David Yeagley is the great-great-grandson of Comanche leader Bad Eagle. 
So, how does a Gentile relate to a Jewish holiday, one that’s not based on a command from the Torah, yet one that is hugely popular among modern Jews? No country with a sizable Jewish population can go too long without knowing something about Hanukkah, the “festival of lights.” It is a day that celebrates a miracle during the days of the Maccabees, who led the Jewish resistance against the Greco-Syrian culture whose leaders (like Antiochus IV) were dominating ancient Palestine, and coercing their ways upon the Jews there, in the second century before the time of Christ.
The traditional Hanukkah menorah.
In most online accounts, we’re taught about how to celebrate the day. Games, gifts, foods, customs, etc., are rendered in great detail. To many Gentiles, Hanukkah seems very much like a Jewish Christmas. Lights, shining things, fancy wrapping paper, and above all, family. Like Christmas, Hanukkah is very much about family.
But, the truth is, Hanukkah is about war. Hanukkah is a military holiday. Yes, there was a miracle involved (the Temple lamps continued burning for eight days, when there was enough oil only for one day), but, the reason for the crisis was in fact war.
Hanukkah is about religious persecution, and the victory thereover by faith.
Hanukkah is about faith!
The Jews, in their own homeland, refused to bow to the customs of the world, or the dominant world view, or the cultural trends thereof. That is the lesson of Hanukkah. That is powerful medicine, for any people. Yet, it is precisely the lesson all people need to learn, if they are to preserve themselves as a people.
Judas Maccabeus, archetype patriot.
Our world today is in the midst of a global trend of multiculturalism–the dissolution of nationhood. This is the Communist doctrine, in fact. But on the street level, among the low-minded politicians and the people, there is a conscious craze for the mix, the cultural mix, the sexual mix, racial mix, political mix, and certainly the theological mix. All are one. And there is one “god” over all.
But the Jews would have none of it. Not on their own land, not in their own Temple. That’s right. They weren’t going to allow the same “sins” of Solomon to be committed again (1 Kings 11;10). There would be no foreign ’statuary’ brought into the Temple, or anywhere near it. There would be no alien ‘gods’ honored in the Temple of the Most High. Never again.
The Almighty was not an abstraction, not a summation, nor a congolmerate of human thought. He was the living Father, the Creator in Heaven. Ther was no compromise or interpretation. There could be no surrender of principle in the name of cultural cooperation or “peace.” The Jews would have war, rather,–at least, the Maccabee family and their followers.
In a way, Hanukkah should become a very American holiday. Hanukkah stands for what needs to be stood for–the preservation of nationhood, and that includes the nation’s religion.
But perhaps I err in this notion. Perhaps the American Jewish people would not have this emphasis. I don’t know. I know I care about them, very deeply. It would never be my intent or purpose to bring offense upon them, or cause injury or difficulty in any way. I know I have celebrated many a Hanukkah in Connecticut. But, that was back in the ’80’s. I don’t remember any political application of Hanukkah then.
Times have changed, though. Today American needs political instruction and guidance more than ever before. Our leaders have literally abondoned our Constitution! They have let loose that which defines America. With the alluring influence of mass media, our leaders are completely side-tracked from their duty. They are blinded by self-importance, power, honor, and that grossly immature and arrogant Clintonian notion of “legacy.” They try to write the history of themselves and their effects–before that history has even occurred. That is presumption of the most egregious order.
Hanukkah would not have this. The festival of national preservation would never see such egotistical nonsense. Hanukkah would measure the devotion of the man to the nation, nothing else. It appears that there are few Maccabees among us today. The line of ‘Judah’ has dried up in country. Or, so it appears.
For me, I’ll celebrate Hanukkah as a national warning. National encouragement, rather. Hunukkah tells us what to do, and tells us that it is honorable. We can trust any future legacy to that. Any other basis for legacy will end in shame and infamy, no doubt.
So, Happy Hanukkah, all. Happy American Nation Day.
11 responses so far ↓
1 Sioux // Dec 21, 2008 at 9:01 pm
Happy Hanukkah to you, too, Dr. Y. I am the product of a failed mixed marriage – me, a Gentile who tried to be a Jew to prove my love for my new husband and unity for the children that would ultimately come. I am a Christian now (or am I really messianic Jew??? ) I love the story of the Maccabees, and as usual, no one has told it the way you have. You would make a good rabbi.
2 David Yeagley // Dec 21, 2008 at 9:44 pm
Ah, Sioux! You are not the first Jewish person to tell me this, but the first woman. I have studied, deeply. That’s all I can say. The Jewish intellectual culture is simply superior to any I have been exposed to. I’m drawn to it, to the detail, the insight.
The fun part is when you get into the New Testament–from a Jewish point of view. We have basically a folk rabbi, in an international environment, but, I’m thinking only a person deeply familiar with Jewish culture would ever pick up on that.
I am encouraged by your words. You make me smile inside. Thank you very, very much.
3 Beakerkin // Dec 22, 2008 at 3:10 am
I sang the prayers with my family last night. My beloved Sunbeam was on the phone as she was studying
for finals.
I will be visiting Sunbeam’s family this week. She is far more religious than I am. I will even get a home cooked potato pancake
4 Sioux // Dec 22, 2008 at 8:06 am
Are you familiar with the “Complete Jewish Bible” edited by David Stern (a Messianic Jew)? Once I became a Christian (1997), I found this Bible in a Christian bookstore, and that’s the one I read from every day. All the names are in Hebrew (Yeshua, et.al.). I gave a copy to my son so that he will always have the “whole story.” I have heard of Rabbis who studied the New Testament for the sole purpose of being able to discredit it. In the process, they too became believers. So, from now on I shall think of you as Reb. Yeagley! (I can make a pretty good loaf of challah, and my matzoh balls are better than Bubbie’s…)
5 David Yeagley // Dec 22, 2008 at 9:44 am
Sioux, I have a similar Bible, I think, but it actually writes out the names in Hebrew! both Torah and New Testament, and transliterates names. Institute of Scripture Research, South Africa. (I think it’s a Kazar thing…someone gave it to me. I thought it was interesting.)
Back in Hamden, CT, (Temple Beth Sholom, on Whitney Ave.), there is Rabbi Benjamin Scolnic. When he first came there, he held a Bible study on Wednesday night–to study the New Testament! He said, “Christians are never going to make the effort to find out what we believe, so we have to make the effort to know what they believe. How else will we be able to communicate?” This was a special rabbi, believe. He’s still there, too.
I think people are free to explore, to discover. When a Romanian decides to believe in Jesus, he doesn’t stop being a Romanian. I mean, some things may stop, some habits, etc. But, he doesn’t stop being a Romanian, does he? Why is it that, when a Jews believes in Jesus, he’s expected to NOT be Jewish anymore? I’ve never understood that. Isn’t the observant Jew in the synagogue pretty much free to believe whatever he wants? I mean, is there a “articles of belief” that Jew must espouse before he’s “Jewish?” I really don’t know. All I know is Jesus was always in the synagogue, as was Paul. I think we’re all missing something here…
Challah with raisins?!!
6 David Yeagley // Dec 22, 2008 at 9:53 am
Hanukkah bells? Beak, is this a new custom?
Ah, WEDDING bells, anticipated bells, on Hanukkah!
Here the mellow wedding bells,
Golden Bells!
What a world of happiness their harmony foretells!
…
Oh, from out the sounding cells,
What a gush of euphony voluminously wells!
How it swells!
How it dwells
On the Future! How it tells
Of the rapture that impels…
Hmm. Are Jews allowed to marry on holidays? Never thought of that. Never heard of that. How about a custom on Friday afternoon, like when Adam and Eve were “hitched”? First day of marriage: SABBATH. Now there’s a thought…
7 Sioux // Dec 22, 2008 at 10:33 am
I googled Rabbi Scolnic and found this article in the New Haven Register from 11/22/08:
…Scolnic has been the spiritual leader at Temple Beth Sholom, a Conservative synagogue, since 1983. Shari Rosenblatt, another synagogue member, has known the rabbi for 20 years. Rosenblatt came to Temple Beth Sholom from a strict Orthodox family. “Women weren’t allowed to participate in any way,” she said. Through Scolnic’s teachings and guidance in the Conservative tradition, Rosenblatt says, “I now raise my daughters to be strong women. He’s an inspiration.”
===================
I think that statement by Mrs. Rosenblatt illustrates a major problem between Jesus and the Jewish leaders of that time. Jesus not only preached equality for women, but he lived it. This resulted in some very influential female followers who helped fund the “movement.” Ultimately anyone who was a follower of Jesus was not allowed in the synagogue – shunned, as it were, and your entire family could be thrown out as well. Paul held the coats of those who were stoning the Jesus freaks until he literally “saw the light.” Jesus went from actively preaching in the temple to crucifixion, with no defenders and only the women keeping watch at the cross. Very effective crowd control. It is used even to this day by the ultra-Orthodox (shunning, not stoning).
In answer to your question, I don’t know. When I read of the conversions going on in Africa, I feel nothing but inspiration. Hopefully these new Christians are able to leave behind their old ways that held them down and keep whatever they can that is compatible with their new-found salvation. Does that make sense?
8 David Yeagley // Dec 22, 2008 at 10:49 am
Wow! You know, the last time I was in the hopsital in New Haven (cancer again), Rabbi Scolnic actually came into my room to see me! What an uplifting surprise that was. We had a great talk. My connection to that synogogue was through the Croog family. The mother, Dorothy, passed away recently. There’s still a son and daughter (my age) that live the generaly area. I must return and visit.
I must say, on careful study of Torah, and the prophets, I never really got the impression that women were second place. It was some place different from a man, but, it wasn’t “second,” or inferior. Women were always instigators, making things happen, and many times the only ones having FAITH. Spiritually, anyway, they were never second place. The problem was real estate…!
I think Jesus stood out so much because of the cultural excesses that had developed by that time. Granted, the place of women in the NT seems quite radical. I’m just saying I think part of that was cultural contrast, or circumstantial. Jesus was out of harmony with a traditional authority which itself was not authorized. Only the Levites, the priestly culture, had been assigned political authority. Then the time of kings, of course.
By Jesus time, it was the time of “scholars.” You know, the university professors. Jesus had no degree, or training. A home schooler he was. That’s where mom comes in again! See what I mean? Women are always in there–critically important. Second place has to do with real estate.
But, even Moses gave the daughters of Zelophehad their family lands. (Numbers 26:33; 27:1-11.)
Second place is some kind of illusion. It seems so, but it really isn’t.
9 Sioux // Dec 22, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Reb. Y – I see your point about real estate and know about all your examples. I tried to explain to my son (an agnostic) about the separation of men and women in the Orthodox shul (he is in love with an Orthodox Jew born in Miami to a Russian dad and a Moroccan mom). I have always believed that ostensibly what started as a practical matter became a hard-core TRADITION (women can go to temple, but because they might need to tend to the young’uns, it would disturb the men to have them get up and out with a fussy baby – Even if you don’t have any children, you must still sit with the women, which is more about rules than real estate).
I was always confused about the need for Orthodox women to shave their heads after they were married (so as to not look appealing to other men). Because they cover their heads out in public, only their husbands see them with the shorn head. It’s things like this that aren’t Biblical, but rather man-made traditions that make me feel that women are treated inferiorly (such a word?). I don’t think Orthodox Jewish women for the most part would agree with me, however. For those who can’t tolerate such rules, there’s always people like Rabbi Scolnic.
I love your image of Jesus as a Homeschooler compared to the “Scholars” of the time.
10 David Yeagley // Dec 22, 2008 at 5:57 pm
It is a difficult concept to conceive of: orthodoxy, versus..what, loosened up religion? Orthodoxy has to be historical, as a guardian of the most ancient, right? Orthodoxy is “conservative.” The object is to preserve the finest mememory we have of the sacred past.
Yet, Orthodoxy does have a way of building up walls to protect the past which actually impede the path to understanding the value of what’s being protected! It’s kind of a spiritual mafia, where you pay for protection which you really don’t need.
I don’t know. In some ways Jesus seems racially free, yet, in other ways, more orthodox than the orthodox! “Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” What on earth?
He said wrong thoughts count as adultery!! Hate in the heart is equal to murder! (Of course, that’s in the Torah, you know–which is the whole point: were the orthodox orthodox or not?)
Anway, it is a socio-psychological archetype: orthodox and reform. Actually, just like Romanism and Protestantism, really. These things co-exist. They are inevitabilities.
The Lord gives us a faith, then we make “religion” out of it. It is the human condition…
11 beakerkin // Dec 22, 2008 at 6:31 pm
No wedding plans yet but that could change in months.
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