As we approach Hanukkah, which begins next week on Wednesday evening, coinciding with Christmas Day, I’ve been thinking about the miracles in our Hanukkah story. Tradition teaches that there were two miracles: first, the miracle of the military victory, the small scrappy band of Maccabees triumphing over the fearsome Greek army – not by might, not by power, but by spirit alone. This military victory is of course followed by the miracle of the oil, as the Maccabees returned to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem to clean and rededicate it, finding only one small jug of oil – enough to last one night, but miraculously burning for all 8.
While our story is full of miracles, our reality may be a little more lacking. At this time of year, especially as Hanukkah coincides with Christmas, we may feel more and more like a tiny insignificant group, unable to mount a victory against a powerful hegemonic force. Or we might feel like our inner resources are running low, approaching empty, with no sign of a miracle to ward off the imminent burnout.
Hanukkah’s overlap with Christmas this year offers us an opportunity – as our secular schools and workplaces close down for a week or two, we have the opportunity to refill our own cups. To not rely on a miracle to help us last longer than we should, but to rely on the tried and true formula of rest, of family time, of quiet, to reenergize ourselves, and to build up our own inner spiritual resources.
In this spirit, I will be away and off email for two full weeks, from December 22 through January 5, spending time with family, reading, and resting. While I am away, I am of course available for life-and-death pastoral emergencies – please email August at info@templeshalom.ca if this is the case.
I wish all of you and your families a light-filled Hanukkah, and if you are celebrating Christmas or any other holidays over the next couple weeks, I hope it is a joyous time!
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