Hanukkah, oh Hanukkah!

Shabbat Hanukkah   by  Laya Crust

This painting is from my newly published book “ILLUMINATIONS, An Exploration of Haftarah through Art and History.” The book was released last month- in November 2022. This painting is based on an exquisite manuscript illumination painted in northern France, around 1278. It shows the High Priest pouring consecrated olive oil into the Temple Menorah.

This year the 25th of Kislev (the first night of Hanukkah) fell on December 18. Read on for some interesting Hanukkah information.

The story of Hanukkah began in 168 BCE when the Syrian-Greeks, under Antiochus Epiphanes, desecrated the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. The Jews of Modi’in rebelled. Under the leadership of Matityahu the High Priest and his five sons, a group of Jewish rebels, called the Maccabees, hid in the mountains and fought the Greeks. The Maccabees retook the Temple in Jerusalem, purified it and made new holy objects such as the menorah, a new altar, and other holy vessels.  Matityahu proclaimed the 25th of Kislev (the third anniversary of Antiochus’s anti-Jewish proclamations) as the first day of Hanukkah.

The word Hanukkah means “Dedication,” and this is the holiday of the rededication of the  Temple. Josephus actually called the holiday “Urim” (which means”Lights”) so that may be why it is also called “The Holiday of Lights.”

Why do we light 8 candles- plus an extra, the “shamash”?  There have been various opinions on how many candles to light. The early writings didn’t even mention the kindling of lights on Hanukkah. It is first mentioned around 200 CE in a “baraita” (oral opinion from the Mishnaic period). One opinion was that only one flame should be lit each night. Another opinion was that one light for each person should be lit each night. The more zealous, it said, could light an additional candle for each of the eight days.

Hanukkah (Photo credit: Cayusa)

We base our tradition on the “Beit Hillel” school of thought. Whereas “Beit Shammai” suggested starting Hanukkah with 8 candles and reducing that by one each night, Hillel preferred the idea of adding a candle each night.

Why the shamash? We aren’t supposed to use our Hanukkah candles and their flames for practical purposes. We are only to gaze at their light and enjoy them. So, we use a “worker candle” (shamash) to light the others. The “worker” candle is set at a different height so it won’t be confused with the actual Hanukkah lights.

The popular reason given for the 8-day length of Hanukkah is the story of the miracle of the oil.  This is a story found in another “baraita.” According to this story, the Maccabbees went into the Temple and found only one cruse of purified oil acceptable for use in the menorah. The cruse was lit and miraculously burned for 8 days until more pure oil could be obtained. That miraculous little cruse of oil inspired the wonderful fried Hanukkah- potato latkes, sufganiot (jelly donuts) and bimuelos or loukoumades which are Sepharadi delicacies- deep fried puffs in honey.      

The halachah tells us to light our hanukkiot in the street. Most of us in North America light our candles in a window facing the street. In Israel there are special glass boxes – almost like a closed aquarium – so people can light their candles in the street and they won’t be extinguished by the wind.

“Dreidel” is the traditional Hanukkah game.  A dreidel is a four-sided “top.” Dreidel is its Yiddish name, and Sivivon is its Hebrew name. There are different stories about the history of the game. A popular story is that the game dates back to the time of the Maccabees. While they were hiding from the Greeks in caves the children would play with the dreidels to alleviate their boredom. Another theory was that since the study of Torah was forbidden, the Jews would take out their dreidels if they heard the soldiers coming to hide the fact they were learning Torah.

Another idea is that Hanukkah was a holiday of joy. Parents relaxed the rules and let their children play dreidel although it had a gambling component.  But where is the dreidel itself from? A game called “teetotum” was played in England and Ireland in the early 1500’s. The “teetotum” had letters or numbers on the sides representing what was being gambled. Some of the teetotums had letters written on them with  H for take half, T for take all,  P for put in and N for nothing. It sounds quite familiar. For more thoughts on the symbolism and possible history of the dreidel you can go to http://ohr.edu/1309

 

We haven’t explored the story of Judith, but that will be for another time. Whichever way you decide to celebrate, and whatever history story you decide to tell, enjoy your Hanukkah and don’t eat too many bimuelos!

Have a wonderful Hanukkah and a joyful Shabbat Shalom, Laya

About the Book!!

I’m excited to introduce you to the newest member of my family. ILLUMINATIONS, An Exploration of Haftarah through Art and History is a book of all the haftarah pictures you have seen in my blog. It was published in October and released on November 24, 2022. It boasts 82 full-colour pictures and a rich commentary that accompanies each painting. For more information or to order a book go to https://www.haftarah-illuminations.com/ or to haftarah-illuminations.com

Pikudei-Sacred Vessels

This week’s haftarah describes how King Solomon brought the Ark of the Covenant to the Temple in Jerusalem. The parashah describes the crafting of items for the Tabernacle. It also describes the clothing that was sewn and woven for the priests.

Bezalel was the chief architect and designer, “and [he was] filled … with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding and in all manner of workmanship, to contrive works of art…” (Exodus 30: 3). All the Israelites were invited to participate in building the Mishkan, the Tabernacle. The only proviso was that they had to be “wise” or “willing hearted”. Those trusted with creating the holy space needed spiritual depth and understanding beyond the average individual.

Sacred Vessels by Laya Crust

This illustration is based on a manuscript painting from 1299, Perpignan, Aragon. Solomon ben Raphel created the illumination featuring sanctuary vessels. The first painted panel features the twelve shew breads prepared weekly in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple. In the central panel are two gold cherubim protecting the two tablets with the ten commandments, a staff, a jar with manna, and Aaron’s flowering staff. The third panel shows a lit menorah and tools for handling the ashes.

God understands the importance of beauty in life. In the midst of the wide expanse of desert and rugged mountains, He gave detailed instructions to create a place of beauty where people could focus their thoughts and prayers. True beauty has a foundation of wisdom and goodness. To that end, Bezalel and his assistant Aholiav were imbued with wisdom and understanding.

As we go forward in life let’s remember to be wise-hearted and introduce integrity and beauty in order to elevate our lives and battle the sorrows and tragedies around us.

Laya

B’ Ha’alotecha- “Not by Might nor by Power”

Temple Menorah by Laya Crust

At the beginning of this week’s Torah reading, the menorah is described and Aaron is commanded to light it. In the haftarah reading, Zechariah describes the golden menorah. Zechariah was a prophet in Jerusalem around the year 520 BCE.  The Jews had been exiled to Babylon but under King Cyrus were allowed to return to Jerusalem. Zechariah and the prophet Haggai encouraged the people to stop being so despondent and start rebuilding their destroyed temple.

Zechariah by Michelangelo, Sistine Chapel

This haftarah is replete with angels- angels talking to Joshua and angels talking to and waking Zechariah.  Zechariah tells the angel that he has had a vision of a golden menorah flanked by two olive trees. A bowl above the menorah has seven pipes funneling olive oil to the menorah.  When the angel realizes that Zechariah doesn’t understand the symbolism of the vision he explains that the trees represent the leadership of Joshua the High Priest and Zerubbabel the governor in building the Second Temple. The angel says, “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.” meaning that the reestablishment of the Jewish people will come through faith, not war.

This parsha and haftarah are timely readings. We are living during a frightening pandemic, international violent unrest some of it instigated by the treatment of blacks in America, and negativity towards Israel and her desired steps for greater sovereignty over her ancestral land. The readings teach that we must take the initiative and move forward to make progress in our lives. On one hand, just complaining or protesting will not improve a situation. On the other, sitting back and expecting Gd to make the changes is not the right way either.

The Jews in the desert complained about their diet (“But the multitude among them began to have strong cravings. Then even the children of Israel once again began to cry, and they said, ‘Who will feed us meat?'” Numbers 10:4).  They should have looked to see how they themselves could satisfy their hungers and cravings. The Jews returning to Jerusalem were despondent. When they returned from exile they were pushed by Zechariah and Haggai to take action and rebuild their Temple to Gd. In that way, they could reclaim their lives and their history.

We have to recognize our responsibility to participate in our future, but we also have to recognize that if we move forward with faith and integrity Gd will help us. Ignoring the respect and mitzvot entrusted to us will cause us to be defeated. “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.” (Zechariah 4:6)

Cervera, Spain, c. 1300

My illustration at the top was based on this beautiful manuscript painting from Spain, with the menorah painted in gold leaf. The menorah was a central fixture in the Temple and was lit by the Kohanim. The wicks of the menorah were arranged to shed light in one flame. That light can be seen as the light we bring to the world.

On that thought, may you have an illuminated week and weekend, full of flaming conversation and bright ideas. Let’s keep on working to make the community and the world better!

Have a good Shabbat, Laya

BeHa’alotecha- Not By Might nor by Power

art by Laya Crust

BeHa’alotecha-   Numbers: ch 8- ch 12

Haftarah:   Zechariah:  ch 2:14 – 4:7

Zechariah was a prophet in Jerusalem around the year 520 BCE.  The Jews had been exiled to Babylon but under King Cyrus were allowed to return to Jerusalem. Zechariah and Haggai encouraged the people to stop being so despondent and start rebuilding their destroyed temple.

Zechariah by Michelangelo, Sistine Chapel

This haftarah is replete with angels- angels talking to Joshua and angels talking to and waking Zechariah.  Zechariah tells the angel that he has had a vision of a golden menorah flanked by two olive trees. A bowl  above the menorah has seven pipes funneling olive oil to the menorah.  When the angel realizes that Zechariah doesn’t understand the symbolism of the vision he explains that the trees represent the leadership of Joshua and Zerubbabel in building the Second Temple. The angel says, “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.” meaning that the reestablishment of the Jewish people will come through faith, not war.

Cervera, Spain, c. 1300

My illustration at the top was based on this beautiful manuscript painting from Spain, with the menorah panted in gold leaf. The menorah was a central fixture in the Temple and was lit by the Kohanim. The wicks of the menorah were arranged to shed light in one flame. That light can be seen as  the light we bring to the world.

The menorah is the symbol of Judaism. In 1948, the year Israel was declared a state, a competition was held for a Coat of Arms. Gabriel and Maxim Shamir‘s  design was chosen. In 1949 the design below was unveiled as the Israeli State Coat of Arms.On that thought , may you have an illuminated week and weekend, full of flaming conversation and bright ideas.

Laya

Hanukkah 5776

                                                      art by Laya Crust

This week we’ve been celebrating Hanukkah, the holiday of light. Each night we light candles or  small cruzes of olive oil to celebrate the success of the Maccabean Revolt in the 2nd C.  BCE.  Antiochus IV was in control of the region, forbidding the observance of Judaism and ultimately desecrating the Second Temple in Jerusalem.

Hannukahh is a visually beautiful observance. We light candles in our doorways, windows, and even outside, sharing the holiday with every person who knowingly or unknowingly walks by a  hanukiah .  It’s somehow compelling to realize that the Festival of Lights occurs during the coldest, darkest time of the year. The days are shorter, the winter is coming or has already arrived – whether it’s rainy and cold in Israel or snowy and cold in the northern hemisphere. So in this cold dark part of the year we have the glow of light around us.

It’s a wonderful time to get together with friends and family to share a cup of tea and watch the candles burn low.

It’s an even better time to get together with someone you know who might be alone without friends or family to celebrate with. If you know someone who is alone for the evening give them a call. Share a candle, tea, and cookies. And if you know someone who is isolated, depressed, not well- give them a call to share the warmth and joy.  And if you feel really energetic you can make yummy potato latkes and share them!

Here is the latke recipe I like to use.

8 medium potatoes. ( if you scrub them well you don’t have to peel them)

1 largish onion

2 eggs

1/2 cup flour or matzah meal (you can even leave this out if there is a gluten allergy or sensitivity in your circle)

1 – 2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

oil for frying.

Grate the potatoes.

Cut the onion in half then slice it nice and thin.

Mix all the ingredients together- EXCEPT FOR THE OIL.

Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a frying pan. When it’s nice and hot put in a 1/4 cup of potato mixture for each latke.

Let them cook for about 6-8 minutes, until golden on the bottom. Then flip gently and let it cook another 5 – 7 minutes- until golden on the other side. I like to make the latkes on the thin side so they cook all the way through. Add a small amount of oil as necessary, gently and carefully tipping the frying pan so the oil finds its way throughout those sizzling critters.

Place the fried latkes on an opened (clean) paper bag or on a paper towel to absorb the extra oil.

If you want to “change them up” you can add grated zucchini, sweet potato, parsnip, beets or carrots- you get the idea.

Warning- it doesn’t matter how many you make- there will rarely be enough.

It’s popular to eat latkes with sour cream and apple sauce, but I grew up eating them with chrein (horseradish).

Yehudit Permut of Israel  told me, “A family tradition started in my maternal grandmother’s family in Russia was latkes from a different vegetable each candle – using the root vegetables that were stored in the root cellar and had been grown in their garden in the summer. We continued this and I have already passed it on to my children. It can be potato mixed with other veg or things like beets and parsnip, parsnip and carrot, potato and either veg, even potato mixed with some shredded cabbage and onions… anything goes. They used what they had.”

Enjoy the latkes and enjoy the last of Hanukkah.

Chag Sameach, Laya

 

 

B’ Ha’alotecha

art by Laya Crust

Numbers: ch 8- ch 12 Zechariah:  ch 2:14 – 4:7 Zechariah was a prophet in Jerusalem around the year 520 BCE.  The Jews had been exiled to Babylon but under King Cyrus were allowed to return to Jerusalem. Zechariah and Haggai encouraged the people to stop being so despondent and start rebuilding their destroyed temple.

Zechariah by Michelangelo, Sistine Chapel

This haftarah is replete with angels- angels talking to Joshua and angels talking to and waking Zechariah.  Zechariah tells the angel that he has had a vision of a golden menorah flanked by two olive trees. A bowl  above the menorah has seven pipes funneling olive oil to the menorah.  When the angel realizes that Zechariah doesn’t understand the symbolism of the vision he explains that the trees represent the leadership of Joshua and Zerubbabel in building the Second Temple. The angel says, “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.” meaning that the reestablishment of the Jewish people will come through faith, not war.

Cervera, Spain, c. 1300

My illustration at the top was based on this beautiful manuscript painting from Spain, with the menorah panted in gold leaf. The menorah was a central fixture in the Temple and was lit by the Kohanim. The wicks of the menorah were arranged to shed light in one flame. That light can be seen as  the light we bring to the world.

Interestingly, is is the menorah that is the symbol of Judaism and the emblem of the State of Israel.

On that thought , may you have an illuminated week and weekend, full of flaming conversation and bright ideas.

Laya

Hanukkah

art by Laya Crust

Hanukkah    25 Kislev – 2 Tevet

illustration , inspired by the North French Miscellany, 1280

Today I’m going to write the history of Hanukkah, but stay tuned for a latke recipe that I will post in the next couple of days.

Hanukkah is a holiday commemorating the uprising of the Jews against the Greeks in 168 B.C.E. The story begins  when the Seleucids conquered Phoenicia and Palestine (Israel). They  allowed the  Jews to carry on their religion and practices with complete freedom. The Jewish Kohen Gadol, Simon, had supported the King Antiochus III in the war so Antiochus III was very generous to the Jews, even making a large contribution to the temple in Jerusalem and allowing them to govern themselves.

By the time Antiochus IV came to power in 175 BCE the Jewish religious leadership had changed. Jason, brother of the high priest of Jerusalem wanted his brother’s position. He bribed Antiochus IV for the position of high priest. As well as giving the king money, Jason promised to build a gymnasium in Jerusalem and establish a Greek constitution in the city. Obviously Jason wanted to hellenize the Jewish city. Judaism was still observed and the Temple used as it always had been, so it seemed that Jason’s hellenizing innovations didn’t change how the Jews observed their religion and new Greek additions didn’t bother many  Jewish citizens.

In 170 a Jew named Menelaus bribed Antiochus IV for Jason’s position as High Priest and indeed Menelaus was appointed as High Priest. What goes around comes around.  In the same year Antiochus IV plundered the Temple and two years later rededicated the Temple of Jerusalem to Zeus. The practice of Judaism was outlawed on pain of death and officials were sent into the countryside to oversee the introduction of Greek religious practice.

The persecution of the Jews was recorded in the Books of Maccabees 1 and 2. Interesting fact- the word “macabre” has its root in “Maccabee” because of the tales of torture and hardship.

There were rumblings of resistance among the Jews. Under the leadership of Mattathius, a priest from Modi’in, the resistors started to use guerilla tactics against the large, well organized Greek armies. When Mattathius died in 165 BCE his son Judah the Maccabee took over. His small band of fighters consistently defeated the royal troops.

In late 164 BCE Judah and his men managed to seize the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and purified the Temple. It was rededicated to Gd on the third anniversary of its dedication to the Greek god Zeus,on  the 25th of Kislev.

The holiday lasts eight days. Some say it is an echo of the length of Sukkot. The popular reason is given for the eight day length is that only one cruse of pure oil was found for lighting the rebuilt Temple menorah. The oil should only have lasted one day  but it lasted for eight days- the length of time it took to create new, ritually pure olive oil.

So- that is the history of Hanukkah. The illustration at the top of the page was inspired by The North French Miscellany, from France, 1290. The miscellany is a collection of texts including the “chumash” (5 books of Moses), prophets, writings, 5 megillot, Pesach Haggadah, prayers, legal texts and poetry by Moses ibn Ezra. There are 49 illustrations, most of them to do with Biblical stories, set in rondels or a circular form. The miscellany is found in the British library- one of the fantastic pieces in its collection of Jewish manuscripts.

For a nice Hanukkah treat watch this:

 https://www.youtube.com/user/ISRAEL21cdotcom

Happy Hanukkah,

Laya

Hanukkah, oh Hanukkah!

Shabbat Hanukkah   by  Laya Crust

This painting is from my newly published book “ILLUMINATIONS, An Exploration of Haftarah through Art and History.” The book was released last month- in November 2022. This painting is based on an exquisite manuscript illumination painted in northern France, around 1278. It shows the High Priest pouring consecrated olive oil into the Temple Menorah.

This year the 25th of Kislev (the first night of Hanukkah) fell on December 18. Read on for some interesting Hanukkah information.

The story of Hanukkah began in 168 BCE when the Syrian-Greeks, under Antiochus Epiphanes, desecrated the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. The Jews of Modi’in rebelled. Under the leadership of Matityahu the High Priest and his five sons, a group of Jewish rebels, called the Maccabees, hid in the mountains and fought the Greeks. The Maccabees retook the Temple in Jerusalem, purified it and made new holy objects such as the menorah, a new altar, and other holy vessels.  Matityahu proclaimed the 25th of Kislev (the third anniversary of Antiochus’s anti-Jewish proclamations) as the first day of Hanukkah.

The word Hanukkah means “Dedication,” and this is the holiday of the rededication of the  Temple. Josephus actually called the holiday “Urim” (which means”Lights”) so that may be why it is also called “The Holiday of Lights.”

Why do we light 8 candles- plus an extra, the “shamash”?  There have been various opinions on how many candles to light. The early writings didn’t even mention the kindling of lights on Hanukkah. It is first mentioned around 200 CE in a “baraita” (oral opinion from the Mishnaic period). One opinion was that only one flame should be lit each night. Another opinion was that one light for each person should be lit each night. The more zealous, it said, could light an additional candle for each of the eight days.

Hanukkah (Photo credit: Cayusa)

We base our tradition on the “Beit Hillel” school of thought. Whereas “Beit Shammai” suggested starting Hanukkah with 8 candles and reducing that by one each night, Hillel preferred the idea of adding a candle each night.

Why the shamash? We aren’t supposed to use our Hanukkah candles and their flames for practical purposes. We are only to gaze at their light and enjoy them. So, we use a “worker candle” (shamash) to light the others. The “worker” candle is set at a different height so it won’t be confused with the actual Hanukkah lights.

The popular reason given for the 8-day length of Hanukkah is the story of the miracle of the oil.  This is a story found in another “baraita.” According to this story, the Maccabbees went into the Temple and found only one cruse of purified oil acceptable for use in the menorah. The cruse was lit and miraculously burned for 8 days until more pure oil could be obtained. That miraculous little cruse of oil inspired the wonderful fried Hanukkah- potato latkes, sufganiot (jelly donuts) and bimuelos or loukoumades which are Sepharadi delicacies- deep fried puffs in honey.      

The halachah tells us to light our hanukkiot in the street. Most of us in North America light our candles in a window facing the street. In Israel there are special glass boxes – almost like a closed aquarium – so people can light their candles in the street and they won’t be extinguished by the wind.

“Dreidel” is the traditional Hanukkah game.  A dreidel is a four-sided “top.” Dreidel is its Yiddish name, and Sivivon is its Hebrew name. There are different stories about the history of the game. A popular story is that the game dates back to the time of the Maccabees. While they were hiding from the Greeks in caves the children would play with the dreidels to alleviate their boredom. Another theory was that since the study of Torah was forbidden, the Jews would take out their dreidels if they heard the soldiers coming to hide the fact they were learning Torah.

Another idea is that Hanukkah was a holiday of joy. Parents relaxed the rules and let their children play dreidel although it had a gambling component.  But where is the dreidel itself from? A game called “teetotum” was played in England and Ireland in the early 1500’s. The “teetotum” had letters or numbers on the sides representing what was being gambled. Some of the teetotums had letters written on them with  H for take half, T for take all,  P for put in and N for nothing. It sounds quite familiar. For more thoughts on the symbolism and possible history of the dreidel you can go to http://ohr.edu/1309

 

We haven’t explored the story of Judith, but that will be for another time. Whichever way you decide to celebrate, and whatever history story you decide to tell, enjoy your Hanukkah and don’t eat too many bimuelos!

Have a wonderful Hanukkah and a joyful Shabbat Shalom, Laya

About the Book!!

 

I’m excited to introduce you to the newest member of my family. ILLUMINATIONS, An Exploration of Haftarah through Art and History is a book of all the haftarah pictures you have seen in my blog. It was published in October and released on November 24, 2022. It boasts 82 full-colour pictures and a rich commentary that accompanies each painting. For more information or to order a book go to https://www.haftarah-illuminations.com/ or to haftarah-illuminations.com