A Radical Hanukkah
What is Hanukkah?
Chanukah is an eight day holiday which begins on the 25th day of the month of Kislev. It marks the miraculous victory of the Jews, led by the Maccabees, against Greek persecution and religious oppression. In addition to being victorious in war, another miracle occurred: When the Maccabees came to rededicate the Temple, they found only one flask of oil with which to light the Menorah. This small flask lasted for eight days. In order to commemorate this miracle, we light a Menorah for the eight days of Chanukah.
From
Note To Facilitator: Discuss the holiday
First Reading:
One of the most prominent themes of Hanukkah is the ongoing struggle for liberation in the face of oppression. In the case of Hanukkah, the oppression was complete in that it attached to both religion and nationality. The Syrian-Greeks forbade Jews to practice their religion, declaring mere identification as a Jew to be a crime punishable by death. The question of a strong identity and the freedom to express it therefore became central to the holiday of Hanukkah.
In the time of the Maccabees there was an internal Jewish debate taking place about the question of cultural influence. How much influence should the Jewish community accept from the surrounding Hellenistic culture? Should the Jews practice as the Hellenists do, think as they do, even change their appearance and hide the mark of circumcision in order to appear as they do? Certainly there were positive aspects to Hellenistic culture, but how much should these aspects have redefined Jewish identity? These age-old questions concerning the maintenance of Jewish identity within a larger non-Jewish culture continue to resonate in our modern world.
From
Note to Facilitator: Discuss identity and assimilation
Second Reading:
When the moon turns dark and the sun turns dark, we light a growing blaze of candles: Hanukkah.
When the world turns dark because a Great Government is threatening our freedom, our autonomy, our community -- or a Great Corporation is threatening our jobs or poisoning our earth and air and water -- we light a growing blaze of candles: Hanukkah.
When our lives turn dark because we have lost someone beloved, or lost a loving relationship, or lost our sense of purpose in the world -- when we have no hope of changing, we light a growing blaze of candles: Hanukkah.
When our sense of hope and change darkens, we think ourselves helpless; but then as we light the candles we remember the Maccabees who faced a power much greater than their own.
So on each of the eight nights, as we light the candles we say aloud our intention, our kavvanah, the commitment we are making to ourselves and each other, to create light in the midst of darkness, hope in the midst of depression and despair
For the eighth night, we say:
8. For sun, moon, and earth,
for the spirals of their dark and light,
for cold and heat, for summer and winter,
for seedtime and harvest, for day and night,
for the One whose covenant entwines all spirals --
I light all lights.
Excerpt from From the dark of the year to the light of the soul by R. Arthur Waskow
Third reading
Just as we might begin to feel despair over the darkness of the winter months, Chanukah (which usually overlaps with the winter solstice) reminds us that the light always returns. Lighting up the darkest days of the year, Chanukah symbolizes the struggle to illuminate all the dark places in the world and in our consciousness. In the mystical teachings of the Sefas Emes, the Chanukah lights symbolize the regenerative powers of the spirit.
Excerpt from Chanukah in Chassidic Thought by Estelle Frankel
Note to Facilitator: Lead a Healing Meditation involving finding a warm healing light in the chest, slowly growing to fill the body and then the sphere around the people there, then the whole world.
Fourth Reading:
The spirit of Chanukah is often missed even by those who apparently observe it. Thus many of our strict adherents to the ritual, kindle the Chanukah lights as prescribed by law. They are careful to light them from left to right; they pronounce the benedictions as commanded; they keep the details and they settle down into restfulness, so far as Chanukah is concerned, till the next time.
Among the detailed rabbinic regulations governing the lighting of the Chanukah lamp, there is a curious warning in the Shulhan Aruch:
Kol hatofes ner Chanukah b’yado p’omed, lo amar klum. “To hold the Chanukah lamp in one’s hand and remain standing is to accomplish nothing.”
Certainly, the Rabbis did not envisage any Jew remaining stationary with lamp in hand while performing the mitzvah. Much more is implied in the halachic statement than meets the eye. Standing still is a grave violation. Nothing in life ever comes to a standstill. When it does, it is no longer life. The dazzling light of the sun is in no way stationary. A terrific state of turmoil exists in its core as billions of atoms give up their energy to shower the blessings of G-d upon our planet. Life at its best is made up of continuous, turbulent, energy producing processes. The universe is in constant motion. This is how G-d created it . . .
History discloses that most Jews enjoyed complete peace of mind during the pre-Maccabean revolt. Unconcerned with the spiritual decay that was consuming the vitals of Judaism, the restful souls lounged in Greek styled gymnasia and vegetated in public baths. Physically they were not harassed by the Syrians, so why be alarmed. Judas Maccabeus, recognizing the danger of peace that is no peace, rose in revolt against the stagnating contentment of many of his own people, even as he struck out against the Syrian forces.
There I nothing peaceful about the message of the Chanukah lights. They arouse, stir, disturb and lift. They remind us that each inn along the road of Jewish experience is not a stopping place, but a starting point for some new and higher goal.
Excerpt from The Restful Soul by Rabbi Moses Lehrman
Note to the Facilitator: Discuss What are we going to do in the upcoming year to bring some light into the world?
Shabbat Shalom and Happy Hanukkah!