|
|
Article: On Chanukah and its miracle.(Editorial)
- Article from:
- Midstream
- Article date:
- January 1, 2003
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 Theodor Herzl Foundation. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
EDITOR'S NOTE: This essay was intended for the December issue in honor of the holiday of Chanukah. Since the November issue prepared earlier had to be dated November/December, this essay is appearing a month late. Its philosophical ruminations are nevertheless timeless.
Chanukah is a widely observed holiday whose meaning is often misunderstood. The holiday raises elemental questions: Is Chanukah really about the miracle of a small cruse of oil? Can we seriously believe in that miracle today? Any miracle?
The short history of Chanukah is well known. In 164 BCE, a small band of Jewish rebels called Maccabees ("hammers") managed through hit-and-run tactics ...