Jewish texts are profound. Nothing is random.
And yet, I am still surprised by how relevant the ancient texts are, as if they were written for modern-day events.
It shouldn’t be a surprise. Ancient texts that remain intact over hundreds and thousands of years are those that remain relevant—those that people in every generation decided mattered enough to pass on to the next.
And that makes it all the more astonishing that a nation beaten down by loss of sovereignty, exile, persecution, pogroms, the Inquisition, and the Holocaust would preserve the texts of Hanukah—texts that speak of victory in war, of victory granted by God who went to war for us.
When we light the Hanukah candles, there are two blessings recited each night. On the first night, there are three. The third gives thanks that we lived to see this moment, the beginning of the holiday—because for Jews, living to see another holiday is never something to take for granted.
The first blessing:
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to light the Hanukah lights.
The second blessing:
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who performed miracles for our ancestors in those days, at this time.
And after the blessings, we sing what is essentially a teaching text—so deeply ingrained that even secular Jews know the words, singing automatically, instinctively, without pausing to think about how profound the message actually is:
“These candles that we light are for the miracles and the wonders and the salvations, and the wars that You waged for our ancestors in those days, at this time.”
The text continues, explaining that the lights are not for use, only to be seen—to give thanks for the miracles God granted us.
For almost two thousand years, Jews have recited this text. Through loss of sovereignty, exile, persecution, pogroms, the Inquisition, and the Holocaust, Jews gave thanks for victory won by God going to war for us. For the miracles of those days—at this time.
Nothing is random.
Knowing that, and considering our history, makes me note the strange turn of phrase: “in those days, at this time.” There is no “and” in the phrase. Why?
Is this a manifestation? A request by a nation that knows that, with faith and effort, the Maccabees won an impossible war, an attempt to manifest the same miracles in their time, against new horrors?
What kind of people hold on to the strength and miracles of centuries long past?
How do persecuted, beaten-down people keep alive the knowledge that if miracles could happen then, they can happen now?
How do they remember that they are the children of the Maccabees?
Two recent videos underscore how deeply ingrained this state of being is—a teaching so deep that we know it instinctively.
The first video, recently released, shows six of our hostages on Hanukah, months before they were murdered (in August 2024) to prevent their rescue by IDF soldiers. Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Ori Danino, Alex Lubanov, Almog Sarusi, and Carmel Gat, starved and abused in Gaza, marked the holiday and lit Hanukah candles. Their captors made the video but did not release it at the time.
Many propaganda videos were released by the monsters in Gaza, using the hostages to weaken Israeli society. It seems that in this case, they understood that what they documented was a strength and magnificence of spirit that did not serve their purpose.
In the darkness of the evil in Gaza, these Children of Israel—children of the Maccabees—clung to the light, knowing they were part of a story far larger than themselves.
The second video is an interview with liberated hostage Eitan Mor, describing his capture on October 7 and how he was taken to the Indonesian Hospital in Gaza. The video then cuts to IDF soldiers lighting a Hanukiah they built on the roof of that same hospital. They explain:
“Eitan, standing on top of the Indonesian Hospital in Gaza, we wish you a happy Hanukah! The light vanquishes the darkness!”
In those days, in this time.
The Maccabees LIVE
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