Hanukkah celebrates two events: the military victory of the Maccabees over the Hellenist forces of Antiochus of Syria and the rededication of the Temple after its desecration by the pagans.

The Rabbis clearly chose to emphasize the rededication. First, the name of the holiday, Hanukah, means "dedication." Second, the Rabbis focus on a historical miracle that occurred during the dedication period (a one day supply of oil for the Temple Menorah lasting for eight days) through ritual (lighting the Hanukiya) and foods (made with oil).

The Rabbis emphasized the message of "rededication," not simply as a historical one. It is to be a spiritual one as well. Judaism teaches each on of us is Kadosh, holy. The Temple, (in Hebrew, the House of Holiness) became corrupted. Worshipping idols is not simply a matter of trying to make the infinite Divine visible. Far worse, it tries to portray human values as Divine. Rather than trying to heighten humans to the level of the Divine, the Hellenists sought to lower the Divine to the level of the humans.

This process happens to all of us. We being to think that the values we live through our daily actions are the highest of which we are capable. Judaism teaches that we must daily rededicate ourselves to the task of living up to the highest standards of holiness of which we are capable. The battle is no less daunting than the one the outmatched Maccabees faced 21 centuries ago. The words of Haftorah chanted during Hannukah explains how we are able to succeed. "Neither with might nor with power, but but rather by My Spirit says Adonai" Zachariah 4:6

Hag urim samaych, may you enjoy a beautiful holiday of light.