The haftarah of the Shabbat of Hanukkah is taken from the writings of the prophet Zechariah. The theme of the haftarah is the spiritual survival of the Jewish people. The sages transformed Hanukkah from a celebration of the military victory of the Hasmoneans to a festival of the triumph of faith.

The prophet Zechariah envisions the kohen gadol, the high priest, Joshua. Joshua is dressed in filthy garments. The messenger from G-d tells Joshua to disrobe and dress in beautiful new cloths. The messenger speaks of redemption to the High Priest. The Shoot, assumed to be Zerubavel, the political leader of Judah, will restore Jewish sovereignty. On that day, every person will sit under his vine and fig tree.

The prophet Zechariah shares a second vision. The messenger from G-d shares a portrait of a menorah (a seven-branched candelabrum) surrounded by two olive trees. The trees represent the spiritual leadership of Joshua and the political power of Zerubavel. The vision represents the triumph of Judaism. The prophet hears the word of G-d. "Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit, says the L-rd of hosts." This sentence signifies the meaning of Hanukkah for our sages. Hanukkah is the triumph of Israel's faith in the redeeming power of G-d. Brilliantly, the sages transformed Hanukkah from a military celebration to a religious festival.