A HANUKAH CONTROVERSY

 

Rabbi Rifat Sonsino, Ph.D

 In Jewish practice, the festival of Hanukah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem to the service of one God after the successful revolt of the Maccabees against the Seleucid rulers of Syria in the 2^nd cent. BCE.  It is customary to light eight candles during Hanukah, one per night.

 The question is this: In which order should they be lit? On this issue, two famous rabbinic schools of the first century CE disagreed. We read in the Talmud:  “Beth Shammai maintains: On the first night eight lights are lit and thereafter they are gradually reduced. However, Beth Hillel says: On the first night one is lit and thereafter they are progressively increased” (BT Shab. 21b).

What is Beth Shammai’s justification? They argued that the candle lighting should correspond to the sacrifices offered during the festival of Sukkot- Hanukah was originally viewed as a second Sukkot-with one sacrifice less each day (cf. Num. 29). The school of Hillel, however, maintained that in matters of holiness we must increase and not reduce.

Hillel’s position makes more sense to me (and that is the Jewish practice today). When it comes to questions of religion and spirituality, even within the context of religious naturalism, we need to realize that, ultimately, faith, which is nothing but certainty of one’s convictions, requires a leap of faith. For, we are all fallible.  However, as we absorb more knowledge about the universe and as we engage in a variety of spiritual exercises, our sensitivity increases, and with that comes a deepening sense of sanctity and wonder for all existence.

 The adding of the candles reminds us that religious conscientiousness is broadened slowly. We build one block upon the other. At times, we stumble, we are burdened with questions; we often struggle with doubts and with answers that do not always satisfy the mind. But, with a faith based on a positive attitude, we plug along, and discover glimpses of lights here and there, finding deeper meaning and purpose in our existential condition. And that spells human growth.

 Have a happy Hanukah.