WICKS

       TOIL
      SPOIL
     RECOIL
    TURMOIL
   SOFTBOIL
  HYDROFOIL
 NATIVESOIL
LONDONBROIL

All of these answers draw their "OIL" from the base of the menorah, so
they get entered like this, with each answer reading down

       L
      NO
     HAN
    SYTD
   TODIO
  RUFRVN
 SERTOEB
TPCMBFSR
========
===OIL==
========

LAMPS

HYDROFLUORIC
LONDON BRIDGE
NATIVE SONS
RECTIFY
SOFTBALLS
SPOKES
TURMERIC
TUXEDO

Each of these answers starts with the letters from one of the wicks,
and continues "below" the oil:

       L
      NO
     HAN
    SYTD
   TODIO
  RUFRVN
 SERTOEB
TPCMBFSR
     L
U    U
XOTEAO I
EKIRLROD
DEFILING
OSYCSCSE

Copything the letters, and noticing the word running across the bottom
of the grid, one gets the answer:

Why were the Temple records a mess when the Maccabees arrived?

Because the idolatrous Greek soldiers had been DEFILING them.