Hanukkah Day 8: The Real Story of Hanukkah

Hanukkah Day 8
Torah Reading: Numbers 7:54 - 8:4

The traditions of Hanukkah are great; the menorah, the dreidel, the food--but they are just that: traditions. The story about the oil burning for 8 days instead of 1 is found in the Talmud; it is legend. Believed by some, questioned by others.

This doesn't mean those traditions should be abandoned. They are wonderful traditions that are used to celebrate the awesome power of God.

And that just makes the real reason for Hanukkah even more evident. Hanukkah is about the commitment of the Jewish people to worship the One True God as He desires to be worshiped. Hanukkah is about the light that shines so brightly from His chosen people. Hanukkah was about re-dedicating the temple to the Lord. It is now about those who love Him re-dedicating their temple, their body to Him. We should desire to worship the Lord with the zealousness of the Maccabees and all Jewish people during Antiochus' persecution (or during any of the many persecutions aimed at Jews throughout history) who were willing to give everything (and many gave much, even their lives) for one reason: to worship the King of the Universe.

Jews pray the Shema twice per day and it seems fitting to close with that (the short version) as Hanukkah has now come to a close:
Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One. Blessed be His Name, His glorious kingdom is forever and ever.