Question: The holiday of Hanukkah is also called the holiday of Light and it was established in the 2^nd century BC. The rebellious Maccabees defeated the Greeks, Syrians, and Jews who joined the Greeks, that is, Hellenized Jews.

The Temple was liberated, cleansed, and the temple service began. And it seems like a Jewish holiday was taking place here. But you once said that the Hanukkah holiday is a holiday of light for the whole world. Can you explain this?

Answer: Because as it were, the connection between the people was restored, and through it, with the peoples of the whole world with the upper source of light.

Question: Through the Temple?

Answer: Through the concept of what a Temple is. It is a spiritual place, not a physical one, where there is connection between people—and it does not matter which people and how—and the Creator. That is, if people want to get closer to the Creator, then the place of their rapprochement, connection, merging, unity, and gathering is called a Temple.

Question: Whenever Hanukkah is mentioned, it is said that the Temple was purified. What is purification?

Answer: Cleansing from all harmful thoughts and intentions that were egoistic. And people who wanted to get closer to the Creator had to take on His qualities—the qualities of bestowal and love. “Love thy neighbor as thyself.”

And they achieved it. That is why it is called cleansing and purification of the Temple. It is in the hearts of people. No building, no rocks, and nothing else. That is, the Temple is in us.

Question: And when it is said that the people have purified the Temple, these rebellious people—did they purify it?

Answer: People have purified their hearts and connected everything together in mutual love. And then they began to feel spiritual qualities in this connection with each other. This is called a miracle.

Question: And when they say “the miracle of Hanukkah,” when they found one small jug of pure oil, the lamp was supposed to burn for eight days, and there was only oil for one day. And yet, the lamp was lit, and it burned for eight days. They say this was a miracle of Hanukkah.

What kind of a miracle is this when everything seems to be above reason: we think that this is for one day, but it burns for eight days? What kind of a miracle is this?

Answer: This is because people wanted to be united among them and raise their feelings from themselves, everyone together, to the Creator, to this common quality. And this common quality that was revealed between them was the manifestation of the miracle of Hanukkah.

Question: What are these high-calorie donuts that we eat on Hanukkah?

Answer: They are all kinds of manifestations of this celebration. When the oil, which embodies the connection between people, the intention of bestowal and love for the Creator, and so on, manifests itself in such a way that everything is made in oil. And this is, so to say, the main subject of Hanukkah.

Question: Why are they so sweet? Children eat them with pleasure.

Answer: Because that is how it should be. This miracle that happens when we annul our egoism and want to connect with each other is sweet.

Question: Why is this holiday also called a children’s holiday?

Answer: On one hand because there are practically no restrictions in it, and it only talks about love and connection, about communication, about rapprochement of people with each other. And besides, this is the beginning of the rebirth of people, the rapprochement of people among themselves.

Question: That is what this holiday is?

Answer: Yes.

Question: So, you are saying that this is a global holiday, it concerns the whole world?

Answer: Not only global, it is a great holiday.

It is a great holiday indeed. We look at it as if it is just donuts and lighting candles every day, and that is all there is. But in fact, this is a great holiday when people ignite in their hearts the connection between them and the love for the Creator.
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From KabTV’s “News with Michael Laitman” 12/15/22

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