The now ubiquitous greeting of “Happy Holidays” is one that can actually have some meaning, if the significance behind the phrase is actually understood. The Holidays are typically religious ones, so I will focus on three of the world’s great religions, namely Islam, Judaism and Christianity. What do these three have in common? In one word, Abraham - or as our Muslim brethren call him - Ibrahim.
For Jews and Christians we start with the book of Genesis in the Old Testament. Abraham was 99 years old when the Lord appeared to him saying that he and his wife Sarah were to bear a child named Isaac. Isaac would be the child that the Lord established his covenant with, and the promises the Lord made in this covenant to Abraham were significant. Abraham would later be commanded to sacrifice his son, Isaac whom he loved as his side of the covenant. If God, through Abraham’s hand, sacrificed Isaac, then Abraham reasoned that God would raise Isaac from the dead in order to keep his promises to Abraham. On the day of the sacrifice the Lord stayed Abrahams hand in sacrificing his son, and he and his lineage were blessed for their obedience and faith and willingness to sacrifice.
The Lord was cementing three key concepts with all mankind at this point. One is obedience to God’s commandments, the second is the Law of Sacrifice and the third is faith in the Lord’s plan.
Abraham’s older son, was named Ishmael and was 13 at the time of the birth of his brother Isaac. Ishmael was also blessed by the Lord in Genesis and made the head of a great nation thru his offspring of 12 sons. For Muslims, they believe that the son that was to be sacrificed was not Isaac, but rather Ishmael, as he was the first born son of Abraham. In the Islamic scriptures, called the Qur’an, Abraham states in the passage known as Surah 37 “O my son! I have seen in a vision that I offer thee in sacrifice: now see what is thy view!" (The son - Ishmael) said: "O my father! Do as thou art commanded: thou will find me, if Allah so wills, one of the steadfast!" Thus Ishmael was placed on the Altar for sacrifice, and the Lord stayed Abraham’s hand blessing both father and son for obedience, sacrifice and faith.
Thus all Christians, Jews and Muslims trace our religious roots back to father Abraham and the three key spiritual principles revealed in Abrahams sacrifice. So what does this have to do with the phrase “Happy Holidays “?
In December we as Christians celebrate Christmas which is to honor the birth of the Savior of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ. For us Christians, Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice made by our Heavenly Father, offering his only begotten son to pay the ransom for our sins, allowing us to return to his presence one day. The sacrifice Abraham made was a foreshadowing of the sacrifice we feel God made in bringing his son Jesus, to the earth to pay the price for our sins.
For Jews, on December 12th they celebrate Hanukkah – the Hebrew word for dedication that begins on the 25th day of Kislev in the Hebrew calendar. It lasts for eight days beginning at sunset the previous day and is also known as the Festival of Lights.
Hanukkah celebrates the victory (165 BC) of the Maccabees over the Syrian tyrant Antiochus IV and the subsequent reclamation of Jerusalem. According to the Jewish scriptures known as the Talmud, only a one day supply of non-desecrated oil was found in the Temple when the Maccabees prepared it for rededication by removing all Syrian idols. Miraculously, the oil lasted for eight days until oil that was fit for use in the temple could be obtained.
This miracle is commemorated by the lighting of the Hanukkah candles. The candles are placed on the hanukkiyah or menorah, a nine-branch candelabrum. The ninth branch of the menorah holds the shamash, or servant light. This branch is lit first and is used to light a new candle on successive nights. The candle lighting is accompanied by the chanting of blessings. The Jews also believe in the Law of Sacrifice and Hanukkah is a time when they are reminded that God keeps his promises and protects his chosen people. The chosen people are those who trace their lineage to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Islam follows a lunar calendar that is neither in synch nor corrected according to the solar calendar. Therefore, holidays occur at different times each year. On November 27 this year, Eid al-Adha or Feast of Sacrifice was celebrated and is the most important feast of the Muslim calendar. It is a holiday meant to celebrate the conclusion of a Muslim’s annual pilgrimage to Mecca, commonly called the Hajj and is very sacred for believers of Islam. Eid al-Adha lasts for three days and commemorates Ibrahim's (Abraham’s) willingness to obey God by sacrificing his son Ishmael. The feast re-enacts Ibrahim's obedience by sacrificing a cow or ram (the animal sacrifice is more common in Arab lands than the US ) The family eats about a third of the meat and donates the rest to the poor.
So here you have three key religious Holidays, briefly explained that may give the reader some meaning to attach to the often empty phrase we all use “Happy Holidays”.
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