Chanukah: A Contemporary Approach
Chanukah, the Jewish festival of rededication, also known as the festival of lights, is an eight day festival that [always] begins on the 25th day of the month of Kislev. This year, this corresponds to the English date of Dec. 5, 2007 (Why do Jewish holidays seem to move around?). (The first candle is lit the evening before). Here are some ideas to help add extra meaning to your observance of Chanukah today, from former Reb on the Web, Rabbi Jeremy Schwartz:
1. Consciousness of Everyday Miracles: Although most of these themes are not in any particular order, this one is inspired by the first day of Chanukah. According to the story, the maccabees found a jar of oil sufficient for one day's light which miraculously lasted for eight. But what of that first day, in whose honor we light the first Chanukah candle? It is the day of the small miracles, the ones that don't necessarily violate the laws of nature, but when we consider that we might have had to do without them (or that there might have been no "we", no life, no Earth), we are filled with gratitude and awe. Or you might consider it the day of the miracle-waiting-to-happen. The hidden seed of a miracle that is destined to grow eight-fold. What are the small miracles in your life? Perhaps it would be worth everyone gathered around the Chanukiah to name one on the first night.
2. Jewish Pride, Jewish Identity: As the Maccabees resisted the pressure to assimilate into the surrounding Hellenic culture, and fought for their right to be themselves, so may we on Chanukah celebrate our Jewish identities proudly. Perhaps this is a time to add a Mezuzah to your home's door, or, if you have one there, to add a Mezuzah to the doors of other rooms in your house or your office as a sign of Jewish identification. Perhaps family members could work on homemade Kippot. This is certainly an appropriate time to discuss resistance to peer-pressure with children (and adults!), both as Jews and as individuals.
3. Self Dedication: The word Chanukah means "dedication." To what do you want to rededicate yourself this Chanukah?
4. Healing, Making Whole: Antiochus and his troops had defiled the Temple in Jerusalem. The rededication of the Temple that we remember on Chanukah represented a healing of the Temple. It was again Tahor which I translate as 'whole." Are you grateful for a recent healing? Is there something you can do to help make a relationship whole that's become fragmented in some way?
5. Gratefulness for the Independence of the People Israel: In one sense, Chanukah is an ancient Yom Ha'atzma'ut - an Israel independence day. Why not take the opportunity to begin planning a trip to Israel? Open a dedicated savings account. Start getting the kids (if you have them) excited. Call the travel agent.
6. Not Use or Do, but Only Be; Celebrate Shabbat: "These candles that we light are holy, and we have no right to use them, but only to see them, in order to praise and sing of Your great name, for Your miracles and wonders and salvation." The words of this Chanukah song (based on a passage in Talmud) teach an important lesson. "To use" is not the same as "to see." To be aware of the holy requires a different sort of relationship with the world around us than "use." We spend plenty of time using -- using resources and, too often, using people. Shabbat is a day to stop using and take the time "to see the roses." There is always [at least] one Shabbat in Chanukah. On the Shabbat in Chanukah, learn from the candles and inaugurate a new level of Shabbat observance.
7. Hope: As Eleanor Roosevelt said, it is "better to light a candle than to curse the darkness." Chanukah isn't "the Jewish Christmas." But the hope of light in the darkness of winter is one aspect that the two holidays share with nearly every culture's winter observances. There are so many ways that you can renew hope for others, Jews and non-Jews, and for yourself. Chanukah is a time to do so.
8. Jewish Institutions: The Temple in Jerusalem that the Maccabees rededicated on Chanukah was the Jewish institution par excellence. It was the centre of Jewish life in its time. For Judaism to function in the world -- to bring meaning into our lives, to bring us closer to God, and to bring the world closer to God's vision of a world of peace and justice -- requires Jewish institutions: Synagogues and seminaries, Federations, educational institutions and institutions striving to make the prophetic vision a reality. Pick one Jewish institution that has made a difference in your life, pick up the checkbook or the phone, and help with your time or money to rededicate that institution to the service it was founded for.
9. Chanukah and That Other December Event: It will come as no surprise to many that Chanukah, traditionally a relatively minor holiday, has assumed much greater importance for many Jews in western countries as a counterweight to the onslaught of Christmas, with its music and decorations, sales and Santas barraging us from every angle. However, there is a historical irony here: Chanukah celebrates successful Jewish resistance to assimilation and the influence of non-Jewish cultures. So allowing Chanukah, because of its proximity to Christmas, to become something it is not, that is, a major Jewish event, equal to the High Holy Days or Passover, subverts the very message of Chanukah itself!
The Christmas season in North America is a harsh reminder that we Jews are a religious minority in the world. But that is not a bad thing. Our tradition calls us an am kadosh - a holy people - a group that is set apart from all other peoples by our covenantal relationship with God. This does not mean we are better (or worse) then any other peoples, but it does mean we are different. We should take pride in our distinctiveness. We gain self-respect, as well as the recognition of others, when we remain true to who we are. By celebrating Chanukah for the beauty of its true meaning, and not trying to compete or muddy its meaning by turning it into a "Jewish Christmas," Jews bring sanctity into their own lives, and allow others to maintain the integrity and distinctiveness of their own traditions.
But that does not mean we can not share our celebration with friends and family members who are not Jewish, nor help others whom we love celebrate their holy days. It always behooves us to learn about other religions and traditions and support others in their religious expressions, as we would hope they will support us in ours. However, there is a difference between accepting an invitation from others to join them for their celebrations, and competing with or adopting their traditions into our own. By confusing the two, we not only disrespect our own tradition and its teaching, but we diminish the meaning of other's traditions.
Even with giving all the gifts in the Toys R Us catalogue, Chanukah will never be able to "compete" with Christmas. Nor should it be expected to. Although Chanukah is historically older then Christmas, Christmas, for Christians, hold a place of much greater importance in their ritual calendar. Chanukah does have a powerful message, it is a festival of lights, and it does take place around the same time as Christmas (in the secular calendar). For good measure, we Jews have even thrown in presents. And yet, for Jews, Chanukah is really a very minor holiday. Have fun, sing, eat, play dreidel, celebrate! But never forget what Chanukah is all about: the importance of religious freedom and the beauty of Jewish distinctiveness.
For a very thought-provoking presentation of the "December Dilemma," read Prof. Larry Hoffman's article, On Being A Jew at Christmas.
