Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish festival that celebrates a miraculous event that took place in Jerusalem centuries ago. The holy day is marked with the lighting of candles, eating special foods, and giving gifts. Since it follows the lunar calendar, the start of Hanukkah changes from year to year. So, how do you know when Hanukkah starts?
To determine the start of Hanukkah, one needs to understand when the Hebrew month of Kislev begins. Kislev is the month in which Hanukkah falls on the Jewish calendar, and it typically falls in either December or late November. The Hebrew calendar is based on a lunar cycle which means that it is not tied to the Gregorian calendar as most of us use today.
Kislev has between 29 and 30 days, with an extra day when the preceding year was a leap year. This leap year occurs seven times in the 19-year cycle of the Hebrew calendar. On leap years, the month of Kislev begins at sunset after the 30th day of Marcheshvan. For non-leap years, Kislev begins at the sunset after the 29th day of Marcheshvan.
The night of Kislev 25th is always the start of Hanukkah. This date does not change from year to year. Hanukkah always starts on the 25th day of Kislev and lasts eight days.
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What is the Hebrew Calendar?
The Hebrew calendar is calculated according to a 19-year cycle. This cycle is composed of 12 regular years which have 12 months each, and 7 leap years, where an extra month is added. The extra month is known as Adar 1. In leap years, two months of Adar are found on the calendar. This means that the Festival of Purim, which occurs in the regular year during the 11th month (Adar), is celebrated during the twelfth month (Adar 2) on leap years.
What is the Gregorian Calendar?
The Gregorian calendar is the one that is used by most countries and is composed of 365 days in a regular year and 366 days in a leap year. Although most people use this calendar, the Hebrew calendar is still used for the marking of Jewish holidays such as Hanukkah. The Gregorian calendar is based on the solar cycle, so each year starts off with the same date and same month. Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays all occur on the same date in each monthly cycle of the Gregorian calendar.
What Is the Talmudic Calendar?
The Talmudic calendar is used primarily by Jewish communities to calculate the dates for holidays and other special occasions. It is based on the observation of the new moon, which is determined by looking through a telescope. Once the new moon is sighted, the calendar is adjusted accordingly, beginning a new month.
How To Determine When Hanukkah Starts?
To determine when Hanukkah starts, one must first determine:
- If it is a leap year or a regular year;
- When the Jewish month of Kislev starts;
- That the night of the 25th of Kislev marks the start of Hanukkah.
Once you have determined these three points, you will know when Hanukkah starts. However, it should be noted that it is important to double-check your calculation to make sure that you are celebrating on the right day!
In conclusion, understanding the differences between the Hebrew, Gregorian, and Talmudic calendars and how they relate to each other helps us to determine when Hanukkah starts each year. Knowing when the 25th day of Kislev falls helps us to know when Hanukkah starts and to prepare for the special day. Although Hanukkah changes from year to year, with the right understanding, it is easy to determine when the festival begins.
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Last update 2023-11-27. Price and product availability may change.