Dear John and all Doves,
      It is customary at Hanukkah to light one's night lights soon after night begins at dusk. In the story about the bride and her 10 bridesmaids/young girl friends in Matthew 25 they used lamps with liquid olive oil. When the 5 tell the others to buy extra olive oil for their lamps, we assume that plenty of olive oil is available for sale. When was that? It was the season of the olive harvest during November or December? It was at the midnight hour rather than at dusk. The olive oil and olives would be freshly harvested and abundant. Is there a clue here?
      One of the reasons I love the Mike Rich screenplay for "The Nativity Story" is because he shows us how simple, harsh, and primitive the ways of living and working were for most people. It would make sense that people would eat the foods most recently harvested and in season. In spring it was the barley. In late spring and early summer it was the wheat. In mid summer and later it was the fruits. Last to mature were the olives. They had no refrigerators, no freezers or industrial prepared plastic or glass food storage. People would eat the 7 species of  the land of Israel whenever they were in season, freshly harvested, and available.
      We are now at the close of the olive harvest for Israel.  Remember the symbol of an olive tree for Israel? All other crops of the 7 species of the land of Israel are complete. The whole of the harvest home is nearly complete when all olives are harvested. Is that any day now? Is there another clue here?
      May we bless and enjoy the Hanukkah night lights. His light in the heavens may beckon us one of these nights. His Eternal Light...

With Love and Shalom,
Jean Stepnoski