Elephants

Night Music - II

Hanukkiah III

Most of us know the story of Hanukkah, with the Menorah and the jar of oil that lasted longer than expected. But according to Pesikta Rabbati (an early medieval Jewish collection of writings on the Jewish holidays), there is another version of story, which says that when the Maccabees re-entered the Temple after defeating the Greeks, “they found there eight spits of iron.

They grooved these out, and kindled wicks in the oil they poured into the grooves.” (2:1. Trans. W.G. Braude, The Book of Legends). Hanukkah could have just been a holiday about military victory, the triumph of the outnumbered Jews against their mightier foes. But according to this source, the Maccabees follow the vision of Isaiah (2:4): “ they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”

They found iron weapons, and turned them into vessels for light. When you light your candles tonight, try to envision that first Hanukkiah made of iron. How will you help transform aggression into light?

Todd on Tuesday

“A dog doesn’t care if you’re rich or poor,

educated or illiterate, clever or dull.

Give him your heart and he will give you his.”

Author John Grogan

“When your children are teenagers,

it’s important to have a dog so that someone

in the house is happy to see you.”

Writer, filmmaker and humorist Nora Ephron

"Whoever said you can’t buy happiness forgot little puppies.”

Outdoor writer Gene Hill

“If you don’t have a dog–at least one–there

is not necessarily anything wrong with you,

but there may be something wrong with your life.”

Artist Vincent van Gogh

“They [dogs] never talk about themselves

but listen to you while you talk about yourself,

and keep up an appearance

of being interested in the conversation. ”

Humorist Jerome K. Jerome

Night Music ~ You've Got To Be Carefully Taught - South Pacific (1958)

Hanukkah.II

Jews around the world are lighting candles, spinning dreidels, and eating traditional potato pancakes as they welcome Hanukkah.

The eight-day long Festival of Lights marks the re-dedication of the temple of Jerusalem in the second century BC, after Jewish guerillas defeated the armies of tyrannical Syrian and Greek rulers.

Every night over the next eight days, another candle is lit on the menorah - symbolizing the miracle of a tiny bit of oil keeping the candles burning in the temple for eight days