This Shabbat is the Shabbat of Hanukkah. We mark this Shabbat with a special maftir (Numbers 7:18-29) describing the sacrifices for the dedication of the Tabernacle, since Hanukkah celebrates the dedication (hanukkah) of the Temple after the Macabean victory.
We also read a special haftarah, Zechariah 2:14-4:7. It ends with this inspiring verse, “Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit—said the LORD of Hosts.” (Zechariah) This is an interesting verse for Hanukkah which is both a celebration of the military victory of the Macabees over their Hellenistic overlords and the miracle of the oil that burned for eight days.
This verse helps us reconcile the seeming contradiction between these two very different stories of Hanukkah. Hanukkah is an eight day holiday because, we are told, the one cruse of oil that was suitable for lighting the eternal light in the Temple would only last for one day. Nonetheless, the Maccabees lit it and it burned for eight days.
However, simple math tells us that there was nothing miraculous about the first day. The oil was supposed to burn for one day. The seven days that followed were a miracle. Why then do we celebrate an eight day holiday.
Rabbi David Hartman (z”l) answers the question with this, “The miracle of the first day was expressed in the community’s willingness to light a small cruse of oil without reasonable assurance that their efforts would be sufficient to complete the rededication of the Temple. Hanukkah celebrates the miracle expressed by those who lit the lamp.” He goes on to say, “The “miracle” of Jewish spiritual survival throughout its history of wandering and oppression may best be described by our people’s strength to live without guarantees of success and to focus on how to begin a process without knowledge of how it would end.”
Thus, Hanukkah may have been a military victory, but the “miracle” of Hanukkah was the willingness of our ancient ancestors to challenge the Hellenistic empire without any guarantee of success. But succeed they did.
It is the Jewish commitment to its mission that has sustained the Jewish people across time and space. Not might, not power, but spirit. Hanukkah reminds us to have faith and act on that faith.
Vayeshev, Genesis 37:1-40:23, Parshat Ha Shavua for Shabbat, Saturday, December 12, 2020
December 11, 2020 by Dean Kertesz • Drashot
This Shabbat is the Shabbat of Hanukkah. We mark this Shabbat with a special maftir (Numbers 7:18-29) describing the sacrifices for the dedication of the Tabernacle, since Hanukkah celebrates the dedication (hanukkah) of the Temple after the Macabean victory.
We also read a special haftarah, Zechariah 2:14-4:7. It ends with this inspiring verse, “Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit—said the LORD of Hosts.” (Zechariah) This is an interesting verse for Hanukkah which is both a celebration of the military victory of the Macabees over their Hellenistic overlords and the miracle of the oil that burned for eight days.
This verse helps us reconcile the seeming contradiction between these two very different stories of Hanukkah. Hanukkah is an eight day holiday because, we are told, the one cruse of oil that was suitable for lighting the eternal light in the Temple would only last for one day. Nonetheless, the Maccabees lit it and it burned for eight days.
However, simple math tells us that there was nothing miraculous about the first day. The oil was supposed to burn for one day. The seven days that followed were a miracle. Why then do we celebrate an eight day holiday.
Rabbi David Hartman (z”l) answers the question with this, “The miracle of the first day was expressed in the community’s willingness to light a small cruse of oil without reasonable assurance that their efforts would be sufficient to complete the rededication of the Temple. Hanukkah celebrates the miracle expressed by those who lit the lamp.” He goes on to say, “The “miracle” of Jewish spiritual survival throughout its history of wandering and oppression may best be described by our people’s strength to live without guarantees of success and to focus on how to begin a process without knowledge of how it would end.”
Thus, Hanukkah may have been a military victory, but the “miracle” of Hanukkah was the willingness of our ancient ancestors to challenge the Hellenistic empire without any guarantee of success. But succeed they did.
It is the Jewish commitment to its mission that has sustained the Jewish people across time and space. Not might, not power, but spirit. Hanukkah reminds us to have faith and act on that faith.