Faith Matters: Fifth Night of Hanukkah
By: Mallory Hardin, KARK 4 News
Updated: December 12, 2012
This is the fifth day of the eight day Jewish celebration of Hanukkah.
Lights on the Menorah shine brightly at B'Nai Israel in Little Rock as part of the holiday also known as the Festival of Lights.
"I believe Hanukkah represents the truest re-telling of the struggle of the Jewish people for religious freedom," says Rabbi David Lipper, Interim Rabbi for Congregation B'nai Israel.
Rabbi Lipper says the religious holiday commemorates the Jewish uprising in the 2nd Century B.C. against the Syrian-Greeks, who sought to deny Jews the right to worship.
"So after a long battle, many years of struggle, the Jews were able to overcome this group of people and retake our own sanctuary in Jerusalem, and have the freedom to celebrate and worship the way our tradition teaches," Rabbi Lipper explains.
Part of the celebration, the Dreidle, which has four sides. On each side is written a Hebrew letter.
"And so the 4 letters represent a phrase nun, gimel, hei, shin-- which means a great miracle happened there. And it's the miracle of the oil that we perpetuate, but more importantly the miracle of religious freedom, that we were able to overcome overwhelming forces to worship our own way," says Rabbi Lipper.
And, the lighting of the Menorah, eight flames to represent the eight days of Hanukkah.
"So we have this myth that the Jews overcame the Syrians, found only a small jar of oil that would only burn for one day, used it to rekindle the eternal light in the sanctuary and a miracle happened and it burned for eight days," Rabbi Lipper adds.
Saturday night marks the final night of Hanukkah, when all eight lights will shine together brightly, representing triumph and miracles.
Lights on the Menorah shine brightly at B'Nai Israel in Little Rock as part of the holiday also known as the Festival of Lights.
"I believe Hanukkah represents the truest re-telling of the struggle of the Jewish people for religious freedom," says Rabbi David Lipper, Interim Rabbi for Congregation B'nai Israel.
Rabbi Lipper says the religious holiday commemorates the Jewish uprising in the 2nd Century B.C. against the Syrian-Greeks, who sought to deny Jews the right to worship.
"So after a long battle, many years of struggle, the Jews were able to overcome this group of people and retake our own sanctuary in Jerusalem, and have the freedom to celebrate and worship the way our tradition teaches," Rabbi Lipper explains.
Part of the celebration, the Dreidle, which has four sides. On each side is written a Hebrew letter.
"And so the 4 letters represent a phrase nun, gimel, hei, shin-- which means a great miracle happened there. And it's the miracle of the oil that we perpetuate, but more importantly the miracle of religious freedom, that we were able to overcome overwhelming forces to worship our own way," says Rabbi Lipper.
And, the lighting of the Menorah, eight flames to represent the eight days of Hanukkah.
"So we have this myth that the Jews overcame the Syrians, found only a small jar of oil that would only burn for one day, used it to rekindle the eternal light in the sanctuary and a miracle happened and it burned for eight days," Rabbi Lipper adds.
Saturday night marks the final night of Hanukkah, when all eight lights will shine together brightly, representing triumph and miracles.
