By Chavi M. Lemberger
Courtesy of Children’s Village of Jerusalem
It’s cold outside, the winter is here.
The wind is blowing,
it’s that time of year.
Snow’s lightly falling,
but inside it’s bright.
Chanukah is here,
the Festival of Lights.
We commemorate the miracle
of long long ago,
when the Menorah in the Holy Temple
again did glow
So gather round children,
both young and old,
as the story of the Menorah
begins to unfold.
A tale without an end…
about what became
the symbol of our People
and our Land.
Thousands of years ago, the first Menorah was created,
and after three millennia is still used and celebrated.
A symbol of wisdom and light.
our Holy Menorah, forever shining bright.
On Mount Sinai, in a desert of sand,
as the Jewish nation headed toward the Promised Land,
G-d showed Moses, a vision in flames of fire,
how the Menorah should look, and to what to aspire.
“Out of one piece of pure gold it shall be made,”
Moses instructed Bezalel, his student and aide.
Branches extended upward from the Menorah’s central shaft,
which stood on a base, all part of one craft.
The stem in the middle and three on each side,
such a beautiful and pure light it did provide.
It was placed in the Mishkan and with a roof was covered,
and above it a cloud always hovered.
Each branch had a cup
that was ornamented
with almond blossoms
and flowers of gold.
Three steps led the Kohen Gadol
(High Priest)
to the Menorah
which when lit
was a glorious
sight to behold.
The Vessels in the
Mishkan (Tabernacle)
were all set in place,
the Menorah on
the south side,
before the Parochet
(the curtain in the Holy Temple),
opposite the Table
it did face.
From evening to morning
the Menorah
burned steadily.
Lit at dusk,
and cleansed
in the morning sun.
The western flame
never extinguished,
miraculously.
And hence was called
Ner Tamid (Eternal Light)
by everyone.
Although the days in the dessert
lasted quite long,
at last we settled
in the Promised Land,
and merited the Temple
with its beauty and song.
Built in Jerusalem,
by King Solomon,
in its glory it did stand
on the Temple Mount,
the holiest place in all the land.
To enhance the glory
of the Temple
ten Menorahs
were lit in all,
Moses’ in the middle,
standing proud and tall.
But alas, these joyous years did not last,
our enemies sent us into an exile so vast.
Our Temple, so precious was burned to the ground,
all Vessels including the Menorah, hidden, not to be found.
After seventy years of exile, to the Holy Land our people returned.
They built the Second Temple in place of the one that burned.
The returning exiles made new Vessels
just like before,
but the Menorah was made of wood,
since they were very poor.
Sometime thereafter,
it was joyously replaced,
we are told,
with another one,
made like before, of pure gold.
It was a few years later in history,
the Greeks invaded Israel, issuing harsh decrees
“Worship our idols, don’t live like a Jew”.
Those that rebelled, were only a few.
Once again, our Holy Temple was brutally invaded,
the Menorah and Vessels were all desecrated.
Mattiyahu and his sons rallied some men,
and the miracle of Chanukah happened then.
Although war was waged
by the few and the weak,
they triumphed against the mighty army
of the wicked Greeks.
In the Temple,
the Jews found
to their dismay,
that it was unclean
and profaned
in a terrible way.
The Maccabees
scrubbed,
and they washed
and they cleaned.
Restored all the Vessels,
once again
the Menorah gleamed.
But one thing
was still amiss, trouble
was still around.
There simply was
no pure oil
to be found.
Finally, in a hidden
crevice in the wall,
Behold! Pure oil
in a jug so small.
They lit the Menorah
with great elation
and a miracle
occurred.
What a sensation!
One day’s oil supply
lasted eight days,
to everyone’s delight.
This miracle
is recalled annually,
on the Festival
of Lights.
The next era in the Land was filled with tranquility
until invaded by the Romans
and their General, Titus the Mighty
To destroy the Holy Temple
and steal the Vessels
was his plot
The Jews taken into captivity
—that was their lot.
Titus sent a Jew into the Temple
to bring the Menorah out.
As it appeared before the crowd,
there rose a cry and a shout.
Taken by boat to Rome, the Menorah crossed the sea,
The Romans all eyed it with excitement and glee.
The Menorah held high, Titus paraded his victory march,
this event is still engraved in Rome on Titus’ Arch.
We Jews are in exile
until this very day.
Exiled too, is that Menorah, hidden away.
Yes, the Menorah has traveled
throughout history
From the desert
to Jerusalem
to Rome and beyond,
for scores
of centuries it has
been around.
With an eight-branched Menorah, Chanukah is celebrated
thus is the miracle of the oil commemorated.
One light is added on each of eight nights,
with all burning brightly, what a beautiful sight.
The story of the Menorah has no culmination,
a true inspiration to the whole Jewish Nation.
**
This poem, with illustrations by Olga and Oleg Trabish, may be obtained in booklet form for your library. To request a booklet and/ or to donate Children’s Village of Jerusalem, please contact:
Children’s Village of Jerusalem
15 Beekman Street #725
New York, N.Y., 10038
(212) 732-1032