The Blog

As one component of our humorous skit at tonight’s Hanukkah party, we (mostly Mommy) created a Hanukkah poem. I thought you might enjoy it (pardon the sometimes inconsistent stanzas - ’twas typed in haste):

‘Twas the night before Hanukkah, when all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring, not even the mouse;
Except for the mothers, who were stirring like mad,
Potatoes and onions and flour with Dad,
And mixing up gobs and just gobs of the batter,
And frying in oil and watching it splatter

The candles in boxes were carefully stacked,
Behind the menorahs we just had unpacked,
The Hanukkah music we found the last year,
Was lulling the children to sleep with good cheer,

When down in the kitchen they heard such a clatter,
They sprang from their beds to see what was the matter
A scream and a crash could be heard round the house,
When out from the kitchen there scurried a mouse

It seems he was nestled quite snug in the bag
Of potatoes till Dad reached the last one to grab
Then mom screamed and up on a chair she arose
‘Cause with no shoes or socks the mouse ran o’er her toes.

The chase now was on to the children’s delight,
Till they finally caught the mouse - oh what a night!
Dad and the boys donned their coats with the hoods,
And drove with the mouse in the box to the woods.

While mom and the girls cleaned and made a surprise
And when Dad and the boys saw - what joy filled their eyes!
The table was set with the latkes all fried
The candles were lit, and hot chocolate beside:
So they prayed and they ate, then Dad said with delight
Happy Hanukkah to all, and to all a good night!

We hope you’re all having a wonderful Hanukkah! As it winds down, here’s just a reminder to check out last year’s directory of blog resources on Hanukkah: http://www.amhehome.org/wordpress/?p=180.

Here, the psalmist opens by calling the Lord his “portion” (v. 57), חלק, a word that often has the connotation of an “inheritance.” Thus, the psalmist is reflecting the importance of a Godly multigenerational legacy by calling the Lord his inheritance.  Reflecting the high value placed on inheritance, the psalmist moves directly from this to stating his commitment to keep the inheritance.  This passage is of course primarily about the value of God’s word, but its secondary application is as a model of inheritance.  Fathers are to imitate their Heavenly Father in laying good foundations in order to pass on a Godly inheritance to their children.  And the children are to take up this legacy with gratefulness and a commitment to honor a Godly legacy. 

The psalm also has an interesting contrast between groups of people: “bands of he wicked” (v. 61) versus bands of the righteous (v. 63).  “I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.”  Thus, unlike so many religions which seek holiness in reclusiveness, Scripture teaches that holiness is found in God’s word, and that it can (indeed, should) be lived out in joyful fellowship with a community of others doing likewise.   

Chag sameach!  Right now, we are in the third of the three fall holidays of Leviticus 23.  The holidays are, in order, the Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah, also known traditionally as Rosh Hashana), the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), and the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). 

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