Chanukah, the Festival of Lights

[Carmen Elsa Irarragorri Wyland]

As with all traditional Holidays and Celebrations of a religious nature, Kabbalah has a different view of them, and it goes to the root of the matter, and the original reason for those special times of the year when those celebrations occur.

In Kabbalah  they are called "windows of opportunity", because they are openings in the time construct of the year, where specific things can be accomplished when we use the proper technology.

During the month of Kislev (Sagittarius), which we call "the month of miracles", ruled by Jupiter, on the  25th day of the Moon, there is a greater opportunity for so called miracles to take place, during eight days, five within this month and three within the next Lunar month of Tevet.

Since in the past, some miraculous events, which the Jewish people dutifully celebrate as a commemoration for the victory over the Greek oppressors, performed by a handful of Priests, the Mackabim, causing the downfall of the Greek empire that ensued with this one loss for them, it is assumed that it was a miracle of a very special sort.  Additionally, on that occasion, they found in the desecrated Holy Temple of the Israelite, by the Greeks, an oil vial with a very specially consciousness charged oil, that would normally have lasted  one day, to last for eight consecutive days.

But even the eight days of this miracle is very symbolic, because of the nature of what occurs during these two Lunar months.

During these eight days, that if properly done, we should make our connections by lighting some oil, in what has come down to be called the Chanukiah (the Menorah used during this time and for this connection, which instead of seven candles, holds nine) we have the opportunity to reach Binah. But not the Higher Binah, but Binah of Hod,  Binah of Netzah and  Binah of Yesod, which are closer to Malchut, than the proper Binah.

This is a time, therefore, that we can use as a second Rosh Hashanah, to accomplish what we might not have been able to accomplish then. All the changes and the new life we intended to bring to ourselves during the work we did on Rosh Hashanah, and what followed, whatever we fail to accomplish then, we can resume it and do it now.

According to the "Al Hanisim", which is read during the connections of Purim and Chanukah,  never mind the victory that people think they are celebrating during Chanukah, instead, it explains that the victory resulted from the total support of the Creator, that was revealed on that day, much like the miracle of the Exodus from Egypt, when the creator took the Israelites and led them out of Egypt. The defeat of the Greek, as we know, was not the result of the military power of the Israelites, but rather a result of the revelation of the Creator's power: a burst of Light that freed the Israelites from the Greek's oppression on this day of all days.

According to the Ari, from the Talmud it is known that the Cohanim of the Chashmona'i family, led the revolt.  Such a phenomenon has never been mentioned before in the history of the Israelites. Indeed no case has ever been mentioned of any occasion where the Cohanim would stand at the head of any army. They were always in the Temple and did not leave it for any other activity. This particular detail hints at what may had occurred during Chanukah.

To me, it is obvious that since the Greek had desecrated the Temple, the Cohanim would not have been there, anyway.  But since it was his own rightful place to be, he was just defending what belonged to him and trying to be placed anew where he belonged.

The Rav states that the Land of Israel is holy, and that the Temple was built there for that reason, is not that the  Land of Israel became holy because the Temple was built there, therefore, even though the Greek desecrated  the Holy Temple, holiness did not depart from Israel.

Chanukah is mentioned in the Torah in a concealed manner. All the festivals mentioned on the Torah are cosmic events, which is to say that on these days the Gates of Heaven open up.  But what does this means? Does it imply that the gates of Heaven are closed in the rest of the days? Specifically, these days of connection, are opportunities given to connect to certain energies that flow down from the upper worlds.
Chanukah, Rosh Hashanah, Pesach and Sukkot are not year round holidays, they are events that assist us in the injection of energies and that is why we are happy when they arrive.  Our exposure to these energies is similar to the retracting headlights of a car: we push a button and the headlights pop up , and the light shine out. All the other times, the headlights are covered, and therefore they do not give light.

These is what occurs in the cosmos, when certain energies are pushed out and Light can be obtained from them.

But why is the spiritual light of those special events not revealed on any other day? The Zohar and the Ari explain that we must always recognize the "klipot" (spiritual shells) which exist in the World in order so that we may be able to remove the "bread of shame" or earn our own light.  In effect the Creator pitted the pure system against the impure one, so that true freedom of choice might be exercised  . Were not for the klipot, all of us would be good all the time and there would be no possibility, then, of removing bread of shame.
At the same time we do not wish to nourish the klipot more than is necessary for their actual existence. If the Light of these connection days were exposed throughout the entire year, with no restriction, the klipot incessantly would feed of it, and that is something that we do not want.  It is like when we give to children all they want, without restriction, we are hurting them more than helping them. Therefore the Light is revealed only for certain restricted, measured periods of time.

We know that no holiday is celebrated in remembrance of any specific physical or historical event, therefore we ask, why was the jar of oil discovered on the 25th day of the Moon of Kislev, and why the Chashmona'im defeated the Greek on that same day?  Let us go to the root, the source, to investigate and seek out the spiritual reason that brought about the historic events related to this holiday.

Since Chanukah is considered a holiday, then is obvious that a cosmic event occurred on the 25th day of Kislev, the result of which was the victory of the Maccabim over the Greeks. To be sure many cosmic events affect our lives, the tides are a result of the magnetic pull of the Moon over the Earth, and our characteristics and way of life are affected by the twelve signs of the Zodiac, the Moon, the Sun and the planets of our solar system.  In much the same way the Torah explains that Pesach ( Passover ) and other days of connection, mark cosmic influences.

These, so called, holidays were intended to supply us with knowledge regarding the cosmic time schedule and the opportunities that we have to connect to the reservoir of energy.   Whenever we feel weak,  and wish to strengthen ourselves, we eat something, go to a doctor, or read a book, but  none of these solutions truly protect us from negative energy.

Listening to music may temporarily improve our moods, but it can not thwart and intrusion into our home or deliver us from accidents and disease. There is not a physical solution that offers a comprehensive, balanced response to all the problems and challenges that life places before us. Chanukah is not a holiday to commemorate a military victory, nor is a holiday where we eat donuts, or where we exchange gifts with our family members.  Instead, it is a day that offers a solution to all of life's problems.  In short, the Festival of Lights (Chanukah) enables us to connect to the reservoir of the energy of life, health, success, safety and continuity.

But if we are given the opportunity to connect with the Light on these connection days, what is to prevent the "klipot" from receiving the same Light? In the Zohar, Rav Shimon bar Yohai, explains that when the light is revealed to us, it is revealed indirectly, in an encrypted manner, so that only by means of meditation and special actions, can we connect to it. This is the reason why Rav Shimon came into the World and taught the special intentions, which the Ari, later explained in greater detail.  These meditations are known only to those who study Kabbalah, and the knowledge they contain, appeared in the Universe, only in Aramaic.  As a result, Satan is not familiar with the meditations and can not take advantage of the Light that is revealed in these days of connection.

For the same reason, Rav Shimon said that there is not a chance of bringing about redemption, if Kabbalah is not studied  and the knowledge that the Zohar embodies is not applied.

Within all knowledge, there is encoded energy, and we feel the energy in the knowledge and aspire to connect to it. As long as the message in that knowledge remains encoded, however, we can not do so, and frustration results.  But after investing an effort in studying, deciphering the code, and connecting to the Light, we can enjoy the fulfillment that the Light gives us: a feeling of joy and satisfaction.  As Rav Shimon explains it is not only the light of the connection days that is decoded in the Zohar, but the entire light of the Torah, as well. Each letter is a channel for energy. Therefore, without the Wisdom of Kabbalah, we have no possibility of Connecting to the Light of the Torah.

It must be understood that this has nothing to do with the time of the Temple and the Greek , which is just a scrap of information that while teaching us how to be victorious, doe not assist us with our lives, today.

Why do we celebrate Chanukah even though it is not specifically mentioned in the Torah? Is it because of the miracles that took place on those days? Many great miracles have occurred in the course of history, but we do not mark them with a special holiday. Purim is not specifically mentioned in the Torah, but we nonetheless celebrate it every year. According to tradition, we celebrate Purim for the miracle that took place during the reign of Esther in the Persian Empire. Why, of all the miracles, do these two receive special attention and celebration?

Well, the victory of the Israeli, over the Greek that oppressed them for many years, occurred during the month of Sagittarius, which is ruled by the planet Jupiter. The miracle during the Persian empire occurred during the month of Pisces, also ruled by Jupiter.

Now, the victory over the Greek, occurred during Sagittarius, with its ruling planet Jupiter, and we must look into this month and its ruler, to find reasons why it would have happened then.  The word "keshet"  (from where Kislev derives) means arch, archery or bow and rainbow, which describe the sign of Sagittarius, and allows us to connect to the power revealed in the universe during the month of Kislev or Sagittarius, which it does not only refers to an ancient weapon ( the bow and arrow) but also to the rainbow  and the combinations of energy that the rainbow contains: right, left, and central ( white, red and green ). Without delving into a detailed explanation of the three columns and the proton, electron and neutron, the word keshet implies that something that occurs under this sign is imbued with the force of unity
expressed in an atom.  All those who know how to connect to this force, can harness it during the month of Kislev.  There is no source of nuclear energy in this Universe, more powerful than the atom. This energy is based on the balance and unity that exists between the proton, electron and neutron or the desire to receive, to share and the balance between the two or central column.

It is no accident that Sagittarius is the third month after Rosh Hashanah, because the months of the year are divided into quarters, and it belongs together with Libra and Scorpio and its position hints at the internal nature of its consciousness.  The rainbow contains within its symmetry, centralization and the balance between the right, left and central columns and this is the consciousness that brought about the expression of the energy of Jupiter. The Chashmona'im knew how to harness this energy, and that is how they defeated the Greek and performed the miracle of Chanukah.

If we delve  even deeper on all these matters, we come to the conclusion that Abraham the Patriarch in his "Sefer Yetzirah" ( Book of Formation), explains that the power of the Aramaic letters lies in the fact that all planets, all kind of energy intelligences, and all signs of the Zodiac were created by the letters of the Aramaic language (same as the Hebrew one). These  22 letters are responsible for the three columns ( right, left and central), the seven inner planets and the 12 signs of the Zodiac (3+7+12=22). This book further supplies us the cosmic information by means of which we can contact these energies. He stated that Jupiter was created with the letter Gimel, , whose numerical value is 3, and that Sagittarius was created with the letter Samech, whose numerical value is 60, thus adding to 63, which is the same  number of the Sephira Binah.

Therefore when we examine all these facts we understand that Chanukah, is encrypted in the Torah, as much as Purim is, and even though they are not mentioned as other connection days are, they really belong in there. Another thing is that they should not be called Holidays, but they should be called, days of wholeness, days of holiness, of continuity, of everlastingness, of infinity cycle flowing.