Why Hanukkah?

The Feast of the Dedication, the Festival of Lights, Hanukkah starts tomorrow night! With a number of friends who don't observe things quite like we do, and with some family, co-workers, and neighbors who remain rather unconvinced, the Hanukkah question is on many lips each year. I never tire of answering it, however, as my love and appreciation for this joyous holiday deepens as time goes on. I have many reasons for this sentiment, too - some of them spiritual, others personal. It's usually the spiritual ones that I end up sharing with my believing (or unbelieving) loved ones, though.

It often disturbs others to learn that Yeshua, too, must have loved Hanukkah. In John 10:22, we find Him in the Temple for the Feast of the Dedication - which is interesting as Hanukkah is not one of the biblical holy days Israel was commanded to observe. Yeshua's presence there indicates that He adhered to the cultural traditions of Judaism, as well as the biblical ones. Still, this lone, New Covenant passage is not convincing enough for most, no matter how enthusiastically I expound on it, and that's when a deeper perspective is offered - one of dedication, transformation and grace.

Chag Sukkot Samech!

In lieu of any information on SukkahCity 2011, please enjoy revisiting SukkahCity 2010 - especially if you're unfamiliar with last year's incredible exhibit - where the sukkah was "reimagined and renewed". I was a bit surprised and disappointed to not find a continuation of this innovative project this year, especially with all of the entrants and awesome concepts introduced last year. If anyone knows anything about this year's exhibit, please let me know.

At any rate, I wish you and yours a very blessed Sukkot - as you gaze at the stars from beneath the branches.

L'Shana Tovah!

L'Shanah Tovah Tikatevu!

A blessed Yom HaZikkaron, Yom Teruah, and Rosh HaShanah to you all. 

May HaShem inscribe you and seal you for a tremendously blessed and sweet new year.

The Feast (at least).

Then everyone who survives, of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem, will go up year after year to worship the King, the L-RD of hosts, and to celebrate Sukkot. Any of the families of earth that will not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the L-RD of hosts, will have no rain fall on their land. And if a family of Egypt does not go up to present themselves, on them no rain will fall and the L-RD will afflict them (and all the nations that do not go up to keep the festival) with a plague. This will be the punishment to Egypt, and all the nations which do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths.  Zechariah 14:16-19

What explanation will be given, and what else, if anything, will it take for the nations to finally understand that they are to obey G-d's instructions? Here, they've just finished (and failed at) their attempt to annihilate Israel, and now find themselves journeying to the New Jerusalem to present themselves before their newly (at last, visibly) enthroned King - the most astonishing, most ironic event of all time.