Channukah: The Light of Dedication
By
Robert O. Miller
I want to take you back 175 years before the Messiah was born in Bethlehem. The Holy Temple that Nehemiah had built was still standing. The descendents of A’aron and Levi, authentic, registered priests were serving in the sanctuary according to the Torah.
The Middle East was dominated by the decaying Seleucid Empire – the Greek descendents of one of Alexander the Great’s four generals – today remembered only by scholars – General Seleucus.
“And now I will tell you the truth: Behold, three more kings will arise in Persia, and the fourth shall be far richer than them all; by his strength, through his riches, he shall stir up all against the realm of Greece. Then a mighty king shall arise, who shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. And when he has arisen, his kingdom shall be parceled out toward the four winds of heaven, but not among his posterity nor according to his dominion with which he ruled; for his kingdom shall be uprooted, even for others besides these. (Daniel 11:2-4)”
General Seleucus had set up his imperial base in Babylon, extending his rule over Syria and began ruthlessly expanding his power. 150 years later his dynasty was imploding on itself. As the Empire was crumbling created a power vacuum generating a bloodbath as contenders vied for the throne, in 175 BCE, Antiochus Epiphanes (meaning god manifested), the brother of the current king, killed his nephew, the heir apparent, and usurped the throne.
He inherited the nation of Israel that had been lumped into Syria, immediately he had murdered the High Priest of Yahweh, Onias III, who was the last of the direct line of priests from A’aron. The true priests were exiled to Qumran. Antiochus then sold the office of High Priest to the highest bidder among the Edomites (Esau decadents), Menelaus. Antiochus did this to denationalize Israel.
In 171 BCE, Antiochus decided to conquer Egypt, but there he clashed with the armies of the rising Roman Empire. When a false report came to Jerusalem that Antiochus had been killed in battle in Egypt, the Jews organized a revolt and threw out the puppet High Priest Menelaus who could not maintain himself in the city, so he fled to Egypt.
Antiochus, very much alive, swept into Jerusalem enraged, regained the city, killed some 40,000 Jews, forced his way into the Sanctuary to plunder the Temple, carrying away valuable utensils, such as the golden Menorah, the altar and the showbread table, everything that was gold, and destroyed the Torah scrolls. However, remember, the Ark of the Covenant was not there because it was still in hiding since the days of Jeremiah.
The Rabbis were infuriated at the desecration and began to preach against the occupation. The true exiled Priests likewise railed against the false priests and insighted the people to rise up, began to walk in Torah, cry to Yahweh for the Messiah to come and throw off the yoke of captivity. They must have given vent to their resentment openly; for only thus can the policy of extermination waged by Antiochus against the Jews and Judaism, two years later, in 168 BCE, be explained.
As long as Antiochus was busy conquering Egypt, he had no time for the Land of Israel. When Rome thwarted his ambition to rule all the Middle East he became preoccupied with Israel. Apollonius, was sent through Israel by Antiochus with an armed troop, commissioned to seek, kill and destroy. He first entered Jerusalem amicably; then suddenly turning upon the defenseless city, he murdered, plundered, and burnt the city. Jewish Men were butchered, women and children sold into slavery, and in order to give permanence to the work of desolation, the walls and the new part of the city was torn down, only the Old City of David was spared. The Syrians fortified the old City of David completely dominating the city making Jerusalem a Greek colony. Antiochus’s attention then turned to the destruction of the national religion, a royal decree proclaimed the abolition of the worship of Yahweh; the Sabbaths were not to be observed; circumcision was not to be performed; the sacred books were to be surrendered and burned, and the Jews were compelled to offer sacrifices to the idols that had been erected. An inquisition was established with monthly sessions for investigation of those Priests and Rabbis that spoke against Antiochus. The mere possession of a sacred book, be it Torah or commentary, or the performance of the rite of circumcision was punished with death.
Then on Kislev 25, 168, the “abomination of desolation” (![]()
, Dan. 11:31; 12: 11), a statue of Zeus, Ba’al Shamem in the likeness of Antiochus himself, was set up on the altar of burnt offering in the Temple, Then, to the horror of Israel, he took a pig and offered it on the sacred altar. He cooked the sow, and with the broth sprinkled all the implements in the Temple, completely defiling the Sanctuary. The pigs he continued to slaughter on the Altar of Yahweh were given to the Priests and Rabbis to eat, those who refused, he cut their tongues out, scalped them, cut off their hands and feet and burned them on the Altar. Even one of the most respected elders of that generation, Rabbi Eliezer, a man of 90, was ordered by the servant of Antiochus, Phillip, governor of Judea, to eat pork so that others would do the same. When he refused Phillip tried to cut a deal with him that he pick up the meat to his lips to appear to be eating. But Rabbi Eliezer refused to do even that and was put to death.
Soon after, Chanah and her seven sons were arrested.
When Antiochus, who was returning to Antioch, heard about the events which were taking place in Jerusalem, he decided to take an active role in enforcing his decrees. The mother and her sons were bound and brought before the king.
Antiochus tried to convince the eldest boy to abandon the Torah. The youth responded with great confidence, “Why do you bother with this long speech, trying to inflict your abominable religion upon us? We are ready to welcome death for the sake of our holy Torah!”
The king was furious and ordered the boy’s tongue, hands and feet severed and placed in a fire. The soldiers proceeded to torture the boy, forcing his mother and six brothers to watch his excruciating pain. Antiochus was sure that this sight would intimidate his prisoners into unquestioning submission.
Instead, the martyrdom spurred the family to a deep resolve to accept their fate and to sanctify Yahweh’s name. When the second brother was brought to the king, even the members of the king’s retinue begged the boy to obey the king. The boy, however, replied, “Do what you will with me. I am no less than my brother in devotion to Yahweh.” The second son’s torture was as bitter as his brother’s had been. As he died he told the king, “Woe to you, pitiless tyrant! Our spirits go to Yahweh. And when Yahweh will awaken the dead and His martyred servants, we will live. But you–your soul will dwell in a place of eternal abhorrence!”
To the amazement of all, the third brother unflinchingly suffered the same fate. The fourth brother echoed his brothers’ exhortations, and faced his brutal death with firm resolve. Before he was killed, the fifth brother turned to Antiochus and said: “Don’t suppose that Yahweh has handed us over to you to exalt you or because He hates us. It is because He loves us and has granted us this honor. Yahweh will take His vengeance upon you and your progeny.”
The blood-lust of the king was not assuaged, and the sixth brother was brought to the same end as his brothers who preceded him. His words bespoke his deep faith that Yahweh would ultimately requite the suffering of His servants.
Throughout this horrible sequence Chanah stood by her sons, giving them strength and encouragement. Now, only the youngest child remained to face the king. When they brought the boy, the king offered him gold and silver if he would do his will. The seven-year-old boy displayed the same courage as his brothers and taunted the king to carry out his threats.
The king couldn’t believe such words coming from a mere child, and he called out to Chanah. Chanah stood before the murderer of her children and listened to his words. “Woman, have compassion upon this child. Persuade him to do my will so that you will have at least one surviving child and you too will live.” She pretended to agree and asked to speak with her son.
When they stood together, Chanah kissed the boy, then said, “My son, I carried you in my body for nine months, I nursed you for two years and I have fed you until today. I have taught you to fear Yahweh and uphold His Torah. See the heaven and the earth, the sea and the land, fire, water, wind and every other creation. Know that they were all created by Yahweh’s word. He created man to serve Him and He will reward man for his deeds. The king knows he is condemned before Yahweh. He thinks that if he convinces you, Yahweh will have mercy on him. Yahweh controls your life’s breath and can take your soul whenever He desires. If only I could see the greatness of your glorious place where we would be illuminated with Yahweh ‘s light and rejoice and exult together.”
Chanah returned to the king, saying, “I was unable to prevail upon him.”
The exasperated king again addressed the child who answered him, “Who are you seeking to overpower with your words and enticements? I laugh at your foolishness. I believe in the Torah and in Yahweh Whom you blaspheme. You will remain an abomination upon all mankind, loathsome and far from Yahweh.”
The king was enraged. According to the Talmud, Antiochus gave the boy a chance to save himself by ostensibly bowing down to retrieve his signet ring, but the boy refused. As they removed him, Chanah begged to kiss him one last time. As if speaking to all seven children, Chanah said, “My children, tell your ancestor Abraham, ‘You bound only one son upon an altar, but I bound seven.” Then Antiochus ordered that the child be tortured even more than his brothers.
Chanah was left surrounded by the bodies of her sons, a prayer exalting Yahweh on her lips. Then the distraught woman threw herself from a roof and rested beside her martyred sons.
“And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of Yahweh shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, s Yahweh has said, among the remnant whom Yahweh calls. (Joel 2:32)”
Antiochus had misunderstood the true character of the Faith of Yahweh, if he thought to exterminate it by force. We are a stiff-necked people, sometimes that can work for us as well as against us, his tyranny aroused both the religious and the political consciousness of Israel and out of the moment of supreme crisis raised a family of warriors from the priestly line of A’aron, the Hasmoneans or HaShemites – followers of the Name – Yahweh. When Apollonius, Antiochus’ official representative, ordered the Priest MattenYahu HaShemites to offer sacrifice to Zeus, Ba’al Shamem, not only did he refuse to do it, but he killed with his own hand the Levite who had stepped forward to do so.
MattenYahu then fled the Temple Mount for the mountains. From there the aged Priest and his five sons, Jonathan, Eleazar, Yochannan, YaHidah and Shimon, known as the Maccabees, the Hammers, led what we would call a spiritual revival, struggling against the secularization and growing paganism of their people, but at a great cost in human lives, as the book of Daniel forewarned. After the passive resistance of the Ḥasidim (pious ones), who, much to the surprise of the Hellenists, suffered martyrdom by hundreds, MattenYahu organized open resistance in 167-166, which, through the heroic achievements of his son and successor Judas the Maccabee in defeating two large and well-equipped armies of Antiochus, grew to formidable proportions.
“Those who do wickedly against the Covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their Elohim shall be strong, and carry out great exploits. And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering. Now when they fall, they shall be aided with a little help; but many shall join with them by intrigue. And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify them, and make them white, until the time of the end; because it is still for the appointed time.
Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the El of Elohim, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done. (Daniel 11:32-36 )”
Antiochus realized that he had to put down the revolt, but was himself too preoccupied fighting the Parthians who themselves were descendents of the 10 Lost Tribes of Israel, to take personal charge. Lysias, whom he had left as regent in Syria, orders to send a large army against the Jews and totally exterminate them. But the generals Ptolemæus, Nicanor, and Gorgias, whom Lysias dispatched with large armies against Judah, were defeated one right after the other (166-165), and had to take refuge with the Philistines. Lysias himself (165) was forced to flee to Antioch, having been completely defeated by the Jews. But although he began to gather new forces, nothing was accomplished in the lifetime of Antiochus, who died shortly thereafter in Tabæ in Persia, 164 BCE.
In the many battles fought by the HaShemites, MattenYahu and ultimately all his sons were killed, as were many thousands of Jews. Nevertheless, although greatly outnumbered, the HaShemites won battle after battle against Antiochus, actually freed the Jewish people from Syrian rule and in 164 BC, they succeeded in cleansing the Temple.
“But when [Judah the Maccabee] with the whole multitude came to Jerusalem and found the Temple deserted, its gates burned down, and plants growing in the Temple of their own accord because of the desolation, he and those with him began to lament in their distress at the sight of the Temple.
…When therefore he had carefully purged it he brought in new vessels the menorah, the table and the incense altar, which were made of gold, and hung up the veils at the doors and restored the doors themselves. He also took down the altar and built a new one of stones… [that] had not been hewn with iron tools.” (Antiquities 12.7.6-7 316-325)
They entered the Temple and cleared it of the idols placed there by the Syrian vandals. Judah and his followers built a new altar, which he dedicated on the twenty-fifth of the month of Kislev, in the year 3622.
Since the golden Menorah had been stolen by the Syrians, the Maccabees now made one of cheaper metal. When they wanted to light it, they found only a small cruse of pure olive oil bearing the seal of the High Priest Yochanan. It was sufficient to light only for one day. By a miracle of Yahweh, it continued to burn for eight days, till new oil could be produced. That miracle proved that Yahweh had again taken His people under His protection. In memory of this, our sages appointed these eight days for annual thanksgiving and for lighting candles.
The term “Chanukah” can be found in Ezra 6:16:
וַעֲבַדוּ בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּהֲנַיָּא וְלֵוָיֵא וּשְׁאָר בְּנֵי-גָלוּתָא, חֲנֻכַּת בֵּית-אֱלָהָא
Elohim Bet chanukah gälüta Banai vushay’ar va’ Lava’ay Kahana’a Yisrä’āl’ Banai Va’avadu
Elohim House dedication exile sons & remainder & Levites Priests Israel sons And then
or consecration
דְנָה–בְּחֶדְוָה.
bekhedvä’ daynah
in joy exhilarating
“And then the children of Israel, the Priests and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the exile, dedicated (the) House of Elohim exhilarating in joy.”
The name Chanukah was given in commemoration of the historical fact that the Jewish fighters rested (חונ nü’·akh meaning to rest) from their battles against Syrian-Greeks on the 25th of Kislev. 25 is spelled out chof-heh — the FINAL TWO LETTERS of “Chanukah.”
The Hebrew word ןח “chān ” (the FIRST TWO LETTERS of the word “Chanukah”) denotes grace. Thus ‘Chanukah’ could be meant to allude that the Jewish warriors found Divine ‘grace’ on the 25th of Kislev.
One of the most direct explanations of the name Chanukah is that it is related to the dedication (“chanukah”) of the Altar, [a centerpiece of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem]… We learn in the Talmud (Avodah Zarah 52b) that the Hasmoneans removed and stored away the Altar-stones which the Greeks had polluted with idolatry, and had to build a new Altar. That is why the festival is called ‘Chanukah’ which means ‘dedication.’
As Moses before him, “he anointed it and consecrated it and all its furnishings. He also anointed and Chanukah – consecrated the altar and all its utensils. (Numbers 7:1)”
It happened on the 25th of Kislev which is the day after the Second Temple had been dedicated.
“On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of Yahweh came to the prophet Haggai: ‘This is what Yahweh Almighty says: “Ask the Priests what the Torah says: If a person carries consecrated meat in the fold of his garment, and that fold touches some bread or stew, some wine, oil or other food, does it become consecrated?’ “
The Priests answered, ‘No.’
Then Haggai said, ‘If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?’
‘Yes,’ the priests replied, ‘it becomes defiled.’
Then Haggai said, ” ‘So it is with this people and this nation in my sight,’ declares Yahweh. ‘Whatever they do and whatever they offer there is defiled.
” ‘Now give careful thought to this from this day on —consider how things were before one stone was laid on another in Yahweh’s Temple. When anyone came to a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten. When anyone went to a wine vat to draw fifty measures, there were only twenty. I struck all the work of your hands with blight, mildew and hail, yet you did not turn to me,’ declares Yahweh. ‘From this day on, from this twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, give careful thought to the day when the foundation of Yahweh’s Temple was laid. Give careful thought…(Haggai 2:10-18)” It is because of this consecration (“chanukah”) of the Second Temple that the miracle of the lights that happened in that season — generations later — is called Chanukah.
“Then Judas and his brothers said, “Now that our enemies have been crushed, let us go up to purify the sanctuary and rededicate it.”
So the whole army assembled, and went up to Mount Zion. They found the Sanctuary desolate, the altar desecrated, the gates burnt, weeds growing in the courts as in a forest or on some mountain, and the priests’ chambers demolished. Then they tore their clothes and made great lamentation; they sprinkled their heads with ashes and fell with their faces to the ground. And when the signal was given with trumpets, they cried out to Heaven.
Judas appointed men to attack those in the citadel, while he purified the Sanctuary. He chose blameless Priests, devoted to the Torah; these purified the sanctuary and carried away the stones of the Abomination to an unclean place. They deliberated what ought to be done with the altar of burnt offering that had been desecrated.
The happy thought came to them to tear it down, lest it be a lasting shame to them that the Gentiles had defiled it; so they tore down the altar. They stored the stones in a suitable place on the temple hill, until a prophet should come and decide what to do with them. Then they took uncut stones, according to the law, and built a new altar like the former one. They also repaired the sanctuary and the interior of the Temple and purified the courts. They made new sacred vessels and brought the Menorah, the altar of incense, and the table into the Temple. Then they burned incense on the altar and lighted the lamps on the Menorah, and these illuminated the Temple. They also put loaves on the table and hung up curtains. Thus they finished all the work they had undertaken.
Early in the morning on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, that is, the month of Chislev, in the year one hundred and forty-eight, they arose and offered sacrifice according to the law on the new altar of burnt offering that they had made. On the anniversary of the day on which the Gentiles had defiled it, on that very day it was Chanukah – consecrated with songs, harps, flutes, and cymbals.
All the people prostrated themselves and adored and praised Heaven, who had given them success. For eight days they celebrated the dedication of the altar and joyfully offered burnt offerings and sacrifices of deliverance and praise. They ornamented the facade of the Temple with gold crowns and shields; they repaired the gates and the Priests’ chambers and furnished them with doors. There was great joy among the people now that the disgrace of the Gentiles was removed.
Then Judas and his brothers and the entire congregation of Israel decreed that the days of the Chanukah – dedication of the altar should be observed with joy and gladness on the anniversary every year for eight days, from the twenty-fifth day of the month Chislev. (1 Maccabee 4:36-59)”
“The Jews celebrated joyfully for eight days as on Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles), remembering how, a little while before, they had spent Sukkot living like wild animals in caves on the mountains. Carrying lulavs – palm, myrtle, willow and citron fruit , they sang hymns of grateful praise to him who had brought about the purification of his own Place. By public edict and decree they prescribed that the whole Jewish nation should celebrate these days every year. Such was the end of Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes. (2 Macabees 10:6-9)”
We celebrate this Chanukah by lighting lights for eight days. Symbolically, at the time of the lighting of the Chanukah candles, there is a revelation of part of the “Ohr Haganuz,” the great light hidden away since the beginning of Creation — the light of Messiah. And that is why the festival is called Chanukah — because it is a spiritual preparation ןונכ “chinuch”] for our destined Redemption.
From Sukkot till Chanukah YahShua was preaching, “As long as it is day, we must do the work of Him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world. (John 9:4, 5)”
“Then came the Feast of Chanukah – Dedication or Consecration at Jerusalem. It was winter, and YahShua was in the Temple area walking in Solomon’s Porch. The Jews gathered around him, saying, ‘How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah,tell us plainly.’
YahShua answered, ‘I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.’
Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but YahShua said to them, ‘I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?’
‘We are not stoning you for any of these,’ replied the Jews, ‘but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be Elohim.’
YahShua answered them, ‘Is it not written in your Torah, “I have said you are gods?” (Psalm 82:6) If he called them “elohim,” to whom the Word of Elohim came—and the Scripture cannot be broken— what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, “I am Yahweh’s Son?” Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does. But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.’ Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.
Then YahShua went back across the Jordan to the place where Yochannan had been immersing in the early days. Here he stayed and many people came to him. They said, ‘Though Yochannan never performed a miraculous sign, all that Yochannan said about this man was true.’ And in that place many believed in YahShua. (John 10:22-42)”
“Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Miriam and her sister Martha. It was that Miriam who anointed the King with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, ‘Sovereign, behold, he whom You love is sick.’
When YahShua heard that, He said, ‘This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of Yahweh, that the Son of Yahweh may be glorified through it.’
Now YahShua loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.’ Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.’
The disciples said to Him, ‘Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?’
YahShua answered, ‘Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the Light of this World. But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.’ These things He said, and after that He said to them, ‘Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.’ (John 11:1-11)”
“Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of Yahweh is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but Yahweh shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. (Isaiah 60:1-5)”
Originally written by Rabbi Robert O. Miller on Dec.7 2007
(Robert Owen Miller 1957-2021)
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