28111/12 the 'minor' Jewish festivals are of less


SIGNIFICANCE
THAN THE PREVIOUS "MAJOR" FESTIVALS,
AND THE PRACTICAL CEREMONIAL DIFFERENCE IS
THAT ONE DOES NÒT LIGHT CANDLES & HAVE KIDDUSH IN THE HOME!
Nor does one abstain from unnecessary work or attend special services
in synagogues?
The Orthodox Jews observe a number of minor FAST days,
but the Liberal Jews concentrate upon the following two minor feasts.
NB. BOTH ORTHODOX & LIBERALS OBSERVE THE SAME NUMBER OF DAYS FOR MINOR FESTIVALS! First Chanukah (the Feast of Dedication) starts on the 25th KISLEV (dec.) & lasts for 8 days? Originally this was based upon the victorious rebellion of the Maccabees against the Syrian King ANTIOCHUS who, having OCCUPIED Judea sought
to replace Judaism with a pagan religion.
The full story can be found in the Book of Maccabees
in the APOCRYPHA below! CHANUKA's Modern Significance: this festival commemorates; (a) the rededi- cation of the Temple in 165 BCE, after is had been recaptured from the Syrians, CLEANSED, & RESTORED FOR NORMAL WORSHIP! (b)
The victory of the 'few' over the 'many',
giving encouragement to al minorities to stick to their principles,
for 'right' triumph in the end!!
(c] The selfless struggle
of MACCABEES and their followers which ensured the survival of monotheism in general & Judaism especially in particular? Ceremonial observance: in addition to parties (especially for children) & the giving of presents, a special candlestick, known as the MENORAH, is used in the home on each of the 8 evenings of this Festival! The Menorah has 8 branches for candles, and there is also a ninth (called "THE SERVANT"knipoog which is used
to light the others.
On the first evening
the "SERVANT" lights one candle
(which is allowed to burn out)! On the next evening it lights two candles, and so on, adding one candle on each successive evening until on the last evening 8 candles burn together?! A legend attempts to explain this ceremony by suggesting that it commemorates the "MIRACLE" of a cruse of oil burning for eight days in the Temple instead of its customary òne day, but the real origin of this custom is probably also linked with the Pagan WINTER SOLSTICE FESTIVITIES which occur at the same time!
Today we would use this custom
of lightening the menorah as a sort of visual-aid to emphasize such teachings as [i
]
(1) OUR FAITH SHOULD GROW FROM SMALL BEGINNINGS UNTIL IT WILL SHINE IN ITS FULL SPLENDOUR.
(2) THE POWER OF OUR RELIGIOUS MESSAGE (like the Light of the Menorah) is so much stronger when one is joined by another, and then another, etc., until there are no gaps & no absentees!
(3) AS THE 'servant' CANDLE BRINGS LIGHT TO ALL OTHER CANDLES SO SHOULD THE TRUE JEW (g ds servant)
BRING THE LIGHT OF G D TO ALL THE PEOPLES OF THE WORLD!
For Chanukah Home Service see Liberal Jewish
Prayer Book? Jews went all
over the world &
all tribes visit
the holy
City
...

23 mei 2017 - bewerkt op 24 mei 2017 - meld ongepast verhaal
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