Chanukah is a funny holiday. The more you investigate it, the stranger it gets. Most of us know the basic story that we learned as children, about brave Judah and the Maccabees versus the evil Greek empire. But it turns out that there are several tellings of the story; and the more you investigate, the less clear it is who were the “good guys” and who were the “bad guys.” Add to that the historical fact that the Maccabee (Hasmonean) dynasty became corrupt within about a century of their victory, and were political opponents of the early rabbis, and the story gets even stranger!
In the United States, the proximity of Chanukah to Christmas eventually led to an emphasis on the giving of gifts on Chanukah. It has also led to the perception among Christians (and many Jews) that Chanukah is a major Jewish holiday – which it never was, likely because the rabbis who created what we know of as Judaism had reason to be wary of those corrupt Hasmoneans and what they stood for.
Meanwhile, we instinctively know what the ancients of all faiths also knew – that when it is cold and dark, it is good to gather together, light candles, eat food, sing songs, and acknowledge the blessings of freedom. May your experience of this year’s Festival of Lights be a joyous one.
In the United States, the proximity of Chanukah to Christmas eventually led to an emphasis on the giving of gifts on Chanukah. It has also led to the perception among Christians (and many Jews) that Chanukah is a major Jewish holiday – which it never was, likely because the rabbis who created what we know of as Judaism had reason to be wary of those corrupt Hasmoneans and what they stood for.
Meanwhile, we instinctively know what the ancients of all faiths also knew – that when it is cold and dark, it is good to gather together, light candles, eat food, sing songs, and acknowledge the blessings of freedom. May your experience of this year’s Festival of Lights be a joyous one.