A Moment in Time: “A Ritual for the 8th Day of Chanukah”

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All Jewish days, including Holy Days and Festivals, begin at sunset with the lighting of candles. (This has to do with the teaching in the book of Genesis during creation: there was evening, there was morning – in that order). Once sunset hits, the Jewish calendar turns a page to the next day. In Los Angeles, sunset is at about 4:55 on January 2. So while 4:50 is the 2nd of the Hebrew month of Tevet, 4:56 is is already the 3rd of Tevet.

We begin Shabbat in the evening.

We begin Rosh HaShanah in the evening.

Yom Kippur ….

Passover….

And of course, Chanukah.

Now, while these other special days have rituals at the end (Havdalah for Shabbat, Break-the-fast for Yom Kippur, Pizza for Passover), Chanukah doesn’t really have a ceremony beyond the 8th night. And very rarely do we even consider that Chanukah continues beyond the eighth night and onto the 8th day that follows.

And so – with the candles already melted, the latkes long digested, and the dreidels at rest, what might we do to remember that the miracle continues through the next day?

I suggest this – not only for the 8th day of Chanukah, but for any day that might otherwise seem ordinary.

Before sunset, take a moment in time to affirm that the miracle is not that God weaves into our lives. Rather – it’s about what we do once God’s intervention takes a rest. It’s our response. It’s our action. It’s the light we carry. It’s the humanity we bring to each day. With that affirmation, light one additional candle along with your commitment to always be a light.

With love and shalom,

Rabbi Zach Shapiro