▷ How Many Nights Does Hanukkah Last?

Hanukkah is a Jewish festival which is celebrated every year for eight days and nights. The holiday is known as the Festival of Lights and is celebrated in homes worldwide by devout Jews with traditional candle lighting, singing of songs, performing special rituals and eating holiday meals, as well as playing various games. But, how many nights does Hanukkah last?

Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days and nights. The first night of Hanukkah commences according to the Hebrew calendar on the 25th of Kislev or the month of December. On each successive night, an extra candle is lit, making the menorah, which is the traditional Hanukkah candelabrum, a fixture of the celebration.

Meaning Behind the Eight Nights

In ancient times, the Jewish people rose up to fight against their oppressors, the great Syrian King Antiochus, who was hell-bent on destroying each and every one of them. He desecrated their temple and refilled it with idols of different gods, but the Jewish people resisted and won. They were able to cleanse the temple, but they only had enough sacred olive oil to last for one night. Miraculously, the oil lasted for 8 days.

Celebrating for 8 Days

To commemorate this miracle, the people decided to celebrate this event as an annual festival for 8 days. The eight days of Hanukkah, which is a separate holiday and not part of the Jewish holidays of Passover and Sukkot, is a testament to the faith and perseverance of the Jews and their fight against injustice. It is also a time for Jewish families to get together and celebrate, both past and present.

Traditions of Hanukkah

On each night of Hanukkah, the menorah is lit and special holiday blessings are uttered. Traditionally, one candle is lit on the first night, then two are lit on the second night, and so on until all eight candles are burning on the eighth night.

During the festival, it’s customary to eat rich, fried foods, like latkes and other doughnuts. These are symbolic of the oil that kept the menorah burning for 8 days. Other traditional Hanukkah foods include sufganiyot, which is a jelly doughnut soaked in honey, and jellied turkey or beef stew.

Children also take part in traditional Hanukkah games such as dreidel, a game of chance in which players take turns spinning the four-sided top, which displays Hebrew letters in each of its sides. Playing dreidel is a very popular activity during Hanukkah.

To summarize, the Jewish festival of Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days and nights, to commemorate the miracle of the oil that burned in the temple for eight days. During the eight days, families get together to share special meals, celebrate, and play traditional games such as the dreidel. In this way, the eight days of Hanukkah are a reminder of the power of faith, faith which is at the heart of the Jewish faith.

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Last update 2023-11-27. Price and product availability may change.