Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish festival celebrated in December every year. The sole purpose of the festival is to commemorate the Maccabean Revolt of 2nd century BCE when the Maccabees, a group of Jewish warriors, rose up against their oppressors, the Seleucids, to retake control of Jerusalem and the Holy Temple. The Maccabean Revolt marks the start of a new era in Jewish history and is sometimes referred to as the beginning of the Hasmonean Dynasty. Hanukkah is a time of celebration, joy, and thanksgiving for the significant victory of the Maccabees over their oppressors.
The Maccabean Revolt
The Maccabean Revolt started with a series of battles between the Maccabees, a group of Jewish warriors led by Judah Maccabee, and the Seleucids, who had occupied Jerusalem and the Holy Temple. The Seleucids were a Greek-based empire, established by Alexander the Great, who had taken control of the region and were persecuting the Jewish people. After a series of military victories, the Maccabees were able to reclaim the Temple in Jerusalem from the Seleucids and re-establish Judaism as the official religion in the region.
The Miracle of the Oil
The victory of the Maccabees over their oppressors is further commemorated each year during the festival of Hanukkah with the lighting of the menorah. According to legend, the Maccabees had found only one bottle of oil that was still sealed when they took back the Temple. Miraculously, this single bottle of oil was enough to fuel the menorah in the Temple for eight days. This miracle is celebrated by lighting the menorah for eight days every year and is why Hanukkah is also referred to as the Festival of Lights.
Celebrating Hanukkah
Hanukkah is celebrated with many rituals, such as the lighting of the menorah, the spinning of the dreidel, and the eating of traditional Hanukkah foods. The menorah consists of nine branches, one for each night of Hanukkah, with an extra branch used for the Shamash (the ritual leader). Each night, one candle is lit in the menorah, and is accompanied by prayers and blessings. The tradition of the dreidel is a game played by children, using a four-sided spinning top. Finally, traditional Hanukkah foods include latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (filled doughnuts), both of which are fried in oil in remembrance of the miracle of oil.
Hanukkah is a time of jubilation and celebration that marks the significant Maccabean Revolt of 2nd century BCE and the beginning of the Hasmonean Dynasty, when the Jewish people reclaimed the right to practice their religion without fear of oppression from a foreign ruler. It is a time to consider our past and celebrate our faith and the courage of the Maccabees who fought to protect it.
Every year, the Jewish people commemorate the Maccabees’ victory and the miracle of the oil with the lighting of the menorah, the spinning of the dreidel, and the sharing of traditional Hanukkah foods. Hanukkah is an eight-day festival filled with joy, thanksgiving, and meaning that is celebrated by Jewish people all over the world.
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Last update 2023-11-27. Price and product availability may change.