[Note from KMM: Today we are happy to introduce a new guest contributor, Dr. Hilda Perlitsh from the Boston University Psychology Department. Dr. Perlitsh is a social psychologist with expertise in the areas of organizational psychology, career development, and cross-cultural issues.]
Hanukkah, a Jewish festival, commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over the Syrians in 165 b.c.e., on the 25th day of the month of Kislev.
The Greek King Antiochus of Syria had ordered the Temple in Jerusalem to be defiled, forbade the Jews to practice their religion on pain of death, forced conversion to worship Greek gods and required each Jewish bride to sleep with the local Greek governor just before her wedding.
The Maccabean revolt against these attempts to destroy Judaism may be the first record of a struggle for religious freedom.
The holiday is celebrated for eight days by lighting candles as a reminder of the “miracle” that a single cruse of pure oil found for the re-dedication of the Temple burned for eight days instead of one. The miracle could also mean the victory against the odds of winning against a powerful army and the resulting survival of the Jewish community.
Candles are lit in the windows of homes to symbolize that the home and the Temple are sanctuaries. Children participate in this holiday by playing games with a Dreidel (a spinning top with Hebrew letters that stand for the words “a great miracle happened there”) and receive gifts of coins.
The universality of the festival lies in the celebration of the fundamental human right of the freedom to believe in and follow religious practices that sustain a community within a moral framework. Hanukkah, the Hebrew word for “dedication,” reflects the commitment of a people to the practices of their religion and to each other.
The concept of lighting candles has resonance for other spiritual traditions. Candles bring light during the darkest days of the year (northern hemisphere), which facilitates social interaction and symbolizes wisdom and God’s presence. The candles make possible renewal and personal change, as light enables people “to see” more accurately.
Hilda D. Perlitsh, Ph.D., Clinical Associate Professor of Psychology, Boston University
Sources consulted:
Bridger, David and Wolk, Samuel. (1962) The New Jewish Encyclopedia. NY: Behrman House/Rand McNally.
Starrett,Yehoshua. (2002) Chanukah with Rebbe Nachman of Breslov. Jerusalem/NY: Breslov Research Institute.