Besides the Festivals commanded in the Torah, we celebrate also in the
course of the year anniversaries of certain days both of joy and of
sorrow. Of the former kind are חנוכה and פורים; of the latter, the
9th of Ab and four other fasts.
חנוכה FEAST OF DEDICATION.
On the 25th of Kislev we begin to celebrate eight days of חנוכה or
Dedication, in commemoration of the victories of the Maccabees over
Antiochus Epiphanes, king of Syria. Antiochus had attempted to force
the Jews to idolatry, and to make them abandon the worship of the true
God. The Jews, led by the Maccabees, resisted, and, armed with faith in
God, gained the victory over large armies of the enemy. The Temple,
which had been defiled by the heathen soldiers, was again purified, and
the Service of God re-established. For lighting the continual lamp (נר
תמיד) pure oil was wanted, that had not been touched by the heathen.
Only a small cruse of pure oil was found, which was believed to be
sufficient for one night; but it sufficed for eight days, by which time
a fresh supply could be procured.
The Feast of Dedication commemorates the victory of the faithful over
the faithless, of the true religion over idolatry, of light over
darkness, and is celebrated—
(1.) By lighting חנוכה lights, one on the first evening, and adding
one light each successive evening, so that on the eighth evening eight
lights are kindled.
(2.) By giving expression to our feeling of gratitude in psalms (הלל)
and prayers of thanks (על הנסים).
In the Morning Service a few verses from Num. vii., on the dedication
of the Altar, are read. On Sabbath Chanuccah, Zechariah’s vision, Zech.
ii. 10 to iii. 7, including the vision of the golden candlestick, is
read as haphtarah; and if there happen to be a second Sabbath
Chanuccah, 1 Kings vii. 40–50, a description of the various vessels and
ornaments in the Temple of Solomon is read on that Sabbath.
Note 1.—The חנוכה lights remind us, in the first place, of the
reopening of the Temple and the resumption of the regular Temple
Service. But they are also intended to remind us of the light of our
holy faith, which Antiochus Epiphanes attempted in vain to extinguish.
For it shed forth its light again, and shone brighter and brighter
every successive day. We thus learn that when our religion is
imperilled, firmness against temptation or force is sure to lead to
success and victory.
2. Before lighting the Chanuccah lights the following blessings are
said: ברוך … אשר קדשנו … להדליק נר של חנוכה “Blessed art thou ... who
hast sanctified us by thy commandments and hast commanded us to kindle
the lights of Chanuccah.” ברוך … שעשה נסים לאבותינו בימים ההם בזמן
הזה “Blessed art thou ... who wroughtest miracles for our fathers in
days of old at this season.” On the first night שהחינו is added.
פורים PURIM.
פורים or “Feast of Lots,” is celebrated on the 14th and the 15th of
Adar (second Adar in a leap-year), in commemoration of the defeat of
Haman’s wicked plans. Haman was chief minister to Ahasuerus, king of
Persia, and planned to kill all the Jews in the Persian Empire, but the
Almighty frustrated his designs through the agency of Mordecai and his
cousin Esther. The Feast is called Purim, that is, “lots,” because
Haman had cast lots in order to discover the day most favourable to his
plans.