The truth about Chanukah

OK, by popular demand, the real story of Channukah.

Contrary to what Channukah is commonly celebrated to be, it is not merely a gift giving "festival of lights" commemorating how one day's worth of Temple oil miraculously lasted 8 days until supplies could arrive back in biblical times.

The fact is, the oil miracle is really just the icing on the cake of a much, much bigger story that will fascinate many of you unfamiliar with Channukah's historical events.

The story begins around 167 BCE. The Greek empire had taken control of the Land of Israel about 200 years earlier during the conquest of Alexander the Great. However, during this two hundred year period of time, the Greeks had allowed the Jews much sovereignty over their own affairs.

In fact, despite the differences between monotheistic Judaism and the polytheistic Greeks, there was much respect given to the Jews by the Greeks for their ways of Temple sacrifice, which the Greeks also did to their gods, and the great emphasis of the Jews on scholarship and study, which the Greeks also shared.

However, with that benevolent relationship also came some serious problems. As is happening today in America and throughout the Western world, the Jews began to assimilate, or Hellenize, into Greek culture at an alarming rate. The temptations and pleasures readily available from hedonistic Greek society were simply overwhelming, and in staggering numbers the Jews became less Jewish and more Greek with every passing generation.

By 167 BCE most Jews had Greek names, spoke Greek as there first language, and had distanced themselves from matters of Jewish life to the point that they began to look down upon Judaism at outdated, uncool, irrelevent, prudish, and entirely out of step with the "progressive" Greek lifestyle of the times.

The stage was then set for the Greeks and their self-loathing Jewish partners to get together and try to put an end to the last line of division between the Greek and Jewish world once and for all.

A totally Hellenized mayor of Jerusalem come to power, and along with his ruling Greek counterparts, they decided to declare an end to Judaism. The ultimate transgression was thus ordered upon the Jews: Sacrifice a pig upon the Temple altar!

Naturally, a self-loathing Jew immediately volunteered for the job. However, there were still many pius Jews at that time who wouldn't tolerate such a desecration... this was going over the edge! A Jewish civil war was starting to brew between the traditional Jews and the self-loathers who had the backing of their Greek allies.

As the Hellenized Jew is about to sacrifice the pig at the altar, Mattathias, a Kohane (or Jewish priest) stabs him, and also kills the Greek official present. He then turns to the crowd and announces: "Follow me, all of you who are for God's law and stand by the covenant." (1 Maccabees 2:27)

Mattathias had five sons. One of which was named Judah, who went on to be known as Judah the Maccabee (which means "hammer") for his great military prowess. About 10,000 Jews followed Mattathius and his sons into the hills to begin their war against the self-loathing Jews and the Greeks.

Despite being outnumbered four to one, after three years the Jews prevailed in reclaiming the Temple, though the entire war would last for 25 years ending in 142 BCE. When the Jews found the Temple it was totally desecrated by the Greeks and Hellenized Jews, and essentially looked like a Pagen sanctuary.

One day's worth of pure oil was found to light the Menorah once again. The Jews, though, had to wait 8 days as it turned out for supplies to arrive, but the oil somehow lasted until then, allowing the menorah to remain lit the entire time.

The Temple was officially rededicated shortly after this miracle, on the 25th of Kislev, which is when Chanukah is celebrated every year.

Unfortunately, the good era to follow wouldn't last long. Mattathias' only living son, Simon, was made High Priest, and totally against Jewish ways, made himself King as well. This began a spiral downward back into Hellenizing with his Self-loathing son, John Hycrannus taking over to begin what would be known as the Hasmonean Dynasty, which was anti-Jewish, that eventually led to wicked Herod about 100 years later, and the eventual destruction of the Temple in 70 CE.

But, for one small, fleeting period of time, the Jews fought against the powerful Greeks and the Self-loathers who allied with them and somehow emerged victorious. The lesson we must learn form this is that God will reward you for fighting the good fight, for resisting the Hellenizers and Pagans, for staying to His traditions and being good in God's eyes.

Happy Chanukah!!

-MZ