Ceremony and Celebration Family Edition, The Hagim, Hanukka, The Sixth Night, A Hanukka Message
Can copy this into an AI, or connect the whole library to your assistant. For deeper learning, you can directly use the original seforim, sites, and apps.
THE THIRD MIRACLE
We all know the miracles of Ḥanukka: the military victory of the Maccabees against the Greeks and the miracle of the oil that should have lasted one day but kept the Menora lights burning for eight. But there was a third miracle not many people know about. It took place several centuries later.
After the destruction of the Second Beit HaMikdash, many Rabbis were convinced that the festival of Ḥanukka should be abolished. After all, it celebrated the rededication of the Beit HaMikdash. And the Beit HaMikdash was no more. It had been destroyed by the Romans under Titus. Without a Beit HaMikdash, what was there left to celebrate?
The Talmud tells us that in at least one town, Lod, Ḥanukka was abolished. Yet eventually the other view prevailed, which is why we continue to celebrate Ḥanukka to this day.
Why? Because although the Beit HaMikdash was destroyed, Jewish hope was not destroyed. We may have lost the building but we still have the story, and the memory, and the light. And what had happened once in the days of the Maccabees could happen again. It was those words, “Od lo avda tikvateinu,” “Our hope is not destroyed,” words that became part of the song HaTikva, that inspired Jews to return to Israel and rebuild their ancient state.
So as you light the Ḥanukka candles remember this: The Jewish people kept hope alive, and hope kept the Jewish people alive. We are the voice of hope in the conversation of humankind.
❖ Points to Ponder
- Why do you think it is important to maintain festivals and remembrance days that commemorate historical events from generations ago?
- How does Ḥanukka represent hope? Hope for what?
- What connections are there between the Ḥanukka story and the modern State of Israel?