CHANUKAH

THE CHASMONEANS AND THE COMMANDMENT "AND YOU SHALL BUILD FOR ME A TEMPLE"
In the 'Book of the Chashmoneans,' it is described that the Chashmoneans found the Temple, the courts, and the chambers vandalized and in a state of destruction:
"So Yehudah and his brothers said... we will go up to purify the Temple and dedicate it.
And the whole camp gathered, and they went up to Mount Zion. When they saw the Temple abandoned, and the altar desecrated, and the gates burned, and bushes growing in the courtyards - as in a forest or one of the mountains - and the ruined chambers, they tore their clothes... they put dirt on their heads... they blew the trumpets and shouted to heaven...
Yehudah chose perfect, Torah-loving kohanim, and they purified the Temple... they built the Temple and everything inside it. They sanctified the courtyards, made new holy vessels... they brought incense on the [golden] altar, lit the lamps... put bread on the [Showbread] table, spread the curtain... and on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, which is the month of Kislev... in the early morning, they offered an offering, according to the commandment dictated in the Torah, on their newly made altar.
At the very same time on the very same day that the Gentiles had defiled it, [after three years] the [altar] was dedicated with songs and harps and lyres and cymbals. And all the people prostrated before G-d and wept to heaven... They inaugurated the gates and the chambers, and set up doors for them. And the joy increased to a great extent among the people, and the shame of the Gentiles upon them was removed."
In this description we learn of the vigor and eagerness of the Chashmoneans to fulfill the commandment of "And you shall build for Me a Sanctuary and I shall dwell among them." (Exodus 25:8)
For, the preparation of the vessels as described above, the restoration of all that was destroyed, and all this by a poor and meager public within a few days, seems to have no equivalent in the history of Israel.

FROM THE REALM OF THOUGHT
Canceling out the commandment of lighting the lamps of the Menorah is tantamount to canceling the existence of the people of Israel, as stated in the Midrash:
"In every generation they [our enemies] seek to perish Israel and the Almighty saves us from their hands...
There was one heretic... who gave the enemies scheming advice against Israel, and said that as long as they [Israel] bring an offering at dawn and in the afternoon they do not fall into your hands. The enemies took a stance and canceled it [the offerings]!...
[This heretic further advised:] They have one commandment, if they don't do it, they will perish from the world, and that is to light the lamps of the Menorah in the Holy Temple... They [the enemy] rose up and defiled all the jugs of oil... and only one jug of oil, that the enemy did not see, remained intact... a miracle took place and they lit the Menorah for eight days with this little amount of oil...
The Almighty said: You [Greece, our enemies] thought of uprooting the performance of the commandment of lighting the seven lamps of the Menorah... I am bringing upon you eight days [of a holiday] and the sons of the Chasmoneans, who will destroy you from the world (Otzer Hamidrashim - Chanukah)."
The author of 'Bayit Chadash', Orach Chaim #670, wrote:
"On Chanukah, the decree came about due to the fact that they [Israel] became negligent with the service in the Holy Temple, and therefore the decree was issued upon them by their enemies to cease the service.... [The enemies were told:] They have one commandment, if they don't do it, they will perish from the world, and that is to light the lamps of the Menorah in the Holy Temple…
And when Israel repented and gave their lives to fight to reinstate the service in the Holy Temple, G-d saved them through the efforts of the kohanim (priests - the Chashmoneans], that perform the service in the Holy Temple. Therefore, the miracle occurred also with the lamps of the Menorah [that represent the light of Israel] because they were willing to fight for the right to serve fight for the right to serve G-d in the Holy Temple."
A TEMPLE MOUNT MOMENT: EIGHT GREAT FACTS ABOUT CHANUKAH!
In this special edition of "A Temple Mount Moment" the High on the Har team presents eight great facts worth knowing about the holiday of Chanukah!