I and Thou: Hanukkah Night 8

Speaking as a non-Jewish bystander who profoundly appreciates the Jewish faith, tradition, and the stories surrounding it, I share the meaning of Hanukkah.

Hanukkah

Hanukkah is known as the Festival of Lights. It is an eight-day holiday to signify the burning of one jar of oil that lasted eight nights: hence the eight candles on the menorah.

According to the legend, when the Maccabees entered the Temple and began to reclaim it from the Greeks, they immediately relit the ner tamidwhich burned constantly in the Temple and has a parallel in our synagogues to this day. In the Temple, they found a single jar of oil, which was sufficient for only one day. The messenger who was sent to secure additional oil took eight days to complete his mission, and miraculously, the single jar of oil continued to burn until his return. The rabbis of the Talmud attributed the eight days of Hanukkah to the miracle of this single jar of oil.

https://reformjudaism.org/jewish-holidays/hanukkah/history-hanukkah-story

So, when exactly did this event occur? There is an approximate date of Hanukkah beginning around 2o0 BC. It is not mentioned in The Bible, yet it signifies a Godly moment – a miracle, if you will.

The word “Hanukkah” means “dedication” in Hebrew.

Hanukkah is also commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, known as the Maccabean Revolt. This historic event took place in the second century BC. According to the Hebrew calendar, this Jewish holiday begins on the 25th of Kislev and typically occurs in November or December.

Image Credit: My Jewish learning dot com

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I and Thou: Hanukkah Night 7

Speaking as a non-Jewish bystander who profoundly appreciates the Jewish faith, tradition, and the stories surrounding it. I share the sacredness of the word, G-d.

Do you ever wonder why Jewish people don’t spell out G O D?

G O D is so HOLY that out of deep respect, Jewish people don’t spell G O D out fully because words can’t capture the “bigness” of G-d. It makes me think how G-d is a great big G-d. Too big to even name on paper. So, the next time you write, or type, G O D… you may want to pause and think about the sacredness of the word G-d. Respect for the Creator of the universe makes perfect sense to me. How about you?

 

I and Thou: Hanukkah Night 6

Speaking as a non-Jewish bystander who profoundly appreciates the Jewish faith, tradition, and the stories surrounding it. I share this poem with you in pieces for each night of Hanukkah.

The Lights of Hanukkah

Hanukkah lights burning bright,
A marvelous miracle from Heaven above.

Eight days and eight nights,
One jar of shimmering incandescent oil.

One day is all the life the oil jar had,
Yet it kept burning in a mystery.

Jewish people celebrate this temple miracle,
By honoring G-d with a thankful heart.

Come one, come all,
join the people of G-d and shout with joy,
Thank you, G-d, for each one of us.

Jew or Gentile love abounds,
Go light your menorah and let it shine.

Image Credit: You Tube watch?v=V9IJKeu_Mkw

I and Thou: Hanukkah Night 5

Speaking as a non-Jewish bystander who profoundly appreciates the Jewish faith, tradition, and the stories surrounding it. I share this poem with you in pieces for each night of Hanukkah.

The Lights of Hanukkah

Hanukkah lights burning bright,
A marvelous miracle from Heaven above.

Eight days and eight nights,
One jar of shimmering incandescent oil.

One day is all the life the oil jar had,
Yet it kept burning in a mystery.

Jewish people celebrate this temple miracle,
By honoring G-d with a thankful heart.

Come one, come all,
join the people of G-d and shout with joy,
Thank you, G-d, for each one of us.

Image Credit: Walker-Ministries dot org

I and Thou: Hanukkah Night 4

Speaking as a non-Jewish bystander who profoundly appreciates the Jewish faith, tradition, and the stories surrounding it. I share this poem with you in pieces for each night of Hanukkah.

The Lights of Hanukkah

Hanukkah lights burning bright,
A marvelous miracle from Heaven above.

Eight days and eight nights,
One jar of shimmering incandescent oil.

One day is all the life the oil jar had,
Yet it kept burning in a mystery.

Jewish people celebrate this temple miracle,
By honoring G-d with a thankful heart.

Image Credit: Stahley Family Ministries

I and Thou: Hanukkah Night 3

Speaking as a non-Jewish bystander who profoundly appreciates the Jewish faith, tradition, and the stories surrounding it. I share this poem with you in pieces for each night of Hanukkah.

The Lights of Hanukkah

Hanukkah lights burning bright,
A marvelous miracle from Heaven above.

Eight days and eight nights,
One jar of shimmering incandescent oil.

One day is all the life the oil jar had,
Yet it kept burning in a mystery.

Image: Source Unknown

I and Thou: Hanukkah Night 2

Speaking as a non-Jewish bystander who profoundly appreciates the Jewish faith, tradition, and the stories surrounding it. I share this poem with you in pieces for each night of Hanukkah.

The Lights of Hanukkah

Hanukkah lights burning bright,
A marvelous miracle from Heaven above.

Eight days and eight nights,
One jar of shimmering incandescent oil.

I and Thou: Hanukkah Night 1

©iStockphoto.com/Fevziie Ryman

Speaking as a non-Jewish bystander who profoundly appreciates the Jewish faith, tradition, and the stories surrounding it, I share this poem with you in pieces for each night of Hanukkah.

The Lights of Hanukkah

Hanukkah lights burning bright,
A marvelous miracle from Heaven above.

I and Thou – December Prayer

A Prayer for December

Dear Lord,

As we enter the traditional holiday season of yuletide celebration, we are reminded of our holidays of yesteryear. May we honor and bless these memories in our hearts forever and forge new and different memories of love, joy, and peace.

We are grateful for the abundant love and light you have given us in this season of giving. From the lighting of the candles of Hanukkah burning bright, the newborn babe in the Christmas manger bringing light to the world, to the candles of Kwanza producing identity, purpose, and direction. Let us, with one voice, proclaim love. The love of our Creator. The love inside each and every one of us – and may this love be given to others. Others who want to accept our free gift.

Bowing our heads in deep reverence or lifting our heads up high to the heavens, we humbly ask for more comfort and joy this holiday season.

May you pour your blessings on us all and grant us extra peace.

Amen

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I and Thou: Happy Passover!

Image credit: wearehebrew.com

     17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”  20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.21 But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. 22 The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays him!” 23 They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this… 47 While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, 48 but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”  

Luke 22:17-23 & 47-49

Thought:  In this game-changer passage, Jesus takes the annual ritual of Passover and turns it upside down.  It is here in this story; we learn that the kiss of betrayal leads to the declaration that Jesus is the sacrificial lamb of Passover.   Passover is a celebration of the Angel of Death, passing over the Israelites, who had placed the blood from a sacrificial lamb upon their doorways to keep their families safe.  It is about the plagues set upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians.

12 “On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. 13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.

Exodus 12:12

In Exodus 12:14, this is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord—a lasting ordinance. In Luke, Peter and John, two of Jesus’ disciples, prepare the Passover meal.  Christians call this the Last Supper.  It is here that Jesus blesses the elements of Passover and creates a new covenant, thus transitioning Passover to the Last Supper.  Jesus proclaims He is the Lamb, His body – the bread and His blood – the wine.  No longer will God’s chosen people have to sacrifice a lamb for the forgiveness of sins.  Right here, Jesus is announcing his death to come, and He is the lamb sacrifice for the sins of humanity.    Thanks be to God. Happy Passover!