Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday celebrated each year that symbolizes resilience and the miracle of light. It is one of the most widely celebrated Jewish holidays around the world, and is also known as the Festival of Lights or the Feast of Dedication. The tradition of Hanukkah celebrates a historic event that is believed to have happened more than two thousand years ago during the Maccabean revolt against the Syrian-Greeks. But how did this tradition of Hanukkah begin?
Hanukkah is a celebration of the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem following a successful revolt against the ruling Syrian-Greeks in the second century BCE. According to the Talmud, a Jewish text, Antiochus IV, a Syrian-Greek ruler, had the Temple in Jerusalem desecrated in 167 BCE with idols and pagan practices and prohibited Jewish religious practices, such as circumcision and Sabbath observance, among Jews living in the Land of Israel. In response, a small group of Jewish leaders led a revolt, led by the Maccabees, comprised of five brothers: Judah, Jonathan, Simon, Eleazar, and John. After three years, they were able to recapture the Temple from the Syrians, and cleanse and re-dedicate it to God.
The customary celebration of Hanukkah is based on this event. It is believed that when the Maccabees went to rededicate the Temple, they found only a tiny amount of oil, which would be enough to light a menorah, a special seven-branched candelabrum for just one night. But miraculously, the oil lasted for eight days where it usually would have lasted only one, giving the people time to prepare more oil. To celebrate this miracle, Jews around the world light one joint of the menorah each night of Hanukkah for eight nights. Children receive gifts and display decorations with a menorah as the centerpiece.
In addition, the tradition of Hanukkah also has a religious dimension, as it celebrates the successful rebellion against those who had persecuted Jews and the faithful restoration of God’s service in the Temple in Jerusalem. It teaches us to never forget our collective faith and to stand up for what we believe in even when it isn’t easy or popular.
Hanukkah is a reminder that faith can help us triumph over adversity and that miracles can happen when we least expect them. Though Hanukkah has been celebrated for centuries, its legacy and lessons continue to be relevant today as we learn to find hope amidst hardship. By participating in Hanukkah celebrated, we maintain a festive tradition linking us to our past, even as we embrace our future with optimism.
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Last update 2023-11-27. Price and product availability may change.