To the readers of the Kommersant newspaper – Kommersant Newspaper No. 235 (7436) dated 12/19/2022

Festival of Lights

Today, Jews all over the world celebrate Hanukkah – a very beloved and popular holiday. The word “hanukkah” in translation means “renewal”, “sanctification”. It is also called the “festival of lights”, and it lasts eight days. A holiday is celebrated in memory of the victory of the Maccabees in 138 BC over the Greco-Syrian invaders who tried to eradicate Jewish culture with fire and sword: the Torah scrolls were burned, circumcision, the study of the Torah, the observance of the Sabbath and holidays were forbidden. For violation of these prohibitions, Jews were threatened with executions, and a statue of Zeus was erected in the Jerusalem Temple. At that time, Greek culture attracted many Jews, but when a terrible danger hung over the faith of the fathers, many of those who did not always observe the rites and laws of the Torah responded to the call of the high priest Matityahu Hasmoney, who refused to worship Greek idols and raised an armed uprising. After the death of Mattityahu, his son, Yehuda Maccabeus, continued his work, under whose leadership the Jews won one victory after another and little by little liberated their native land and Jerusalem from the enemy. It was a war not for power and not for territory, but for spiritual independence from alien influences. Entering the Jerusalem Temple, the liberators immediately set to work: it was necessary to cleanse the Temple of filth, to take out the statue of Zeus and numerous other idols. The golden temple menorah was stolen, and an iron one had to be made and installed instead. Oil was needed to light the menorah. But in the whole Temple there was only one jar of oil, sealed with the seal of the high priest, and there was only enough oil in it for one day of burning. The rest of the butter was desecrated by the invaders, and it took eight days to make new butter. It was impossible to postpone the ceremony of worship, and then Yehuda decided to pour the available oil into the menorah. And a miracle happened: the fire in the menorah burned all eight days. In memory of the miracle that happened, the next year these days were made holidays. To this day, the cleansing of the Temple and the miracle of the Hanukkah menorah are for Jews all over the world an inextinguishable symbol of hope and joy, a symbol of fortitude and fidelity to primordial traditions. On the days of Hanukkah, it is customary to treat everyone with sweet donuts and exchange funny gifts. Children especially like this holiday because they are given toys or money, called Hanukkah geld, with which they can buy sweets.

I congratulate the readers of the Kommersant newspaper on the bright holiday of Hanukkah and wish you health, peace and prosperity. Let the pure light add to the hearts of all people a bit of love, kindness and mutual consent.

Adolf Shayevich, Chief Rabbi of Russia