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Candles of Chanukah
17 December 2006

Light a candle for me,
and another for you.
A candle of our love,
and eight candles to number nine.

Your candle and my own,
together burning upon Chanukah.
This festive season of dedication,
a new horizon, the environment of our love.

Void of selfish feeling, close in warmth.
Our love to triumph over tomorrow,
a cleansing in the awakening of a new year.

The servant as to the master,
in talents and thoughts to share.
My candle for you, my friendship to bare.

Out in the open, not hidden behind a cloud.
My candle and your candle, a flame side by side.
This love of two peoples, souls of woman and man,
Light your candle, and I will in same,
then together unity will be our name.

Chanukah is an 8-day Jewish festival to commemorate the victory of the Maccabees in taking back the temple in Jerusalem from the oppressors, and has no relation to Christmas, although is observed in the month of December. It is essentially about triumphing over religious persecution.

The temple had to be cleansed, and then they only found one day's worth of sanctified oil for the menorah. That small amount of oil burned miraculously for 8 days during the time of dedication of the temple, time enough for more oil to be sanctified. Chanukah means Dedication.

Candles are lit each night for the 8 nights of Chanukah to remember the miracle-1 candle the first night, 2 the second night, 3 the third night, and so on until all 8 are lit on the final night. A 9th candle (known as The Servant) is used to light the Chanukah candles each night, and it is usually seen in the middle of the 9-branch chanukiah.

© 2006 Christopher W Herbert (a New Zealand Poet)

a poet who cares

a poet who cares