Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that marks the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in the 2nd century BCE. It is celebrated on the 25th day of Kislev in the Hebrew calendar, which is a lunisolar calendar based on both solar and lunar cycles. Therefore, the date of Hanukkah shifts each year, relative to the Gregorian calendar, which is a solar calendar. So – how is Hanukkah date determined?
The surrounding holidays of Hanukkah are based upon the Hebrew calendar and the exact onset of Hanukkah can only be determined via a traditional calendar. Within the Jewish calendar, there are twelve months based upon a lunar cycle, with the year either estimated to last 354 or 355 days. The timing of the festivals, holiness and beginning of the months of the Jewish calendar, are then determined by adding an extra month every two or three years, according to a precise calculation.
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Calculating Hanukkah Date
The Jewish calendar starts in the fall with the month of Tishrei, which is the seventh month of the year. Hanukkah is eight days long, starting on Kislev 25. As the Hebrew calendar is both lunisolar and gradually changes each year, the date of Hanukkah can move between late November and late December in the Gregorian calendar.
The History
The reason the dates of the holidays change each year is due to the development of the Biblical calendar system. This system is based upon a combination of both lunar and solar cycles, creating a hybrid calendar system that is both lunar and solar.
Over 2000 years ago, the Jewish Sanhedrin declared that in order to determine the exact dates of the holidays, they must observe the appearance of the new crescent moon and bear witness in advance of the month of Nisan, when Passover begins. They also created an annual cycle of leap years that occurs in a 19-year cycle.
How the Calculations Work
In order to calculate the Jews’ calendar, they use two systems; the ‘Fixed Calendar’ and the ‘Observational Calendar’. There are three major stages that need to be understood when it comes to the calculations;
- The Metonic Cycle: This is a 19-year cycle that is used to measure the number of days that have passed in a period. This cycle follows the repetition of the lunar cycle, with the months starting with the new moons.
- Observational System: This is based upon the appearance of the new moon at night by the witnesses that have been seen. The witnesses must appear and testify that they have seen a new moon before the month of Nisan starts.
- Intercalations: This is when an extra month is added into the calendar. This happens at the end of leap years and is known as the Second Adar.
The Conclusion
Once the Sanhedrin has gone through all three stages, they can then determine the exact date of Hanukkah. After the calculations are done, the Sanhedrin can then publish in the Jewish calendar. So, understanding the calculations and the three stages included in the process is key to correctly determining the date of Hanukkah and celebrate it accordingly.
In conclusion, Hanukkah date is determined via a traditional calendar based on a combination of both solar and lunar cycles. This is done by following through the three major stages in the Jewish calendar system: the Metonic Cycle, the Observational System and Intercalations. By doing so, we are able to know to exact day and month the holiday of Hanukkah will arrive each year.
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Last update 2023-11-27. Price and product availability may change.