Eight Days of Chanukah - Day 4

 
The Golden Menorah for the Shabbat of Chanukah
Just as the High Holy Days have their specially assigned biblical readings, so do all of the other Jewish holidays. Festivals lasting for a week or more, such as Passover, Sukkot, and Chanukah, also have special readings for the Shabbat during the holiday. For the Shabbat of Hanukah, the sages chose a haftarah selection from the prophet Zechariah (2:14 -4:7). Haftarah means “additional reading;” usually these are biblical verses that supplement the Torah portion. It is always interesting to try to determine why the rabbis chose a particular haftarah reading. Sometimes finding an answer is challenging, but there are a few fairly clear reasons for why the rabbis chose these verses for the Shabbat of Chanukah.

The most straightforward reason is that this selection describes the prophet’s vision of the first Temple rebuilt. He envisions a seven branched candelabra:

'I have seen…a menorah all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and it has seven lamps upon it; there are seven pipes, indeed, seven, to the lamps…and two olive-trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.'
 
 The menorah—albeit an eight branched one---will eventually become the central symbol of the Chanukah celebration. At the same time, this seven branched menorah becomes a key symbol of the Jewish people and, eventually, of the State of Israel.  

On a more abstract level, the image of the menorah; of the Temple rebuilt, is the essential message of Chanukah. That is, never abandon hope, even when it seems that all is lost. Continue to strive to be a free people living in peace in our own sovereign land. It is true that, like the Maccabees, sometimes we must fight for our freedom. But eventually, we will be able to peacefully enjoy the fruits of our determination. We are always building a new world. This connects to Chanukah, whose name means dedication. The golden menorah is proof that, when we dedicate ourselves to significant goals, we can build not only a better world, but one that lasts.

That image of the menorah surrounded by olive trees, with pipes and bowls, might be the vision of a sustainable world. The fruit of the olive tree provides fuel as well as food. The leaves of the olive tree provide shade. And, of course, the olive branch is a symbol of peace.

 
What better vision for the Shabbat of Chanukah?
 
Shabbat shalom!