Chanukah
Should Christians celebrate Chanukah?
In 2002 AD, I was reading the Gospel of John. It caught my attention that the Man of Truth (Yeshua HaMashiach aka Jesus Christ) went to Jerusalem for the Feast of Dedication in the Winter (John 10:22-23).
I had read this verse many times before, but for some reason it just stood out. I had read a little about this Feast of Dedication before. Here is what I knew at the time.
This Feast of Dedication was to commemorate the renewal of the dedication of the Temple by the Maccabees. The dedication of the Temple had to be renewed, after it had been cleansed of the desecration caused by Antiochus Epiphanes.
Still, I felt like it needed to be examined further.
The Gospel of John uses feasts observed in Jerusalem as the basis for establishing a time line of events. All of the other feasts in the Gospel of John were the Feasts of Truth (Moedim aka Feasts of the Father of Truth) that form The Greatest Play Ever. So, there must have been something significant about this feast for the Man of Truth to go all the way to Jerusalem in the Winter to be there for it.
(The Man of Truth only went to Jerusalem for feasts in the Renewed Covenant (B'rit Chadashah aka The New Testament). The rest of the time he was always outside of Jerusalem, mostly in Galilee.)
I decided that if the Man of Truth thought that this feast of dedication was important enough to take time to celebrate it, then I wanted to do so also. After all, I want to be like him in every possible way.
So, I started investigating to find out if anyone still celebrated this feast of dedication and how they celebrated it.
Soon, I learned that it was called Chanukah (which literally means "dedication" in Hebrew) and was still celebrated by Jews. (Not surprising, since the Man of Truth is a Jew.)
I knew something about Chanukah from reading the Jerusalem Post, but I had not known that Chanukah had anything to do with the Man of Truth. So, I started with investigating it further.
I learned that it was celebrated over a period of eight nights, by lighting candles on a special nine branch candelabra called a Chanukiah. Also people played a game with a top called a dreidel each night, usually for chocolate coins covered in gold foil called gelt (literally "gold" in Yiddish). Also people ate fried food for all eight days, especially latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly donuts). Lastly, I learned that people gave presents to each other for all eight nights!
This giving presents for all eight nights alarmed me. Every year, I had to struggle to manage to get gifts for my family for one day at Christmas.
However, I was determined to do this to be more like the Man of Truth. So, I asked the Father of Truth (YHVH aka God aka THE LORD) for help in obtaining gifts for all eight nights and acquiring the things needed to celebrate it. I had never seen any of this stuff in the Christian bookstores.
I went on-line and found where I could get a Chanukiah from a Judaica store, so I ordered one. However, I did not see any dreidels. I was not sure what to do.
When my wife got back from Wal-mart, the Impossible Girl showed me this top that she had found next to our car in the parking lot. It had a Winnie the Pooh character and a Hebrew letter on each of the four sides.
As usual when we find something like this, we called the lost and found department to let them know what we found. They said that no one had reported anything like that missing, but they would call us if anyone did. We were never called about it, so now we had a dreidel, but still did not know how to use it.
However, my other daughter had just gotten an American Girl book about a Jewish immigrant girl. It told us how to play.
We also learned that there was a dreidel song. We modified it to our situation, so that it went like this:
Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel
Savannah found you on the way
Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel
Miranda taught us how to play
Next, I set out buying gifts. I did not have a lot of money, so I decided to take what I had and buy one gift for each family member. I decided that if the Father of Truth was really in this, then He would provide the rest of the gifts.
I started with the a town of Bethlehem display set that my wife wanted to put up for Christmas. (This was not a manger scene, but a village with eight buildings and figurines of livestock, shepherds, wise men, and the family of the Man of Truth.)
After my Chanukiah arrived, I was ready to use it, although I was not sure exactly how. I went on-line to find out.
I soon learned that there was a lot of disagreement on this, particularly on the candles.
There was disagreement about the colors of the candles. Some insisted that they all had to be white, while others insisted that they could be any color but white. Among the color candle camp, there were those that insisted that they candles each had to be a different color, while other insisted that they must all be the same color. There was disagreement about rather to start with eight candles on the first night and count down each night; or to start with one candle the first night and count up each night.
About the only thing that there seem to be any agreement on was that the center candle was lit first, and then used to light the other candles in a right to left order, like when you read Hebrew.
I was not surprised. I had been chatting with Rabbis in Israel about the identity of the Messiah in chat rooms for more than five years by that time. If there was anything that I learned from doing that, it was this: Ask two Rabbis the same question, and they will give you three conflicting answers.
So, the day after Thanksgiving, the first day of Chanukah that year, I gave everyone their first Chanukah gift. The Father of Truth supplied us with gifts each day, often through the mail from total strangers.
(I later learned that the gift giving was an American tradition, but people outside the US have started doing it as well. We are Americans, so we decided to continue to do so as long as the Father of Truth would give us the ability to do so - without borrowing money.)
At first, each person gave each other person a gift each night, but eventually we were being overwhelmed with gifts. (It got to the point that we were each getting fifty-six gifts, some small but a few large.) We finally had to make a rule of one gift per person per night. We mixed up who gives who a gift each night instead.
The Father of Truth supplied us with gifts for each night of Chanukah for the next sixteen years. Not once, has there been a Chanukah when there were not enough gifts - without borrowing any money. This was even true for four years of unemployment during the Obama years.
It has been as if the Father of Truth has placed His stamp of Approval on the celebration of Chanukah.
Still, I have been having some questions about celebrating Chanukah lately. Perhaps, it is just because I am cautious about anything associated with the Rabbis. After all, when it comes to many things, the Rabbis are liars. Unfortunately, it is not as simple as the Rabbis are always wrong about everything all the time.
I have also read the objections of believers who say that the Children of Truth (those who obey The Father of Truth because they love Him) should not celebrate Chanukah. They have raised up some interesting points, but those points are worth examining deeper to test their validity.
After all, our faith is not built upon personal experiences or opinions, but on the Word of Truth.
So, it is time to sort the fact from the fiction to see rather or not the Children of Truth should celebrate Chanukah. We will do this by testing the validity of many of these objections by answering questions.
Was the Man of Truth in Jerusalem during Chanukah?
It is true that the word "feast" is not in the Greek text of John 10:22. There is only the Greek word for dedication, "Egkainia". This Greek word only appears hear in the Renewed Covenant.
However, this Greek word is the translation of the Hebrew word for dedication, "Chanukah", in the Septuagint every place that it is used. For example, Chanukah is translated as Egkainia when the Altar was dedicated in the wilderness.
So, John 10:22 would literally be translated as "it was at Chanukah in Jerusalem, and it was winter."
The Man of Truth was definitely in Jerusalem during Chanukah.
Were the Jews that confronted the Man of Truth at the porch of Solomon unclean from celebrating Chanukah?
While the Porch of Solomon was in the Court of the Gentiles, it did not mean that the Jews who were there were unclean. The only way to reach the court of the Israelites, where only clean Jewish men could go, was to go through the Court of the Gentiles, and then through the Court of the Women, where only clean Jewish women could go.
The Porch of Solomon was where anyone could teach or preach to those in the Temple. This is where Peter the Jew (Sh'mon aka Simeon aka Simon aka Cephas aka The Apostle Peter) preached to the Jewish crowd after the lame man at the Beautiful Gate was healed (Acts 3:10-12). This is where the Apostles of Truth performed signs and wonders among the Jewish people (Acts 5:12).
So, these Jews confronting the Man of Truth at the porch of Solomon is not proof that they were unclean from anything.
Did the Man of Truth come into the Temple to rebuke the observation of Chanukah?
When the Man of Truth came to the Porch of Solomon, he was confronted over his claim to be the Messiah of Israel (John 10:24). It was his claim to be the Messiah of Israel that they could not bear to hear, because they were not part of his sheep (John 10:25-26).
This crowd had no power to stone him for making this claim (John 10:31-39). In fact, it was not even in the power of Pilate to crucify the Man of Truth (John 19:10-11).
So, it is certain that these Jews could not stop the Man of Truth from entering the court of the Israelites to rebuke the celebration of Chanukah.
The Man of Truth did all that the Father of Truth sent him to do (John 5:36). No one ever stopped him from doing anything that His Father told him to do.
So, we can be sure that the Man of Truth did not come into the Temple during Chanukah to rebuke the observation of Chanukah.
Why did the Man of Truth come into the Temple during Chanukah?
The Man of Truth came into the Temple after giving sight to the man born blind (John 10:21).
The light of the body of that man was his eyes (Matthew 6:22). The Man of Truth gave light to that man to show that he was the Light of the World (John 9:5-7).
So, the Man of Truth came into the Temple, when the Festival of Lights was being celebrated, because he had given light to a blind man during Chanukah. All of this was done to give witness that he was the Light of the World.
At the very least, he was redeeming the time by taking advantage of the celebration of Chanukah.
Are the Feasts of Truth (Moedim aka Feasts of the Father of Truth) the only celebrations allowed by the Law of Truth (Torah aka The Law)?
In the Original Covenant (Tanakh aka The Old Testament), there are three Hebrew words that are usually translated as "Feast" in the King James Version (KJV). There is a corresponding Greek word for each of these Hebrew words in the Renewed Covenant, that are also usually translated as "Feast" in the KJV.
The first thing that has to be understood is the word "Feast" in the KJV. The word had several related meanings when the KJV was translated. These meanings included a celebration, and a religious observation, along with a big meal with many people.
So, the original meaning becomes obscured since three distinct Hebrew words were all translated into the same English word. Things become clearer if we translate those words into English words or phrases that match the meaning of each word.
These three words, with the English translation that best conveys their meaning are:
1) Mishteh - A regular celebration. For example, a birthday celebration.
2) Moed - An appointment. For example, a doctor appointment.
3) Chag (Pronounced K'hawg and rhymes with Dawg.) - A religious celebration. For example, the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot).
There are no commandments to observe any regular celebration (Mishteh) in the Law of Truth. However, there are many examples of the Children of Truth throwing and participating in these regular celebrations, starting with Abraham (Abram) and ending with the Man of Truth.
There are eleven events that are called an appointment (Moed) commanded in the Law of Truth. Seven of those are the Feasts of Truth that occur every year, and the rest occur in different cycles.
There are three of the Feasts of Truth that are called a religious celebration (Chag) in the Law of Truth. However, they are not the only days treated as a religious celebration in the Law of Truth, nor are they the only days called a Chag in the Book of Truth (The Bible).
The truth is that there is no commandment in the Law of Truth to only celebrate those three Feasts of Truth that are called a Chag. There are many other things that the Children of Truth can celebrate as well without violating the Law of Truth.
What can be called a Chag?
Like many things, the answer is defined by context.
In the context of modern Hebrew, Chag means "holiday".
However, just like modern English, the idea of "holiday" no longer means exclusively a religious celebration, like when "holiday" meant "holy day". For example, Israelis apply the word "Chag" to Yom Ha'atzmaut (Israel Independence Day), just like Americans apply the word "holiday" to American Independence Day.
So in that sense, any celebration could be called a Chag in modern Hebrew, particularly a celebration that occurs yearly. Since Chanukah occurs yearly, it is correct in modern Hebrew to apply the word "Chag" to Chanukah.
However, this is not the case in the Hebrew used in the Original Covenant, where Chag means specifically a religious celebration. In that context, Chag cannot be applied to a national celebration like Israel Independence Day.
So, the best way to determine what can be called a Chag in the context of the Original Covenant, is to look at how it was used in the Original Covenant.
Is Chag only applied to the Feasts of Truth in the Original Covenant?
Chag is used in the Original Covenant of two related religious celebrations, besides three of the Feasts of Truth .
The first one is when Aaron set up worship of the Golden Calf and called it a Chag of the Father of Truth. The second one is when Jeroboam set up worship of the two Golden Calves as an alternative Chag to the Feast of Tabernacles.
In both of these cases, a Chag was declared to turn people away from the Father of Truth and to idol worship.
The Father of Truth put His stamp of disapproval on the Chag declared by Aaron when He sent destruction upon the participants (Exodus 32:26-35). He put His put His stamp of disapproval on the Chag declared by Jeroboam (Yeroboam) when He pronounced destruction upon the participants (1 Kings 13:1-5).
Did the Father of Truth condemn every Chag, other than the Feasts of Truth?
There was one more place in in the Original Covenant where Chag is used of a religious celebration, besides three of the Feasts of Truth. This is the Chag declared by King Solomon (Shlomo). This Chag was for the Dedication (Chanukah) of the Temple. This Chag was a one week extension for the Dedication (Chanukah) of the Temple that preceded the Feast of Tabernacles.
This Chag was declared to turn people to the Father of Truth.
The Father of Truth put His stamp of approval on Solomon declaring this Chanukah to be a Chag when the Temple was filled with His glory (1 Kings 8:10-13). The Father of Truth put His stamp of approval on Solomon declaring this Chanukah to be a Chag when He sent fire down from Heaven to consume the sacrifices (2 Chronicles 7:1-3).
This Chag was not like the Chag declared by Aaron before him, or the Chag declared by Jeroboam after him. Solomon had not call this Chag, a Chag of the Father of Truth. Solomon had not declare this Chag to be an alternative to any of the Feasts of Truth. So, Solomon did not violate the Law of Truth by declaring this Chag.
So, even though this Chag was not declared in the Law of Truth, but declared by a man, the Father of Truth still put His stamp of approval upon calling this Chanukah a Chag.
So, it was certainly alright to call that Chanukah a Chag.
Is it alright to call modern Chanukah a Chag?
So, what about the Chanukah that people celebrate today? Can Chag be applied to Chanukah today in the context of the Original Covenant?
Solomon was not only doing nothing contrary to the Law of Truth when he called that Chanukah a Chag. The Law of Truth had even set the precedent of there being a Chag besides the three Feasts of Truth called a Chag, without using the word Chag.
(The day of the New Moon is plainly a Chag, even though the word Chag is not applied to it. If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, swims like a duck, and flies like a duck, then it is probably a duck. The same principle applies to a Chag.)
Solomon was not the first to institute Chanukah for the people of Israel, when the Temple was dedicated. Moses was the first to do so, when the Tabernacle was dedicated.
The head of each of the twelve tribes of Israel participated in that first Chanukah declared by Moses (Numbers 7:11-88).
Each tribe was represented when they participated in the Chanukah of the Altar. Each tribe participated in a twelve day religious celebration where they gave extra sacrifices for that Chanukah. They each donated the really good dishes and utensils for use in that Chanukah. They donated large amounts of premium meat to be eaten at that Chanukah.
So, Solomon was following this pattern when he declared a week long Chag for the Chanukah of the Altar in his day.
Also, his father, King David, had written a Psalm for the Chanukah of his own house. He wrote this Chanukah song under the inspiration of the Father of Truth, for that is how all scripture was given (2 Timothy 3:16).
Centuries after Solomon, when the Temple was rebuilt, The Jews had another Chanukah of the Temple. Once again, large amounts of premium meats were donated by the twelve tribes of Israel to celebrate Chanukah.
(People from all twelve tribes of Israel are called Jews, because Jew means from the country of Judea (Judah). It does not mean from the tribe of Judah.)
This Chanukah was declared by Ezra and celebrated by the Jews in the twelfth month called Adar, because that is when the Temple was ready to be dedicated (Ezra 6:15-16). This Chanukah was also a religious celebration that required the priests and Levites to be carried out (Ezra 6:17-18).
This Chanukah was also a Chag, since it meets the definition of a Chag.
After the Chanukah of the rebuilt Temple, when the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt, Nehemiah (Nechemyah) declared another Chanukah celebration with gladness (Sameach).
At this Chanukah celebration there was music, singers, priests, Levites, and the rest of the people of Judah participating in religious services (Nehemiah 12:26-30). At this Chanukah celebration, the party covered Jerusalem and the sound of celebration could be heard for miles (Nehemiah 12:31-43).
So, without a doubt this Chanukah was a religious celebration, a Chag, even if the word Chag was not used.
Not only that, but the word Sameach was used to describe it. It would have been perfectly acceptable in the context of the Original Covenant for people to have greeted each other with "Chag Chanukah Sameach".
The Chanukah that was declared when the Temple was dedicated again, after it had been cleansed from the desecration by Antiochus Epiphanes centuries later, was simply following the same pattern as each previous Chanukah.
The modern Chanukah is a religious celebration declared by the Maccabees for the Chanukah of the Temple. This is no different than the ones before it that were declared by Moses or Solomon or Ezra.
The Maccabees had the same authority as these other men. They were prophesied about in the book of Daniel. They were the people who knew the Father of Truth, and did exploits to restore worship of the Father of Truth, after the Temple was desecrated (Daniel 11:30-33).
So it is perfectly in line with the context of the Original Covenant to apply the word Chag to the modern Chanukah. It is even in line with the context of the Original Covenant to even greet each other with "Chag Chanukah Sameach".
Can a yearly celebration be added without violating the Law of Truth?
The Mishteh of Purim had its date established by the actions of the enemies of the Jews, who worshiped idols.
Haman, the enemy of Mordecai, chose the days in the month of Adar to destroy the Jews across the Persian Empire by casting lots (Esther 3:6-8).
However, the days when that their enemies had chosen to destroy the Jewish people became the days that the Jews destroyed their enemies (Esther 9:1-16). The days that the Jews celebrated their victory, were the days after they destroyed their enemies (Esther 9:17-19).
Mordecai established that the Jews throughout the Persian Empire should have a yearly celebration in the month Adar, to remember their deliverance from their enemies (Esther 9:20-22). This yearly observation of Purim was ratified by the Jewish people as a celebration to be kept by their descendants (Esther 9:23-28). Mordecai and Queen Esther then confirmed that this yearly Mishteh of Purim at the appointed time (Esther 9:29-32).
This Mishteh is celebrated by giving gifts (Esther 9:22).
Mordecai, Esther, and the Jewish people were able to add this yearly celebration of Purim without violating the Law of Truth, because they did not call it a celebration that He commanded, or substitute it for a celebration that He commanded. They set aside a yearly celebration to remember how the Father of Truth had delivered the Jewish people from those who hated them. This celebration is for turning people back to the Father of Truth.
The Father of Truth put His stamp of approval on the Mishteh of Purim by including the book of Esther in the Original Covenant. Any idea that it does not belong there is from the Father of Lies (HaShatan aka Satan Aka The Devil).
The Father of Truth is not so weak that He has not been up to the task of preserving His word. There are no added books that somehow made it into the Book of Truth, just as there are no books missing from the Book of Truth. The Book of Truth is the indestructible book that contains the incorruptible Word.
In the exact same way as Purim, Chanukah was declared a yearly celebration of the deliverance of the Jews by the Maccabees and ratified the Jewish people.
In the exact same way as Purim, the date of Chanukah was determined by the actions of the enemies of the Jews.
In the exact same way as Purim, the Maccabees and the Jewish people were able to add this yearly religious celebration of Chanukah, without violating the Law of Truth, because they did not call it a celebration that He commanded, or substitute it for a celebration that He commanded. They set aside a yearly celebration to remember how the Father of Truth had delivered the Jewish people from those who hated them. This celebration is for turning people back to the Father of Truth.
In the exact same way as Purim, the Father of Lights (another name for the Father of Truth) has put His stamp of approval upon Chanukah by sending the Man of Truth to Jerusalem to reveal himself as the Light of the World during the Festival of Lights (another name for Chanukah).
In the exact same way as Purim, Chanukah is celebrated by giving gifts.
Why is there any controversy about celebrating Chanukah?
Some people object, because the descendants of the Maccabees became corrupt. This is a nonsense objection, for the descendants of King David became corrupt not long after he died. In fact, only forty years after he died, his kingdom was divided into two kingdoms as punishment for that corruption (1 Kings 11:10-12).
Things becoming corrupted after a good beginning is a consistent pattern throughout the Book of Truth.
Any corruption of Chanukah is due to the Rabbis. They have corrupted Chanukah just like they have corrupted many of the Feasts of Truth. For example, they have corrupted the Feast of Trumpets by having people say "Happy New Year", when it is not the New Year defined in the Law of Truth.
Among the ways that they have corrupted Chanukah is by making claims in the prayers spoken during the lighting of the candles on the Chanukiah, that the Father of Truth commanded the Jewish people to light those candles. The Father of Truth gave no such commandment.
So, when we light the candles, we say "Blessed be the Father of Lights who commanded us to be a light in this world, just as His Son is the Light of the World".
This restores the purpose of Chanukah turning people to the Father of Truth, for it based on His word.
The Children of Truth really are commanded to be a light in this world (Matthew 5:14-16). The Father of Truth really is the Father of Lights (James 1:17). They really are to be like the Man of Truth in this world (1 John 4:15-17).
Is Chanukah meant to be celebrated by Christians?
Purim was meant to be celebrated by Jews and by those who join themselves to Jews (Esther 9:27).
The Children of Truth are the true Jews, for the true Jew is someone who has had their heart circumcised (Romans 2:29).
The Gentile Children of Truth have been grafted into the Jewish people (Romans 11:13-17). They have been made part of the commonwealth of Israel (Ephesians 2:11-13).
So, it's not just a Jewish thing to celebrate Chanukah
Like the Maccabees, the Children of Truth should be dedicating the Temple as well. Like the Maccabees, they should be declaring that resistance is essential when the world tries to squeeze them into its mold.
They should therefore heed the warning of the Mensch who killed Christmas, and celebrate Chanukah, instead of being part of the global Christmas party.
After all, Chanukah is the story behind the story of the birth of the Man of Truth. The gift of the Maccabees was preserving the things in the land of Israel that made the Good News possible.
The Maccabees set the expectation of the faithful Prophet of Truth, who would point them to the Messiah of Israel. Matthias the Maccabee was the faithful priest, who prepared the way for John the Baptist (Yochanon the Mikvah Man) to baptize people in the wilderness.
Chanukah is about how the Maccabees helped spread the Gospel by preparing the Jewish world for the rapid spread of the Gospel.
So, Chanukah is definitely meant to be celebrated by Christians.
Of course, there is nothing to celebrate, until you come into the House of Truth. To really celebrate Chanukah, you must first come into the House of Truth. Chanukah is devoid of real meaning, until you become like the Maccabees by knowing the Father of Truth.
The only way to know the Father of Truth is by knowing the Man of Truth (Matthew 11:27). You need to make the Man of Truth the King of your life, because you believe that the Father of Truth raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9).
Come into the House of Truth!
In 2002 AD, I was reading the Gospel of John. It caught my attention that the Man of Truth (Yeshua HaMashiach aka Jesus Christ) went to Jerusalem for the Feast of Dedication in the Winter (John 10:22-23).
I had read this verse many times before, but for some reason it just stood out. I had read a little about this Feast of Dedication before. Here is what I knew at the time.
This Feast of Dedication was to commemorate the renewal of the dedication of the Temple by the Maccabees. The dedication of the Temple had to be renewed, after it had been cleansed of the desecration caused by Antiochus Epiphanes.
Still, I felt like it needed to be examined further.
The Gospel of John uses feasts observed in Jerusalem as the basis for establishing a time line of events. All of the other feasts in the Gospel of John were the Feasts of Truth (Moedim aka Feasts of the Father of Truth) that form The Greatest Play Ever. So, there must have been something significant about this feast for the Man of Truth to go all the way to Jerusalem in the Winter to be there for it.
(The Man of Truth only went to Jerusalem for feasts in the Renewed Covenant (B'rit Chadashah aka The New Testament). The rest of the time he was always outside of Jerusalem, mostly in Galilee.)
I decided that if the Man of Truth thought that this feast of dedication was important enough to take time to celebrate it, then I wanted to do so also. After all, I want to be like him in every possible way.
So, I started investigating to find out if anyone still celebrated this feast of dedication and how they celebrated it.
Soon, I learned that it was called Chanukah (which literally means "dedication" in Hebrew) and was still celebrated by Jews. (Not surprising, since the Man of Truth is a Jew.)
I knew something about Chanukah from reading the Jerusalem Post, but I had not known that Chanukah had anything to do with the Man of Truth. So, I started with investigating it further.
I learned that it was celebrated over a period of eight nights, by lighting candles on a special nine branch candelabra called a Chanukiah. Also people played a game with a top called a dreidel each night, usually for chocolate coins covered in gold foil called gelt (literally "gold" in Yiddish). Also people ate fried food for all eight days, especially latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly donuts). Lastly, I learned that people gave presents to each other for all eight nights!
This giving presents for all eight nights alarmed me. Every year, I had to struggle to manage to get gifts for my family for one day at Christmas.
However, I was determined to do this to be more like the Man of Truth. So, I asked the Father of Truth (YHVH aka God aka THE LORD) for help in obtaining gifts for all eight nights and acquiring the things needed to celebrate it. I had never seen any of this stuff in the Christian bookstores.
I went on-line and found where I could get a Chanukiah from a Judaica store, so I ordered one. However, I did not see any dreidels. I was not sure what to do.
When my wife got back from Wal-mart, the Impossible Girl showed me this top that she had found next to our car in the parking lot. It had a Winnie the Pooh character and a Hebrew letter on each of the four sides.
As usual when we find something like this, we called the lost and found department to let them know what we found. They said that no one had reported anything like that missing, but they would call us if anyone did. We were never called about it, so now we had a dreidel, but still did not know how to use it.
However, my other daughter had just gotten an American Girl book about a Jewish immigrant girl. It told us how to play.
We also learned that there was a dreidel song. We modified it to our situation, so that it went like this:
Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel
Savannah found you on the way
Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel
Miranda taught us how to play
Next, I set out buying gifts. I did not have a lot of money, so I decided to take what I had and buy one gift for each family member. I decided that if the Father of Truth was really in this, then He would provide the rest of the gifts.
I started with the a town of Bethlehem display set that my wife wanted to put up for Christmas. (This was not a manger scene, but a village with eight buildings and figurines of livestock, shepherds, wise men, and the family of the Man of Truth.)
After my Chanukiah arrived, I was ready to use it, although I was not sure exactly how. I went on-line to find out.
I soon learned that there was a lot of disagreement on this, particularly on the candles.
There was disagreement about the colors of the candles. Some insisted that they all had to be white, while others insisted that they could be any color but white. Among the color candle camp, there were those that insisted that they candles each had to be a different color, while other insisted that they must all be the same color. There was disagreement about rather to start with eight candles on the first night and count down each night; or to start with one candle the first night and count up each night.
About the only thing that there seem to be any agreement on was that the center candle was lit first, and then used to light the other candles in a right to left order, like when you read Hebrew.
I was not surprised. I had been chatting with Rabbis in Israel about the identity of the Messiah in chat rooms for more than five years by that time. If there was anything that I learned from doing that, it was this: Ask two Rabbis the same question, and they will give you three conflicting answers.
So, the day after Thanksgiving, the first day of Chanukah that year, I gave everyone their first Chanukah gift. The Father of Truth supplied us with gifts each day, often through the mail from total strangers.
(I later learned that the gift giving was an American tradition, but people outside the US have started doing it as well. We are Americans, so we decided to continue to do so as long as the Father of Truth would give us the ability to do so - without borrowing money.)
At first, each person gave each other person a gift each night, but eventually we were being overwhelmed with gifts. (It got to the point that we were each getting fifty-six gifts, some small but a few large.) We finally had to make a rule of one gift per person per night. We mixed up who gives who a gift each night instead.
The Father of Truth supplied us with gifts for each night of Chanukah for the next sixteen years. Not once, has there been a Chanukah when there were not enough gifts - without borrowing any money. This was even true for four years of unemployment during the Obama years.
It has been as if the Father of Truth has placed His stamp of Approval on the celebration of Chanukah.
Still, I have been having some questions about celebrating Chanukah lately. Perhaps, it is just because I am cautious about anything associated with the Rabbis. After all, when it comes to many things, the Rabbis are liars. Unfortunately, it is not as simple as the Rabbis are always wrong about everything all the time.
I have also read the objections of believers who say that the Children of Truth (those who obey The Father of Truth because they love Him) should not celebrate Chanukah. They have raised up some interesting points, but those points are worth examining deeper to test their validity.
After all, our faith is not built upon personal experiences or opinions, but on the Word of Truth.
So, it is time to sort the fact from the fiction to see rather or not the Children of Truth should celebrate Chanukah. We will do this by testing the validity of many of these objections by answering questions.
Was the Man of Truth in Jerusalem during Chanukah?
It is true that the word "feast" is not in the Greek text of John 10:22. There is only the Greek word for dedication, "Egkainia". This Greek word only appears hear in the Renewed Covenant.
However, this Greek word is the translation of the Hebrew word for dedication, "Chanukah", in the Septuagint every place that it is used. For example, Chanukah is translated as Egkainia when the Altar was dedicated in the wilderness.
So, John 10:22 would literally be translated as "it was at Chanukah in Jerusalem, and it was winter."
The Man of Truth was definitely in Jerusalem during Chanukah.
Were the Jews that confronted the Man of Truth at the porch of Solomon unclean from celebrating Chanukah?
While the Porch of Solomon was in the Court of the Gentiles, it did not mean that the Jews who were there were unclean. The only way to reach the court of the Israelites, where only clean Jewish men could go, was to go through the Court of the Gentiles, and then through the Court of the Women, where only clean Jewish women could go.
The Porch of Solomon was where anyone could teach or preach to those in the Temple. This is where Peter the Jew (Sh'mon aka Simeon aka Simon aka Cephas aka The Apostle Peter) preached to the Jewish crowd after the lame man at the Beautiful Gate was healed (Acts 3:10-12). This is where the Apostles of Truth performed signs and wonders among the Jewish people (Acts 5:12).
So, these Jews confronting the Man of Truth at the porch of Solomon is not proof that they were unclean from anything.
Did the Man of Truth come into the Temple to rebuke the observation of Chanukah?
When the Man of Truth came to the Porch of Solomon, he was confronted over his claim to be the Messiah of Israel (John 10:24). It was his claim to be the Messiah of Israel that they could not bear to hear, because they were not part of his sheep (John 10:25-26).
This crowd had no power to stone him for making this claim (John 10:31-39). In fact, it was not even in the power of Pilate to crucify the Man of Truth (John 19:10-11).
So, it is certain that these Jews could not stop the Man of Truth from entering the court of the Israelites to rebuke the celebration of Chanukah.
The Man of Truth did all that the Father of Truth sent him to do (John 5:36). No one ever stopped him from doing anything that His Father told him to do.
So, we can be sure that the Man of Truth did not come into the Temple during Chanukah to rebuke the observation of Chanukah.
Why did the Man of Truth come into the Temple during Chanukah?
The Man of Truth came into the Temple after giving sight to the man born blind (John 10:21).
The light of the body of that man was his eyes (Matthew 6:22). The Man of Truth gave light to that man to show that he was the Light of the World (John 9:5-7).
So, the Man of Truth came into the Temple, when the Festival of Lights was being celebrated, because he had given light to a blind man during Chanukah. All of this was done to give witness that he was the Light of the World.
At the very least, he was redeeming the time by taking advantage of the celebration of Chanukah.
Are the Feasts of Truth (Moedim aka Feasts of the Father of Truth) the only celebrations allowed by the Law of Truth (Torah aka The Law)?
In the Original Covenant (Tanakh aka The Old Testament), there are three Hebrew words that are usually translated as "Feast" in the King James Version (KJV). There is a corresponding Greek word for each of these Hebrew words in the Renewed Covenant, that are also usually translated as "Feast" in the KJV.
The first thing that has to be understood is the word "Feast" in the KJV. The word had several related meanings when the KJV was translated. These meanings included a celebration, and a religious observation, along with a big meal with many people.
So, the original meaning becomes obscured since three distinct Hebrew words were all translated into the same English word. Things become clearer if we translate those words into English words or phrases that match the meaning of each word.
These three words, with the English translation that best conveys their meaning are:
1) Mishteh - A regular celebration. For example, a birthday celebration.
2) Moed - An appointment. For example, a doctor appointment.
3) Chag (Pronounced K'hawg and rhymes with Dawg.) - A religious celebration. For example, the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot).
There are no commandments to observe any regular celebration (Mishteh) in the Law of Truth. However, there are many examples of the Children of Truth throwing and participating in these regular celebrations, starting with Abraham (Abram) and ending with the Man of Truth.
There are eleven events that are called an appointment (Moed) commanded in the Law of Truth. Seven of those are the Feasts of Truth that occur every year, and the rest occur in different cycles.
There are three of the Feasts of Truth that are called a religious celebration (Chag) in the Law of Truth. However, they are not the only days treated as a religious celebration in the Law of Truth, nor are they the only days called a Chag in the Book of Truth (The Bible).
The truth is that there is no commandment in the Law of Truth to only celebrate those three Feasts of Truth that are called a Chag. There are many other things that the Children of Truth can celebrate as well without violating the Law of Truth.
What can be called a Chag?
Like many things, the answer is defined by context.
In the context of modern Hebrew, Chag means "holiday".
However, just like modern English, the idea of "holiday" no longer means exclusively a religious celebration, like when "holiday" meant "holy day". For example, Israelis apply the word "Chag" to Yom Ha'atzmaut (Israel Independence Day), just like Americans apply the word "holiday" to American Independence Day.
So in that sense, any celebration could be called a Chag in modern Hebrew, particularly a celebration that occurs yearly. Since Chanukah occurs yearly, it is correct in modern Hebrew to apply the word "Chag" to Chanukah.
However, this is not the case in the Hebrew used in the Original Covenant, where Chag means specifically a religious celebration. In that context, Chag cannot be applied to a national celebration like Israel Independence Day.
So, the best way to determine what can be called a Chag in the context of the Original Covenant, is to look at how it was used in the Original Covenant.
Is Chag only applied to the Feasts of Truth in the Original Covenant?
Chag is used in the Original Covenant of two related religious celebrations, besides three of the Feasts of Truth .
The first one is when Aaron set up worship of the Golden Calf and called it a Chag of the Father of Truth. The second one is when Jeroboam set up worship of the two Golden Calves as an alternative Chag to the Feast of Tabernacles.
In both of these cases, a Chag was declared to turn people away from the Father of Truth and to idol worship.
The Father of Truth put His stamp of disapproval on the Chag declared by Aaron when He sent destruction upon the participants (Exodus 32:26-35). He put His put His stamp of disapproval on the Chag declared by Jeroboam (Yeroboam) when He pronounced destruction upon the participants (1 Kings 13:1-5).
Did the Father of Truth condemn every Chag, other than the Feasts of Truth?
There was one more place in in the Original Covenant where Chag is used of a religious celebration, besides three of the Feasts of Truth. This is the Chag declared by King Solomon (Shlomo). This Chag was for the Dedication (Chanukah) of the Temple. This Chag was a one week extension for the Dedication (Chanukah) of the Temple that preceded the Feast of Tabernacles.
This Chag was declared to turn people to the Father of Truth.
The Father of Truth put His stamp of approval on Solomon declaring this Chanukah to be a Chag when the Temple was filled with His glory (1 Kings 8:10-13). The Father of Truth put His stamp of approval on Solomon declaring this Chanukah to be a Chag when He sent fire down from Heaven to consume the sacrifices (2 Chronicles 7:1-3).
This Chag was not like the Chag declared by Aaron before him, or the Chag declared by Jeroboam after him. Solomon had not call this Chag, a Chag of the Father of Truth. Solomon had not declare this Chag to be an alternative to any of the Feasts of Truth. So, Solomon did not violate the Law of Truth by declaring this Chag.
So, even though this Chag was not declared in the Law of Truth, but declared by a man, the Father of Truth still put His stamp of approval upon calling this Chanukah a Chag.
So, it was certainly alright to call that Chanukah a Chag.
Is it alright to call modern Chanukah a Chag?
So, what about the Chanukah that people celebrate today? Can Chag be applied to Chanukah today in the context of the Original Covenant?
Solomon was not only doing nothing contrary to the Law of Truth when he called that Chanukah a Chag. The Law of Truth had even set the precedent of there being a Chag besides the three Feasts of Truth called a Chag, without using the word Chag.
(The day of the New Moon is plainly a Chag, even though the word Chag is not applied to it. If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, swims like a duck, and flies like a duck, then it is probably a duck. The same principle applies to a Chag.)
Solomon was not the first to institute Chanukah for the people of Israel, when the Temple was dedicated. Moses was the first to do so, when the Tabernacle was dedicated.
The head of each of the twelve tribes of Israel participated in that first Chanukah declared by Moses (Numbers 7:11-88).
Each tribe was represented when they participated in the Chanukah of the Altar. Each tribe participated in a twelve day religious celebration where they gave extra sacrifices for that Chanukah. They each donated the really good dishes and utensils for use in that Chanukah. They donated large amounts of premium meat to be eaten at that Chanukah.
So, Solomon was following this pattern when he declared a week long Chag for the Chanukah of the Altar in his day.
Also, his father, King David, had written a Psalm for the Chanukah of his own house. He wrote this Chanukah song under the inspiration of the Father of Truth, for that is how all scripture was given (2 Timothy 3:16).
Centuries after Solomon, when the Temple was rebuilt, The Jews had another Chanukah of the Temple. Once again, large amounts of premium meats were donated by the twelve tribes of Israel to celebrate Chanukah.
(People from all twelve tribes of Israel are called Jews, because Jew means from the country of Judea (Judah). It does not mean from the tribe of Judah.)
This Chanukah was declared by Ezra and celebrated by the Jews in the twelfth month called Adar, because that is when the Temple was ready to be dedicated (Ezra 6:15-16). This Chanukah was also a religious celebration that required the priests and Levites to be carried out (Ezra 6:17-18).
This Chanukah was also a Chag, since it meets the definition of a Chag.
After the Chanukah of the rebuilt Temple, when the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt, Nehemiah (Nechemyah) declared another Chanukah celebration with gladness (Sameach).
At this Chanukah celebration there was music, singers, priests, Levites, and the rest of the people of Judah participating in religious services (Nehemiah 12:26-30). At this Chanukah celebration, the party covered Jerusalem and the sound of celebration could be heard for miles (Nehemiah 12:31-43).
So, without a doubt this Chanukah was a religious celebration, a Chag, even if the word Chag was not used.
Not only that, but the word Sameach was used to describe it. It would have been perfectly acceptable in the context of the Original Covenant for people to have greeted each other with "Chag Chanukah Sameach".
The Chanukah that was declared when the Temple was dedicated again, after it had been cleansed from the desecration by Antiochus Epiphanes centuries later, was simply following the same pattern as each previous Chanukah.
The modern Chanukah is a religious celebration declared by the Maccabees for the Chanukah of the Temple. This is no different than the ones before it that were declared by Moses or Solomon or Ezra.
The Maccabees had the same authority as these other men. They were prophesied about in the book of Daniel. They were the people who knew the Father of Truth, and did exploits to restore worship of the Father of Truth, after the Temple was desecrated (Daniel 11:30-33).
So it is perfectly in line with the context of the Original Covenant to apply the word Chag to the modern Chanukah. It is even in line with the context of the Original Covenant to even greet each other with "Chag Chanukah Sameach".
Can a yearly celebration be added without violating the Law of Truth?
The Mishteh of Purim had its date established by the actions of the enemies of the Jews, who worshiped idols.
Haman, the enemy of Mordecai, chose the days in the month of Adar to destroy the Jews across the Persian Empire by casting lots (Esther 3:6-8).
However, the days when that their enemies had chosen to destroy the Jewish people became the days that the Jews destroyed their enemies (Esther 9:1-16). The days that the Jews celebrated their victory, were the days after they destroyed their enemies (Esther 9:17-19).
Mordecai established that the Jews throughout the Persian Empire should have a yearly celebration in the month Adar, to remember their deliverance from their enemies (Esther 9:20-22). This yearly observation of Purim was ratified by the Jewish people as a celebration to be kept by their descendants (Esther 9:23-28). Mordecai and Queen Esther then confirmed that this yearly Mishteh of Purim at the appointed time (Esther 9:29-32).
This Mishteh is celebrated by giving gifts (Esther 9:22).
Mordecai, Esther, and the Jewish people were able to add this yearly celebration of Purim without violating the Law of Truth, because they did not call it a celebration that He commanded, or substitute it for a celebration that He commanded. They set aside a yearly celebration to remember how the Father of Truth had delivered the Jewish people from those who hated them. This celebration is for turning people back to the Father of Truth.
The Father of Truth put His stamp of approval on the Mishteh of Purim by including the book of Esther in the Original Covenant. Any idea that it does not belong there is from the Father of Lies (HaShatan aka Satan Aka The Devil).
The Father of Truth is not so weak that He has not been up to the task of preserving His word. There are no added books that somehow made it into the Book of Truth, just as there are no books missing from the Book of Truth. The Book of Truth is the indestructible book that contains the incorruptible Word.
In the exact same way as Purim, Chanukah was declared a yearly celebration of the deliverance of the Jews by the Maccabees and ratified the Jewish people.
In the exact same way as Purim, the date of Chanukah was determined by the actions of the enemies of the Jews.
In the exact same way as Purim, the Maccabees and the Jewish people were able to add this yearly religious celebration of Chanukah, without violating the Law of Truth, because they did not call it a celebration that He commanded, or substitute it for a celebration that He commanded. They set aside a yearly celebration to remember how the Father of Truth had delivered the Jewish people from those who hated them. This celebration is for turning people back to the Father of Truth.
In the exact same way as Purim, the Father of Lights (another name for the Father of Truth) has put His stamp of approval upon Chanukah by sending the Man of Truth to Jerusalem to reveal himself as the Light of the World during the Festival of Lights (another name for Chanukah).
In the exact same way as Purim, Chanukah is celebrated by giving gifts.
Why is there any controversy about celebrating Chanukah?
Some people object, because the descendants of the Maccabees became corrupt. This is a nonsense objection, for the descendants of King David became corrupt not long after he died. In fact, only forty years after he died, his kingdom was divided into two kingdoms as punishment for that corruption (1 Kings 11:10-12).
Things becoming corrupted after a good beginning is a consistent pattern throughout the Book of Truth.
Any corruption of Chanukah is due to the Rabbis. They have corrupted Chanukah just like they have corrupted many of the Feasts of Truth. For example, they have corrupted the Feast of Trumpets by having people say "Happy New Year", when it is not the New Year defined in the Law of Truth.
Among the ways that they have corrupted Chanukah is by making claims in the prayers spoken during the lighting of the candles on the Chanukiah, that the Father of Truth commanded the Jewish people to light those candles. The Father of Truth gave no such commandment.
So, when we light the candles, we say "Blessed be the Father of Lights who commanded us to be a light in this world, just as His Son is the Light of the World".
This restores the purpose of Chanukah turning people to the Father of Truth, for it based on His word.
The Children of Truth really are commanded to be a light in this world (Matthew 5:14-16). The Father of Truth really is the Father of Lights (James 1:17). They really are to be like the Man of Truth in this world (1 John 4:15-17).
Is Chanukah meant to be celebrated by Christians?
Purim was meant to be celebrated by Jews and by those who join themselves to Jews (Esther 9:27).
The Children of Truth are the true Jews, for the true Jew is someone who has had their heart circumcised (Romans 2:29).
The Gentile Children of Truth have been grafted into the Jewish people (Romans 11:13-17). They have been made part of the commonwealth of Israel (Ephesians 2:11-13).
So, it's not just a Jewish thing to celebrate Chanukah
Like the Maccabees, the Children of Truth should be dedicating the Temple as well. Like the Maccabees, they should be declaring that resistance is essential when the world tries to squeeze them into its mold.
They should therefore heed the warning of the Mensch who killed Christmas, and celebrate Chanukah, instead of being part of the global Christmas party.
After all, Chanukah is the story behind the story of the birth of the Man of Truth. The gift of the Maccabees was preserving the things in the land of Israel that made the Good News possible.
The Maccabees set the expectation of the faithful Prophet of Truth, who would point them to the Messiah of Israel. Matthias the Maccabee was the faithful priest, who prepared the way for John the Baptist (Yochanon the Mikvah Man) to baptize people in the wilderness.
Chanukah is about how the Maccabees helped spread the Gospel by preparing the Jewish world for the rapid spread of the Gospel.
So, Chanukah is definitely meant to be celebrated by Christians.
Of course, there is nothing to celebrate, until you come into the House of Truth. To really celebrate Chanukah, you must first come into the House of Truth. Chanukah is devoid of real meaning, until you become like the Maccabees by knowing the Father of Truth.
The only way to know the Father of Truth is by knowing the Man of Truth (Matthew 11:27). You need to make the Man of Truth the King of your life, because you believe that the Father of Truth raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9).
Come into the House of Truth!
Labels: Celebrations, Chanukah, Holidays
posted by The House Of Truth @ December 22, 2019
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