Very many years ago,
(Perhaps two thousand years)
There once was a Temple
In the city of Jerusalem
And in the Temple – in its very centre
Stood a Menorah
All of it gold, purity and light
Like the glowing sun!
The Menorah had seven holders
And it had light – many times over
And from the light of the Menorah
Jerusalem shone.
However one day from afar
Loudly – with the thunder of drums
The Greeks invaded Israel
Many of them, an endless number of them
From right and left!
And left and right!
They marched without fear
Right and left!
And left and right!
All of them at once!
Then the evil Antiochus
With a loud voice called out:
“Throw away the Menorah!!
Throw away the light!!
And then the entire city was covered
With a terrible darkness....
However the aged Matityahu
Who had five sons
And Yehuda the Maccabee
The greatest of heroes!
And they won the war!
(it was a real miracle!)
And they,. At the end of the war
Returned to the Temple!
They put back the Menorah
All of it gold and purity
However the olive oil was not
There
With which to light it....
It was so dark
In the Temple....
The blackest of black!
And how will we light the Menorah
If we do not have olive oil here?
They searched quickly! In every corner
Perhaps in the meantime
One small jar would be found
For one or two days?
Suddenly – what’s this?
How strange!
One small jar remained!
- Nonsense! The jar is too small
There is also a small amount of oil
It is inefficient, it is insufficient
For almost anything!
A drop of oil....
Another drop.....
One candle is already alight!
- Is the oil already finished?
No there is still a little more in the jar!
Six, seven, eight days
Passed in the blink of an eye
And from the oil in the jar –
The light is still shining!
Since the miracle and until this day
Many years have passed....
There is no longer any Temple
And no Menorah
In the city of Jerusalem
However the light is still shining
Many many times over –
With the light of the Chanukah candles
In the city of Jerusalem