Tuesday night starts the 1st of Tevet. Tevet is the darkest month in the year, on a physical and spiritual plane. Therefore we need to make sure we draw as much light as we can from the "Or HaGanuz" - the hidden light, in order to shun away the darkness. Hanukkah flows into the month of Tevet by divine design in order for you to draw the light into Tevet.
The Or HaGanuz is the primordial light that was hidden away after creation so that the corrupt world can't misuse its light. It is, however, accessible through practicing gratitude and....by lighting the Hanukkah Candles. For 8 days, your candles are portals to that Hidden Light, and by sitting in front of these candles from the appearance of three stars for 30 min, focusing and meditating on their light, you usher that light into your soul and your home.
Now, at the height of the holiday season, we have to differentiate between the pagan Xmas tree that the Bible so vehemently opposes in Jeremiah and that of the Menorah, shaped like a tree with all the characteristics of a tree, including branches, flowers, buds and blossoms, representing the Tree of Life:
For the customs of the peoples are futile; For one cuts a tree from the forest, The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax. They decorate it with silver and gold; They fasten it with nails and hammers So that it will not topple.
-- Jeremiah 10: 3-4
Make a lampstand of pure gold. Hammer out its base and shaft, and make its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of one piece with them. Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lampstand—three on one side and three on the other. Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms are to be on one branch, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand. And on the lampstand, there are four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms...
-- Exodus 25: 17-24
For every pure and holy dynamic in G-d's world, there is the dark counterpart or "klippah" - something that mirrors the original and true story/dynamic but is designed in such a way as to distract your attention by posing as the truth . It, therefore, comes as no surprise that in the same holiday season, the true story of a man bringing G-d's light into the world has been hijacked. Here is the story of Avraham's birth:
And it was in the night that Abram was born, that all the servants of Terah, and all the wise men of Nimrod, and his conjurors came and ate and drank in the house of Terah, and they rejoiced with him on that night. 2 And when all the wise men and conjurors went out from the house of Terah, they lifted up their eyes toward heaven that night to look at the stars, and they saw, and behold one very large star came from the east and ran in the heavens, and he swallowed up the four stars from the four sides of the heavens. 3 And all the wise men of the king and his conjurors were astonished at the sight, and the sages understood this matter, and they knew its import. 4 And they said to each other, This only betokens the child that has been born to Terah this night, who will grow up and be fruitful, and multiply, and possess all the earth, he and his children forever, and he and his seed will slay great kings, and inherit their lands...15 And the king said to Terah, I have been told that a son was yesternight born to thee, and after this manner was observed in the heavens at his birth.16 And now therefore give me the child, that we may slay him before his evil springs up against us, and I will give thee for his value, thy house full of silver and gold.
--Sefer HaYashar (The Book of Yasher) 8:1-4, 15-16
You can learn more about Abraham and what the land of Canaan looked like in the days of Abraham HERE.
Looking through history, the enemies of Israel and the G-d of Israel, those determined to eradicate the Jews and Torah, have held the names of the King of Kings (it is important to note that Judaism refers to G-d as "Melech, Malchey Hamlachim" - The King of the King of Kings, distinguishing G-d from anyone that goes by the title king of kings ) G-d Incarnate or G-d made manifest, and Son of G-d or Son of the Divine.
Fighting for the True Light
But Avraham was a mere man who, by means of elimination, understood that G-d is above all other powers. Avraham is the first to be called "Ivri" or Hebrew. "Ivri" means to "cross over." Avraham physically crossed over the Euphrates River. But in doing so, he separated himself from idolatry and also from his father's house. (Terah was the official idol maker of his generation and a minister to Nimrod).
In the time of the Greeks, many Jews were led astray by becoming too enlightened. (We see the same pattern in mid-19th century Germany, calling themselves progressive and liberal). They moved away from all things sacred in the Torah, as the Greeks deliberately enforced a campaign to separate the Jews from all the holy commandments that were given to them by G-d. You can read all about it HERE (make sure you listen and read the audio text).
Many Jews were blinded by the "forward-thinking" Greeks. They called themselves "Hellenists". You can read more about the Helenization of the Jews HERE. "Helen" means light, but again, the false light that leads astray. But most Jews stayed the course and fought for the true light. Learn all about the Greek oppression, the Maccabean uprising and the ultimate victory HERE. It was the victory of the pure over the impure, the weak over the strong, the righteous over the wicked, the few over the many. Remember (!) just because the majority goes by a certain narrative and belief thereof doesn't make it right. Discernment is Key.
Follow in the footsteps of Avraham, who stood against the world, believing in G-d. It was counted to him as righteousness. (Gen 15:5)