhood, were Barbie and I live, the community
enjoys a blog called "NextdoorAuerHouse" a play on a Street
name here in Sherman Park, 'Auer Street'. One of our neighbors wanted
to recognize Hannuka and reprinted an article that speaks of the
common themes of Hannukah and Christmas. Specifically Jean want to
wish the Jewish Community a very Happy Chanukah. Her greetings
included the prayer that the Jewish Community take pride in the hero
of the day "Judas Maccabee"
An
Open Letter to Jean:
Dear
Jean,
Thank
you for sharing the article identifying the common themes found in
Chanukah and Christmas. There are truths in the article you shared
and I don't want to belittle the core message intended by the
original author. I cannot comments on the historical or biblical
thoughts Christian sections. Nonetheless, the observance of
Hanukkah is well within my wheelhouse and it is there that I wish to
make some observations.
Was
it Judas Maccabee or Judah Maccabee? H-U-G-E difference!
It
was 'Judah' Maccabees, not "Judas" Maccabee; Judah
Maccabees was a namesake of Jacob's son Judah, as found in the book
of Exodus; chapter one verse two.
Judas
has no relationship to Judaism:
Judas
had no relationship to Judaism and if my memory serves me correctly,
he was a disciple of Jesus and Christians believe that he betrayed
his relationship with Jesus. The storyline for Judas as depicted in
the New Testament is very different from the life of Judah Maccabee,
a hero and role model, for Jewish children and adults throughout the
ages. Judah was the son of Jacob and has a life message and is a role
model for the children of Israel for millennia.
Judah
the Hero!!!
Judah
Maccabees is a hero for the children of Israel and Judah the son of
Jacob is also a hero having saved his youngest brother
Benjamin from imprisonment in pharaohs dungeons.
Judah
a Light for the Children of Israel....
Second,
the light that emanates from the Menorah, for eight days, is about a
miraculous story found in the Talmud (Oral Law) of Sanhedrin which
speaks of a small vial of oil found soon after the liberation of Holy
Temple. That vile allowed the Kohanim (Priests) to illuminate the
Menorah but the vile contained a small amount of oil; enough oil for
one day.
After
the menorah was lit it illuminated the Menorah and Holy Temple for
eight consecutive days. The miracle of the oil allowed
the Priests sufficient time to make fresh oil to keep the
Menorah lit day in and day out for eight days. However, the light of
the Menorah represents a much greater miraculous event; a small army
with limited resources, led by Judah Maccabees, a captain who had
little military training, was able to overcome the professional Roman
legions with their military might and tools of war. The
City of Jerusalem and the Holy Temple was liberated by a small a rag
tag Militia when “a great miracle happened there” (words
associated with the Draidel a toy Jewish children play with on
Hannukah). Jerusalem was rebuilt and the Temple restored is that
is the real miracle. Jerusalem's restoration speaks to the power of
faith and the resources that faith provides against much
greater odds.
Chanukah
not biblically ordained!
Hanukkah
is not a Biblical ordained holiday. In the article that you shared
with the community the author writes; "Hanukkah was not a Torah
festival" and the correction that I want to make is about the
sanctity of the days. The Holy Days found in the Torah are ordained
by the word of God as Holy Days and thus have sanctity because of
God's command. Hanukkah is a minor festival in that it is ordained as
a Holy Day by the rabbis of the Sanhedrin and thus lack the sanctity
of God's spoken word and therefore are considered minor holidays.
Minor
corrections but unimportant to the greater message...
There
are many others small and an unimportant corrections that could
be made to the article. For example, what exactly they did when they
entered the Holy Temple for the first time is really unknown
other than the removal of those things that defiled the Holy Temple
and the lighting of the Menorah. They restored the daily functions of
the Priestly responsibilities. The Star of David that today is
an important symbol of the Jewish people, may or may not have
not been returned to the Holy Temple. The repairs took years and what
happened immediately were the basics that allowed the
Kohanim to work in their capacity as Priests.
A
Light to Our Nation........
Judah
Maccabees and his brothers and father were a light to our nation. All
people have the capacity to enlighten the world as teachers and role
models.
Obviously,
Christianity and the other great religions of the world have teachers
and role models that enlighten the world we live in. That these two
holidays coincide in the middle of the winter and have light
associated with the observance is strictly coincidental. The message
is far more important. I cannot speak to the Christmas holidays since
I know little about the in depth of the observances.
The
Christmas season has a powerful impact on the way people interact
with one another. Unfortunately, the goodness that we experience
because of Christmas for the month around the holiday quickly
disappears. By the middle of January, it's hard to remember the
vacation we enjoyed as the Christmas holidays neared. It is indeed
like a vacation from Thanksgiving to Christmas and when the vacation
is over, it's hard to remember the respite.
Perhaps
we need to find ways to extend the kindness of the December
experience into January and February and on.
When
I would speak to Christian audiences about the observance of Hanukkah
and its relationship to Christmas, I would often times tell them that
the only relationship that exists is the one that Hallmark
introduced. I know this sounds very cynical but there is nothing
cynical about sharing a time of the year when all of us seek to bring
peace and charity into the world. In fact, the spirit of
Passover and Easter have a greater commonness about them then
Hanukkah and Christmas.
The
light that is brought to the world in the darkest months of the year
is not the light of the candles of the Christmas ornaments but rather
the light of the spirit that we offered to one another during this
time of year.
A
Blessing to all of my neighbors, Good Health, Happiness and Joy..
To
all of you who are observing holidays other than Hannukah. May
you have a very happy and healthy holiday season. Together let’s
try to extend the good will toward mankind threw the month of
January.
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