It's a symbol of hope, of believing, and of miracles. noted that Hanukkah is widely believed to be about celebrating the miracle of having enough oil to keep the menorah’s lights burning for eight days at a time when there was only enough oil for one night. So what would be better than a collection of Hanukkah poems to help celebrate the festival of lights? I've always imagined that lighting the menorah each night would be accompanied by some kind of reading (and blessings are typically said out loud, shared ) - kind of like how I always read the story of Jesus's birth to my own daughter on Christmas Eve. 1Ībsent the Temple and the menorah we are unable to literally fulfill this commandment today.I'm not Jewish, but I've always been incredibly fond of Hanukkah and have wished I could join in on a friend's traditions more times than I can count. The lighting of the perpetual lamp and the placing of the scrolls of the Law in the Ark are the principal ceremonies in the dedication of a synagogue. 9 would imply a tradition of two lights burning perpetually. 8, § 3, three lights burned day and night in the Temple and, again, Tamid iii. 10-18) according to Josephus, "Ant." iii. The general tradition is that this lamp was never allowed to go out, while the other six lamps burned only during the night (Tamid vi. 1), is usually referred to in the Talmud as the "western light" ("ner ha-ma'arabi"), it being the lamp upon the central shaft of the candlestick. The perpetual light in the Temple, which is mentioned by classical writers (pseudo-Hecatæus, in Josephus, "Contra Ap." i. Ex 27:20 Lev 24:2) to the Synagogue as the "lesser Temple" ("miḳdash me'aṭ" Meg. The institution of the perpetual light descended from the Temple (comp. In synagogues a perpetual light is maintained in a lamp which consists generally of a glass vessel containing a wick burning in olive-oil this is held in an ornamental metal receptacle suspended from the ceiling in front of the "Holy Ark," or "Aron ha-Ḳodesh," just as the candlestick ("menorah") in the Tabernacle and Temple had its place before the Ark of the Covenant. Absent the Temple a light is kept perpetually lit in synagogues throughout the world (whether oil lamps, gas lamps, or electric lights). Traditional observance of this commandment is found in the Temple observance. Messiah fulfilled this commandment by not performing it since it was given explicitly to the Levitical priests and He was not from the tribe of Levi. Just as the menorah has "tongues of fire" above each of the branches, "tongues of fire" of the Holy Spirit came upon the believers at Pentecost (Acts 2:3). Messiah said that after His departure the Father would send the "Helper" (John 14:26) and indeed the Holy Spirit came upon the believers at Pentecost. The center branch of the seven-branched menorah was called the shamash which means "the helper". Just as the menorah is made entirely of solid gold so too Messiah was entirely righteous and holy. Gold symbolizes righteousness and holiness. The menorah pictures Messiah: He is the light of the world (John 8:12). Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. Messiah implicitly affirmed this commandment when He spoke about the Law: