Chanukah and Jack the Baker

During Jewish experiences I often wonder about the most parallel experiences for other people.

Chanukah makes me think of Jack Phillips, the Christian commanded to just bake the cake.

Many people were obsessed with turning Phillips from his faith. Their entire enjoyment of the world required that a single man not be able to choose his understanding of the Biblical God over them and their allegedly kinder, more inclusive and enlightened views.

Muslim bakers who also refuse to bake these cakes are of no more concern to these people than are queers in Palestine. Because it's not about the cake, or the people they're allegedly fighting for. It's not about love for anyone, it's about hatred of anyone committed to the God of the Bible. Which is why so many MeToo and LGBTQ++ activists support Hamas. Because they are all driven by the same core need, and the same core hatred.

In the first Biblical sin, the serpent finds it intolerable that anyone could accept even a single limitation demanded by God.

the serpent .. said to the woman ... God said: do not eat of any tree of the garden. -- Genesis 3:1

Only one tree was forbidden, but that was too much.

In the second sin, Cain cannot deal with God accepting Abel's sacrifice. God tells Cain that he can also earn God's favor, but that won't solve Cain's problem. The problem is Abel has a relationship with God.

Chanukah represents Israel standing up to the Hellenized society that demanded we abandon our commitment to God. That demanded we acknowledge the superiority of Greek views and values.

Over 2,000 years later we continue to light Chanukah candles, asserting our refusal to bend the knee. We assert our love and commitment to God and His commandments.

We light one the first night, a lonely candle standing proudly against the darkness. And then each subsequent night, we spread more light.

Happy Chanukah