On December 8, 2023, as it grew dark, Jewish families gathered around the dinner table to light the first candle on a nine-branch menorah called the Hanukkiah. It was the first evening of Hanukkah, an 8-day celebration by Jewish people around the world to mark their deliverance over 2000 years ago, from a brutal Syrian tyrant, Antiochus IV. Hanukkah’s history with its theme of deliverance was the focus of the first of this two-part series. This joyous holiday is celebrated with food, gifts, family gatherings and activities for the children. After lighting the menorah, families often sing songs, eat special food, exchange gifts, and play games. These traditions, along with the applications of Hanukkah for followers of Jesus, will be our current focus, with a sprinkling of information mixed in from Part I.
As a quick recap, the menorahs lit in homes during Hanukkah are different from the traditional 7-branch menorah used only in the Temple. The Hanukkah menorah has 9 branches with one in the middle elevated above the others. This center candle is called the “Shamash” (which means “Servant”) and is used as a kindle. One the first night, the Shamash is used to light the first candle on the far right, preceded by three blessings:
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to kindle the Chanukah light.
Blessed are You, Lord or God, King of the universe, who performed miracles for our forefathers in those days, at this time.
Blessed are You, Lord or God, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion.
On the 2nd night, the Shamash is used to light the first candle again and then the second one next to it. This is repeated each night until all 8 candles are lit. The Hanukkiah is usually placed in a window so that all can see it to be reminded of the victorious and heroic deeds of the Maccabees.
One of the ways Jewish people remember the great miracle of Hanukkah is with the dreidel game. Children will play a special game called “Spin the Dreidel.” The sevivon, meaning “dreidel,” or “top,” has one of four Hebrew letters on each of the four sides: nun, gimmel, heh, and peh. These letters indicate the rules of the game, but also represent a phrase, saying that a great miracle happened in Jerusalem. The letters signify the words “Nes gadol hayah peh”, “A great miracle happened here.” A Hanukkah dreidel in Jerusalem is different than in other parts of the world. Outside of Israel, the letter peh is exchanged for the letter shin, which stands for the word “sham,” meaning “there” — “A great miracle happened there.”
For at least the last thousand years, the Jewish people eat oily foods on Hanukkah. These fatty delectables are symbolic of the story about the small jug of oil that miraculously provided fuel for the Temple Menorah for eight days (See post on Hanukkah – Part I). One such fatty food is donuts. Sweet fried dough is enjoyed by the Jewish people worldwide, from the pound-adding ‘ponchiks’ of Poland, to the delicious ‘bimuelos’ of Spain and Latin America, and the savory ‘sfenj’ of North African Jewry.
Jewish people in America spun their own versions of these tasty traditions. For example, William Rosenburg, son of Jewish German immigrants from Prussia, launched the ‘Open Kettle’ restaurant in 1948. Their famous coffee (10 cents) and donuts (5 cents) were their claim to fame, which later led to the successful franchise of Dunkin’ Donuts.
Israeli Jews’ donuts of preference are sufganiyot – donuts filled with fruit jam filling, sprinkled with powdered sugar. Sufganiyot (soof-GAH-NEE-yoht) were declared by the Israeli Labor Federation to be the official food of Hanukkah in 1920. They are consumed by the millions in Israel every year. Another ‘oil’ food of Hanukkah are potato pancakes, called latkes. These came about in the late 18th or early 19th century, about two hundred years after potatoes were introduced to Europe. Prior to that, potatoes were used to feed animals, prisoners, and then used to feed the masses, especially the poor. Potatoes went from being unknown to being responsible for a quarter of the population growth of Europe between 1700 and 1900. They eventually became a staple that was cheaper than flour, so the potato latkes popularity spread rapidly.
The evolution of latkes is quite interesting and includes other fried shredded vegetables such as zucchini, spinach and beets. There is also a fascinating story about cheese latkes that preceded the Maccabean revolt by a couple hundred years, originating from the apocryphal Book of Judith. The Book of Judith is included in the Greek versions of the Hebrew Bible (Septuagint) and in the Roman canon, but not in the Hebrew and Protestant Biblical canons.
The story of Judith is another account of deliverance of the Jewish people. Rashbam, a devout French Jew who lived in 12th century, authored a commentary on the Babylonian Talmud from the Middle Ages. He wrote that Judith was responsible for the miracle of Hanukkah. Tradition has it that Judith was related to Judah Maccabee and the story is that she seduced the Assyrian general, Holofernes, and fed him salty cheese and wine. When he passed out from drinking, she beheaded him, which led to the defeat of the Assyrian army by the Israelites. Cheese was eaten around Hanukkah to remember Judith’s bravery. Given the graphic nature of this story, it is not surprising that Maccabean revolt predominates the history and traditions of Hanukkah.
Chocolate coins or “gelt” which is Yiddish for “money”, are plentiful during Hanukkah and are gifted to children as an edible substitute for cash. These gold-foil chocolate coins date back to the 17th century, as a tribute to the Hasmoneans minting national coins to celebrate the Maccabees’ winning their freedom from Antiochus IV and the Syrian Greeks. Traditions vary and have evolved over time. Jewish parents often give these chocolate coins to their children as ‘funny money’ to facilitate dreidel competitions. Regardless of the traditions, the manufacturing of gelt has been a profitable industry, copied by chocolatiers across the globe. Personally, if I had a choice of chocolates, gelt would not be my ‘go to’ as it is not very flavorful and is often stale. Maybe I should have removed the foil wrapping first. 😊
The purpose and traditions of the festival of Hanukkah naturally lend themselves to understanding the significance as they relate to Jesus. Of the many Jewish celebrations we have studied together thus far, each has been filled with meaningful rituals and observances that illustrate spiritual truths, many of which point to our Lord. Unlike the seven Jewish Feasts which were appointed by God, Hanukkah was instituted by man. Before we dismiss it for this reason, remember that western observances of Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas were also instituted by man. The critical feature, regardless of the holiday, should be a heart set on honoring God. Unfortunately, this is where the holidays of the Western world often fall short.
A beautiful application relates to the Hanukkah menorah with its 8 branches plus the center candle, the Shamash or Servant candle. We have studied previously that the number eight in the Hebrew number system, points to a “new beginning.” As born-again believers, we are cleansed by the blood of Messiah (1 John 1:7). We have a new beginning as a temple of the Holy Spirit and a new life in fellowship with our Lord Jesus (1 Corinthians 6:19).
Chapter 53 of Isaiah has been referred to as the Suffering Servant. The Prophet Isaiah refers to the Messiah as the Servant, or shammas in Hebrew. Jesus is our sole source of light. In our study of the Feast of Tabernacles, also called the Show of Lights, we saw how this feast looks forward to the Messiah tabernacling with mankind during the Millennial Kingdom. Hanukkah is the “Festival of Lights.” This infers a celebration of Jesus as the “light of the world.” Jesus came as “a light to to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of [God’s] people Israel.” (Luke 2:32; Isaiah 49:6). Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life.” (John 8:12).
This Shamash, or Servant, “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28). Each night when more candles are lit on the menorah, it gets brighter and brighter and the gift grows in value. As followers of Jesus, we are to shine the light of Christ more and more as we grow and walk in His light and grow in the appreciation of the miracle God gave us in Yeshua. Jesus takes away our sin, making the way, the only way, for us to come into fellowship with our Holy God and Father (John 14:6). Yeshua conquered death when He rose from the grave, and His victory became ours as He grants eternal life to all who believe in Him (2 Timothy 1:10; 1 Corinthians 15:20; Revelation 1:18; . This is the ‘good news’ of Hanukkah.
Jesus chose Hanukkah as the occasion to make a remarkable claim of His deity (and the Holy Trinity): “I and My Father are one.” (John 10:22-31). This upset the religious leaders so much that they grabbed rocks to stone Him (John 10: 31). They knew the history of Hanukkah (aka, Feast of Dedication) and also knew the works of Jesus. And so Jesus asked the question (John 10:32): “For which of these works do you stone Me?” They replied, “for good work we do not stone You but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make yourself God” (John 10:33). They remembered, 200 years before, another man, Antiochus IV, claimed to be God, and now, here was this man, Jesus, making the same blasphemous claim. Their response, “stone Him” which later led to “crucify Him.”
Jesus’ statement affirmed the truth that there is only one God, but that God exists as one being in three Persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This truth was also spoken by God’s prophets (Isaiah 48:12-16). Antiochus IV claimed to be a god, but he is very much dead. Jesus is God and is very much alive! Hanukkah is a perfect time to celebrate, Jesus, the Light of the World. It is a most fitting time to rededicate our lives to Him who gives us abundant and eternal life. Jesus is our miracle, and He has done miracles in our sinful hearts. So with great gratitude and joy, in thanksgiving for the gift of salvation and the gift of your audience, I pray you all a blessed Christmas and Hanukkah!
