Dear Doves,
 
   In days of old when there was a Temple at Jerusalem, sacrifices (first fruits) of olives could be offered there up to Hanukkah, Day 1. This date marked the symbolic date of the ending or conclusion of the olive harvest for Israel. What else was involved? Hanukkah, Day 1,  was the great marker date in space and in time for the declared  end of THE HARVEST, not only of olives but also all 7 of the crops or species of the land of Israel. Hanukkah Day 1 was of great symbolic significance. All 7 and the last of 7 were COMPLETE as of Hanukkah Day 1, daylight portion of the day. The Spiritual Year Harvest Cycle of plantings and harvests was CONCLUDED. The Feast of Tabernacles was about 6 of the 7 crops brought to fullness or completion. Crop number 6 of the grapes was just beginning. Olives were later than grapes. As the grape harvest ended, the olive harvest was beginning. Technically, Hanukkah completed crop 7 and all 7! These agricultural completions, of grapes (number 6) then olives (number 7), may be major reasons why Hanukkah was considered Feast of Tabernacles II! This Feast number 7 was called the Feast of Ingathering or Harvest! Hanukkah could be considered number 8, although not commanded in The Scriptures as a Feast of the Lord.
   When would the olives and olive oil be abundant for merchants to sell, for use at Temple, synagogues, and homes? Would it be the days of Chesvan after the completion of the grape harvest, crop number 6? Cheshvan would be from October to November. Kislev would be November to December. The olive season was after the Feast of Tabernacles until Hanukkah, Day 1. Would the merchants have scarce fresh olives and olive oil for the lamps and cooking approaching Hanukkah? Perhaps. By the ending of the days of Kislev until Kislev 24, the fresh olive oil could be considerably more scarce and more difficult to find at the merchants. Some years Kislev 24, Hanukkah Eve, is very late, even at 12-24. There is only one more week of Kislev as Hanukkah begins. There have been about 7 or 8 weeks of olives harvested in Israel since the beginning of Cheshvan.
   As of the days of the 2 months of Cheshvan and Kislev, it is the Season of the Sheepfolds, Olive Season, and Olive Oil Season. The abundance of olive oil, "the oil of gladness" as Bruce Baber has observed, would be the days of Kislev 1-24, more than the earlier days of Cheshvan. Would there be finer olives and olive oil later, as would be the later grapes and finer vintage? Would the finest olives and olive oil be saved for last? Good, better, best? Is the bride and body of Messiah of Israel, Christ the Lord,  representing the Olive Harvest, the Grand Finale of Harvests, and Harvest Home of all the 7? If so, Hanukkah looms large in spiritual importance, Days 1-8! The Light of the World, represented by the Servant Lamp on a menorah or hanukkiah, draws near. Come quickly, Lord...
 
With Love and Shalom,
Jean