This year, we have a unique opportunity. Usually, Chanukah includes just one Shabbat. This year it spans over two. This means that we have a haftora that is read most infrequently. Chazal have taught us that each week's haftora should be connected to the Torah reading or more specifically to the maftir, the last portions read from the Torah. The haftora for the second Shabbat of Chanukah (Kings I, 7:40-50) deals with the final acts and a brief summary of the construction of the Solomonic Temple. So, too, the maftir deals with the final gifts and a summary of the construction of the desert Tabernacle. Both of these obviously fit nicely with the idea of Chanukah, rededication of the Temple.
In the haftora, we find a very interesting change. In the beginning of Chapter 7 (verse 13), we are told that Solomon hired an expert craftsman and brought him to Jerusalem to build the Temple. Fittingly, the summary tells us that Hirom (the craftsman) built the temple and its various parts. Curiously, however, in verse 48 we are told that Solomon, not Hirom, built all of the vessels such as the golden altar and the table for the show bread. Does this mean that these items Solomon built with his own hands? This we can't say for certain. We know that he had a massive team of laborers on this project! Further, we should note that these are the vessels inside of the Temple, the home of God. Solomon wanted to be certain that it was he, not a hired craftsman, who took charge of the construction of the most central of vessels. Solomon had spent years building his palace. Now, when it came to the House of God, he would be personally in charge of the most intimate of items in the home. The golden altar, the table of God, would be built by Solomon himself. A powerful ruler, like Solomon, still gave personal attention to his intimate relationship with the home of God.
This, too, is one of the lessons of Chanukah. We are all familiar with the story of the young boy who found the one pure jug of oil. As Solomon teaches us, it is the spirit of the excited young boy that we should strive to imbue in ourselves. The spirit of personal attention, the spirit of giving and love in a renewed and rededicated relationship with God, is the lesson of Solomon's personal hand in the Temple, as well as the festival of Chanukah