Chanukah/Hanukkah

The following are a few significant and interesting bits of information I gathered about Hanukhah:

• Hanukkah, the holiday, which began this week, commemorates the rededication of the second temple of Jerusalem, where Jews, reclaiming the temple after a revolt, found a one-day supply of oil to light its menorah — and that one-day supply that lasted for eight nights was a miracle.
• The word “Hanukkah” means dedication and is celebrated each year as the Feast of Dedication or the Festival of Lights. Jesus made sure he was in Jerusalem during Hanukkah, The Feast of Dedication, in John chapter 10. He did not ignore it, or any of the prescribed feasts.
• Hanukkah is a special festival that comes alive each year with rich traditions and practices. One of the most important holidays in the Jewish faith, “Chanukah” is an eight-day celebration of a miracle that took place around 200 B.C. Playing dreidel, lighting the menorah candles, and spending time with loved ones are just a few ways to celebrate these days of light. After all, it’s one of the more celebrated holidays in America!
• Also called The Festival of Light, Hanukkah is also a celebration of love, happiness, and blessings.
• Christians often think of Hanukkah as an Old Testament Jewish holiday, but the events that inspired the festival did not happen until after the last book of the Old Testament was written. In fact, the only person recorded in the Bible as observing the feast of Hanukkah is Jesus Christ in the New Testament (John 10:  22)

What the Menorah symbolizes:

The seven lamps allude to the branches of human knowledge, represented by the six lamps inclined inwards towards, and symbolically guided by, the light of God represented by the central lamp. The menorah also symbolizes the creation in seven days, with the center light representing the Sabbath.

The Symbol for Each Candle:

Includes the Spirit of the Lord, and the Spirits of wisdom, of understanding, of counsel, of might, of knowledge and of fear of the LORD, here are represented the seven Spirits, which are before the throne of God.

Miracle of Hannukkah:

Even though there was only enough untainted olive oil to keep the menorah’s candles burning for a single day, the flames continued flickering for eight nights, leaving them time to find a fresh supply. This wondrous event inspired the Jewish sages to proclaim a yearly eight-day festival.

NOTE:  Below is a website where can be found original Traditional Stories of the Hanukkah, the Festival of Light/Dedication, from long ago, updated in 2023:

https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/hanukkah

… ENJOY !