Many Menorahs

 For with You is the source of life.

By Your light we shall see light.  

Psalm 36:10(9)

1.

The first candles are lit tomorrow! In preparation for Hannukah, I have gathered some menorahs and our home one is not even out yet, as these are taking up all the room,  they are waiting in preparation!

I'm "going menorah crazy!!"
Tomorrow is the first night of Hannukah.
This year I wanted to have a menorah for every occasion and window in my life!
So there is the one for our home,
the one I will bring to light at my daughters,
the one I made out of clay for the lobby in our building, and
this year there is the one that I will light in a place yet to be determined, or I might just carry it around!  It runs on batteries so I can decide later!!  I have  few ideas! 

2.

Don't hide your light

Let your light shine before men so they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.  --Matthew 5:16

Hannukah is a festival where we can and are invited to take our light out into the world.  It is exactly the message of Yeshua and the gospel, to be the light in the world!! It is a wonderful festival of miracles and Light.  Hannukah is thought to be considered one of the "minor" festivals of the Hebrew calendar.  But I think that like the tiny vial of oil that became a miracle lasting eight nights, enough for the Jewish people to re-dedicate the temple to ADONAI, there is a lot more to be revealed about Hannukah!  The victory of the Maccabees and the victory we see in another "minor" Hebrew feast of Purim,  were both amazing testimonies of the Jewish people that they would never bow down to other gods and assimilate into worldly ways,  The story of Esther and the story of Judah Macabbee are  victories for God's people and of being a light in the world by walking in God's ways.   I think in the same way that the little vial of oil went a long way, there is a lot more that will be revealed about Hannukah in the days of increasing light!

Then your light will break forth like the dawn,

and your healing will spring up speedily.

Your righteousness will go before you,

the glory of ADONAI as your rear guard.   

Isaiah 58:8

The shamash candle is the one that lights all the others, also known as the attendant or servant candle

3. The Shamash candle

The middle candle on the menorah that is used to light all the others is called the Shamash.
This light represents the light of  Messiah Yeshua who is the Light by which we are to be the light.  We first light the Shamash, which means attendant or servant, and use it to light the candles in each night.

As I  was making the 9 candles for my paper clay menorah, somehow I realized the  Hebrew letters of the word "shamash" also looks like a menorah with 7 lights!! The menorah that constantly stayed lit in the Holy of Holies and in the Holy Temple has 7 lights.  The Hannukiah, or menorah we use at Hannukah has eight to represent the miracle of the oil burning eight nights. Doesn't the word itself look like the menorah?!
The two "shins" with the "mem" in the middle.
And there are 7 "flames" on the tips of the letters!! 

We see the shamash as representing  Messiah Yeshua and his light which lights all the other candles.

From His light we are to be light.

Shemesh, written with the same Hebrew letters as "shamash" but with different vowels,  means sun, and the similarity is certainly meant to have a connection but to remember the sun is put in place by God, but the sun  is not a god to be worshiped.  Yeshua is the sun of righteousness who will come with Healing in His wings!!  From His Light we shall see light.  (see the Hebrew word shemesh which here means sun, highlighted in orange below)

But for you who revere My Name,
the sun of righteousness will rise,
with healing in its wings.
Then you will go forth and skip about 
like calves from the stall. 

--Malachi 3:20 (4:2)

 וְזָרְחָה לָכֶם יִרְאֵי שְׁמִי, שֶׁמֶשׁ צְדָקָה, וּמַרְפֵּא, בִּכְנָפֶיהָ; וִיצָאתֶם וּפִשְׁתֶּם, כְּעֶגְלֵי מַרְבֵּק

4.
The first night of Hannukah is tomorrow, December 2nd at sundown.  Hannukah lasts for eight nights.  For those who are feeling in their spirit to observe Hannukah, even if you never have, this could be a great year to start!!
For starters, or even if you have always celebrated Hannukah, there is a

DIY guide to Hannukah, at HIS ISRAEL

which is beautifully put together to include everything from making your own Hannukah Menorah (called a Hannukiah), to songs and recipes and stories for all eight nights!!  Hope you might head over to His Israel, while there is still a day before the start of Hannukah! The link is HERE, and posted on the sidebar for your reference.

Please also see on Aritha's blog she has blessed us with a post about Hannukah  from One for Israel, which can be found on Aritha's blog HERE.

Blessings and Shalom!!

About the electric menorah---this is something I have always wanted since I came back to observing the Hannukah feast about 3 years ago in Japan.  I am from Long Island and a fond remembrance is going to visit my Grandfather and in the lobby in the apartment building where he moved in his later years, there was always an Electric Menorah shining the lights of Hannukah!! In many apartment and office buildings in Long Island and New York it is common to see an electric Menorah welcoming in the lobby!! So this one really makes me feel at home! Actuallyit is battery operated, which is even better!! Its still not completely unwrapped, but I tested it and you can see the "shamash" is lit!! I am not sure where it will go, as I have been making the paper clay one for our lobby in the apartment...will see! Meanwhile it is almost Hannukah!

 מִמִּזְרַח-שֶׁמֶשׁ עַד-מְבוֹאוֹ--    מְהֻלָּל, שֵׁם יְהוָה

From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, the name of the LORD is to be praised.

--Psalm 113:3

Happy Hannukah!

Love
♡
Shayndel