5 of 5

Write now Article Tools

The meaning behind the Hanukkah menorah is far deeper than first meets the eye. On the surface, the menorah is lit to commemorate the miracle of the oil. The Jews had recaptured their temple from the Greeks after years of fighting, yet when it came time to light the menorah, they were only able to salvage enough purified oil to last for one day. Miraculously, though, the oil burned for eight days, during which time the Jews were able to process more purified oil.

But there is a much deeper meaning behind the menorah as well. The light of the menorah symbolizes more than just the miracle of that small bottle of oil. It symbolizes the victory of light over dark, of spirituality over an empty, externally focused society.

In the book of Genesis, it is written, "In the beginning...the earth was empty...and darkness was upon the face of the deep." God then commanded, "Let there be light," which banished the darkness. However, the sun and other celestial beings were not created until a the fourth day. Therefore, the first light spoken of in the Bible must not be light in the conventional sense, but rather the deeper, more elemental light of God.

Life under the Greek rule was comparable to a world devoid of the spiritual element. Greek culture is described by the Jewish texts as a spiritual darkness. While known to be one of the most beautiful and cultured nations, Greek culture is diametrically opposed to the Jewish way of life. The Greeks placed an extreme emphasis on the human mind and body. They viewed the world as run by the routine force of natural laws. Anything that could not be explained via human intellect and observation was outside the realm of reality and therefore could not possibly exist.

Modern day philosophies are byproducts of the Hellenistic culture. The assumption is that beyond the physical world that we observe with our senses and our intellect, there is nothing. There is no purpose to the world beyond merely existing. There is no higher goal, no elevated purpose, no deliberate design.

The Jewish religion, however, is predicated on the faith that the laws of nature are but manifestations of a higher reality. Intellect is valued inasmuch as it is the soul's most useful too, but it does not define the boundaries of reality. The Jews believed that despite the intellect's inability to articulate them, objective moral and spiritual realities do exist.

This then, was the clash between the two cultures. The Greek culture was viewed as the shackles that bound the spiritual intensity of the human spirit and dragged it down. It smothered the spark of human soul and spirit and replaced it with the superficiality of externals. This was the darkness of Greece. This was what the Jews were battling against, and when they finally emerged victorious, their victory was symbolized by that tiny vat of oil that defied the laws of nature. To the Greeks, it was unthinkable that anything could breach the natural limitations of the natural world. The Jews, however, were cognizant of the fact that even within a physical object lies an inner spiritual dimension, and they viewed it as their special challenge to uplift the physical and help it realize its spiritual potential.

So on Hanukkah, Jews light a flickering candle on their window sills, shining into the bleak, stark darkness of the winter night. It is a symbol of the ongoing struggle between contemporary culture and Jewish values. It is an expression of the inner embers believed to be inside each and every soul, waiting for the opportunity to burst into flame and fulfill its spiritual potential. This is the true message of the menorah.

Learn more about this author, Yocheved Schlachter.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about The meaning behind the Hanukkah menorah?
We want to hear your view. Write now!