As the fall semester winds down and campus begins its familiar transition toward finals and winter break, the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah arrives.
For many members of our LMU community, Hanukkah may be recognized but not necessarily well understood. Contrary to popular belief, Hanukkah is not a “Jewish Christmas”; it is a winter festival with roots going back 2,200 years.
Historically, Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the temple in Jerusalem during the second century BCE, after the Jewish community resisted a period of religious oppression under the Seleucid Empire. The Maccabees — a small group of Jewish fighters — reclaimed their religious autonomy and relit the temple’s candelabra, in Hebrew a “menorah.” Tradition teaches that they found only a single day’s worth of pure oil, which miraculously lasted for eight.
In celebration of the miracle of the oil, and of the ability of the Jewish people to maintain autonomy and continue practicing their faith under an oppressive empire, the rabbis instituted an annual eight-day festival. To this day, Jewish communities around the world celebrate with the lighting of the menorah (also called a “hanukiyah”) each night of the holiday.
Every night, the corresponding number of candles are lit in the menorah — one candle on the first night, two on the second, and so on. The rabbis teach that just as we increase in light throughout the holiday, so too should we increase in holiness throughout our lives.
Because of the centrality of oil to the Hanukkah story, traditional foods eaten during the season are often fried and oil. Many Jews in North America will eat latkes (fried potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (fried donuts, often stuffed with jelly). Because Judaism is practiced all over the world, there are many other fried foods with cultural significance eaten on the holiday.
Due in part to the ease of its observance and propelled by its proximity to Christmas on the calendar, Hanukkah has become one of the most celebrated Jewish holidays. It’s a time for connection with family and friends, gift-giving, food, songs, and play. In the darkness of winter, it is so important to come together in community.
One of the emblematic symbols of Hanukkah is the “shamash,” the “helper candle” that isn’t included in the count of candles each night, but which is used to light the other candles. The power of the shamash is that it spreads its light to each of the other candles, while its own light doesn’t diminish. The shamash is a model of how we are asked to live in this world: shine brightly as our full selves and lift up others, sharing joy and light along our path.
This winter, and every day, may you take inspiration from the shamash: shining brightly and spreading joy with others, increasing the light in the world.
Hanukkah begins this year at sundown on Dec. 14 and ends on Dec. 22.