It was evening and it was morning, one day…        ~Genesis 1:5

Hanukkah begins at sundown tonight, by Jewish tradition when you can see three stars in the sky tonight.  I have always loved the Jewish tradition that the days begin at night, when it is dark enough to see the twinkling and mysterious lights in the Heavens.  The tradition of nightfall beginning a new day comes from the book of Genesis.

It is often in our lives that our biggest, most meaningful changes occur when after the darkest of times, when it looks like all is lost.  So much we thought was permanent can be taken from us, over time or immediately, leaving us feeling helpless and beat down.  It’s also easy to find ourselves lying under the burden of problems we have brought upon ourselves through procrastination or bad habits.  During these times we pray for a little light in the distance, so we can begin our lives anew…

About Judea and Israel

Since its inception, the faith of the people of Judea has gone through changes.  A geographical trading hub and militarily strategic flash point, the land of Judea (now Israel) has maintained a cultural environment conducive to its peoples coming into contact with a variety of foreign concepts.  This contact has bred change among the Jewish faith, and in reply, from time to time, angry conservative back-lashes.  Because of this, Judaism has both expanded and contracted over time.

The Story of Hanukkah

The story of Hanukkah occurs 2,200 years ago, during a time when Judea was ruled by the Greeks, who were forcibly impressing their beliefs and culture on its subjugated peoples through a process known as Hellenizing .   Many progressive Jews, after examining Greek philosophy and culture, willingly moved to Hellenize their evolving faith.  To the more traditional practitioners of Judaism, this was entirely unacceptable.  Among the rank of the religiously disgruntled was Mattathias, a priest living in the small town of Modiin with his five sons.

The Greek ruler Antiochus IV, having been warned that the religious issues in Judea were getting close to all-out civil unrest (and possible war,) decided that what Judea needed was an even heavier dose of Hellenism.  Issuing decree after decree, Antiochus began to incrementally whittle away at a variety of basic Jewish practices, including the study of the Torah.  Unrest grew worse over the next two years, as Mattathias’ small band of resistance moved to the surrounding mountains to coordinate attacks on the Greeks.  With each new outrage against their faith, the resisters began receiving greater support from the Jewish population, both conservative and liberal.   By the time of our story, only the most liberal of the Jews still supported the Greeks, pushing for even more reforms of the faith.

Judah Maccabee (The Hammer)

During one particular attack, Mattathias and his sons were ambushed by Greek forces, and the elder was killed.  The survivors regrouped under Mattathias’ son Jacob, who by this time had shown himself to be an able tactician and warrior, earning himself the nickname HaMakabi (the Hammer.)  Thinking the resistance to Hellenism had been quelled, Antiochus ordered an altar to Zeus be erected in the Temple.  To HaMakabi and his followers, (we know them as the Maccabees,) still recovering from their wounds, this was the last straw.  Something would have to be done to remove the Hellenists once and for all…

Three long hard years of fighting later, in 165 BCE, the Maccabees reclaimed the Temple in Jerusalem, removing everything that had been placed in it by Antiochus and the Greeks.  The Temple was then cleaned up and prepared to be re-dedicated to the Jewish service of their God.  Among the items cleaned up and saved from the debris of battle was a special lamp which burned an eternal flame.  This lamp had previously been dutifully maintained by the Temple priests before they were turned out, the lamp’s light having been extinguished years earlier by the Greeks.

The Eternal Light

Scripture called for the lamp to burn oil that had never touched by anyone but a Temple priest.  Finding oil containers in the Temple that had not been opened and used by the Greek soldiers proved difficult; however one small untouched urn was found, with only a single day’s supply of oil left in it.  The Maccabees decided that more important than awaiting more oil was the relighting of the eternal symbol of God’s love and kindness to the Jewish people.  The lamp was lit, among humble celebration (It was, after all, the Temple, and in the Holy of Holies.)  And as we all know from having heard the story of Hanukkah, the eternal flame miraculously burned for not one, but eight days.

Judah Maccabee instituted on the eighth day a new Holiday to commemorate the Hanukkah (or dedication) of the Temple, and the miracle of the eternal flame.

You Can Be a Hanukkah Story, Too…

The story of Hanukkah is a story about overcoming great odds, of reclaiming those things that are truly important, of re-centering.  It is a story of re-dedication.  So how can we use this 8-day holiday to rededicate ourselves to re-centering our own lives?  How do we go about determining what outside forces have taken over our inner spirit, and expel them?

The 9-candle menorah (known as a Hanukkiah) symbolizes the miracle of the eight days, with each candle lit one by one using the central candle, to mark each day of the Hanukkah festival. How about for each day, we all think about a way to refocus and center our energies, to ultimately relight our inner flame?  Here are eight great ways to do so…

1. On the 1st day, clean up your work area, whether it is an office room in your home, or your desk at work.  Put in a pile scraps of paper with phone numbers and tasks.  Throw out wrappers and unneeded paperwork.  File away everything that you finished.  Use file folders and labels to get better organized. Then stop, relax, and think about the possibilities for productivity.  Should you run to the store and purchase dividers, cups, trays and whatnot? New office supplies makes just about anyone feel good…
2. On the 2nd day, figure out how to use technology to get better organized.  Consider creating a Google Calendar and put in the little projects you need to get done, or use Outlook’s tools to help.  Use Excel, Word or Google Docs to write down the big projects and break them down into little tasks, so things don’t look so daunting.  Calendar the little pieces for completion, bit by bit.
3. On the 3rd day, begin figuring out how you can take better care of your health, without putting a crimp on your pocketbook or free time.  Can you afford a Wii Fit system to enjoy in the mornings or evening?  Can you visit websites that will show you how to eat more healthily? Can you throw out some of the junk snacks and replace them with healthier alternatives? How about replacing water for those sugary sweet sodas, and putting nuts in the candy bowl at work?  Look into it!
4. On the 4th day, begin looking around your home and see what you have failed to accomplish.  Using technology or a simple paper list, write down all of your unfinished home projects.  Now number them, with the least desirable projects first.  Start the first one.  Now.
5. On the 5th day, evaluate how you let interruptions creep into your life, especially when you are supposed to be relaxing.  Do you let your cell phone or home phone control you?  Do you constantly check emails?  Can you get away from Twitter or Facebook for an afternoon?  If not, then you have let something else control your life.  Think about taking some relaxing time on the weekends to simply stop it all.  Turn off everything that can communicate with or talk at you. Read a book, or go for a walk.  Go see a movie or eat a meal somewhere. But without interruptions.  When you are done, feel free to dive into social media, or turn on the phone again, but while you can, enjoy that tiny vacation…
6. On the 6th day, figure out ways to separate what is you do for a living from what it is you do for play.  Build those boundaries between office life and home life.  Make your home your own personal Holy of Holies, the untouchable place. Let the phone take messages.  Don’t check work email. Figure out ways to make your work stay there, so you can play and relax more at home.  Your heart will thank you later…
7. On the 7th day, figure out how to slow down the pace of that out of control thing you call your life.  How do you learn to prioritize what is needed to be done, so you can bit off smaller pieces each and every day?  Does everything need to get done now?  Do you stress things too much and need to find relaxation techniques?
8. On the 8th day, figure out how to say no to others.  Are you involved in too many things? Are you stretched too thin?  Can you give up some of what you are already giving time to, so you can focus on your own happiness too?  Sometimes saying no once in awhile does more for your friendships and career than saying yes too often…

Becoming a Light Unto the World Around You…

One of the traditions surrounding Hanukkah is after lighting the Hannukiah one places it outside, not inside.  This is so everyone passing by can see and be reminded of the miracle.  By working on quelling the outside influences in our lives, we can better grasp the lives we want to lead, and pull ourselves out of the darkness.  We can use the 8 techniques above to not only light the “house within,” but also in our greater happiness light the “house without.”  People will see the twinkling of a happier you, and remark on the miraculous, lasting changes they see…

Just in Case…

By the way, if you were looking for Hanukkah recipes and other traditions, and feel a bit let down… Here you go… Sheesh.