7th Dec Hanukah Eve
Hanukah begins on the eve of 25th of Kislev. A festival of eight days, it celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, justice over tyranny and purity over corruption. Legend tells the story of how when the Temple in Jerusalem was reclaimed after the revolt of the Maccabbees, only a single cruse of olive oil was discovered in the the Temple that was ritually pure and not contaminated by the Greeks. Miraculously, this oil served to light the menorah for the entire eight days so during the days of Hanukah, each evening a new candle is lit to signify the triumph of light over darkness.
Today, historians and critics question the legend, for there is no textual proof that to support the legend. Whether the story is historically accurate is not as important as the courage and the faith found in those few who can defend their faith under duress and whose light reveal to us a path through darkness. We celebrate Hanukah with each candle lit, witnessing the influence of faith spreading into our lives from past centuries nd blessing the generations that follow in our footsteps.
A Brief Historical Summary:
The story of the purification of the Temple happens within the historc frame of the spread of Hellenism across the Mediterranean and the Roman conquest of North Africa with its union with Egypt. Israel just happens to land in NoMan's land between the eastern powers of Persia and ancient Babylonia and the dominating Roman power taking hold over Egypt.
Antiochus III King of Syria (222-186 BCE / 3538-3574) fought with Ptolemy of Egypt over the land of Israel and was victorious. later, the Romans conquered Antiochus in turn. When he died, his son, Seleucis IV, took rule. During this time, Hellenism spread quickly throughout the Mediterranean , promoted also through Roman culture.
However, traditional Judaic culture and Hellenism clash in their basic values often symbolically represented in the clash of the two brothers, Jacob and Esau. Jacob is often interpreted to be the loyal son of Judaism, studying in the tents of Shem and Eber, living an upright life, reclaiming the heritage of Abraham through the reclamation of wells. Esau is also named as Edom, the red one, identified to the east. His offspring are known as the Edomites, enemies of Israel. But to look more deeply, the two represent different human tendencies. Esau is a hunter, going far afield, restless in temperament. He is seen to be a person dominated by his physical needs and passions as he trades his birthright in exchange for a bowl of pottage to his twin brother Jacob. Similarly, Judaism and Hellenism clash as they put different emphasis on spiritual, intellectual and physical aspects of life. Hellenism reveling in the applied arts, raising monument in glorification of man, whereas Judaism clings to the unseen, ineffable God, not pagan idolatry with its garish statutes and myriad of superstitions. Even Jewish sages warned of the impending dangers of Hellenic influence, forbidding the study of Greek philosophy as an attempt to put a fence around the Torah and Jewish culture.
