Why Only Hanukkah Is Celebrated as a Family

By Rabbi Etiel Goldwicht Judaism places the value of a happy marriage more than military victory, children more than soldiers, and the home more than the battlefield. I have this sweet childhood memory from Hanukkah that I take with me until today. My father would light the candles and then the entire family would sing the Hanukkah songs together. And then we'd sit on the carpet, all cozy, around my mother and father, and play family games in the glow of the menorah. It was pure moment of fun and laughter, not running anywhere, just enjoying the moment together as a family. There is something special about Hanukkah, it’s the only holiday we perform as a family. Matzah we eat individually, shofar we blow as a community, but the Hanukkah candles are lit as a family. Why is that? Perhaps the answer lies in a fascinating law about the Hanukkah candles. If one has only one candle as the Shabbat of Hanukkah is about to begin – he should use it for the shabbat candles and not for the menorah. Shabbat takes precedent. You see, Hanukkah commemorates one of the greatest military victories in Jewish history, but the Greeks didn’t just try to defeat us, they tried to break us. They knew that the secret of Jewish continuity lies in the Jewish home. That's why they tried to destroy the Jewish home with their decrees, but the Maccabees didn’t give up. The Shabbat candles symbolize peace at home. This is why the Shabbat lights take precedence, and why uniquely Hanukkah is celebrated as a family, because peace and connection in our Jewish homes is THE secret of Jewish survival and is the mission of the Jewish people as Maimonides put it – “the entire Torah was given in order to make peace in the world.” This is part of the reason why Judaism alone survived the ancient world -- because Judaism places the value of a happy marriage more than military victory, children more than soldiers, and the home more than the battlefield. As you light the Hanukkah candles, stop for a moment to appreciate and celebrate your Jewish family. Allow the light of peace and harmony, of children and family into your home, because the future of the Jewish people depends on it. For more Jewish inspiration visit https://www.aish.com – the world's leading Judaism website.