We have arrived at the 50th and final day of Counting the Omer. We have traveled from Egypt and stand at the foot of Mt. Sinai. We have received the Word of God and have entered into a covenant with Him. We started this journey by celebrating Passover and now we conclude by celebrating Shavuot.
In order to help his disciples understand what history-altering events were about to take place, he needed to remind them of his three-fold purpose. Although he did so implicitly, it’s not hard to see when we look a little closer. Let’s tackle them one at a time.
Covenants are supposed to be bilateral, and conditional. Two (or more) parties should be responsible to hold up their end, or else the covenant is breached. But God had something very different in mind.
Would the story of Christmas, of Jesus and his birth, be possible without the Maccabees? Perhaps not. Without the Maccabees where would the Jews be?
When I think about Yom Kippur, I think about Pinocchio. What? Why Pinocchio? He’s probably most famous for his nose that gets longer every time he tells a lie. And yes, you could draw a connection to Yom Kippur, as we strive to be transparent about our sins. (They will find us out, after all.) But that’s not the most important thing about him. The most important thing is that Pinocchio was a wooden puppet who wanted to become a real boy.
This is it! Today Fran and I are headed to Israel! It’s her first time, and my first time in 25 years. I didn’t think it would be this long but it just never worked out to go. But now is the time.
Understanding Why We Celebrate
Even though Hanukkah ends today the stories never do, because the bravery, commitment, dedication and devotion to Adonai stays with us. The Maccabees were unwilling to bow to the ruling powers that said “Deny your God or die.”
What does Hanukkah have to do with Christmas, you might ask? Yes, they happen about the same time. Yes, both have lights and presents and parties and sugary treats. But the connection goes much deeper than that.