Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BCE. It is also known as the Festival of Lights and consists of a week of festivities that are celebrated today in homes, synagogues, and public places. The Hanukkah story is celebrated with rituals, readings from the Torah, fasting, special foods like latkes and sufganiyot, and the lighting of the menorah.
What Is The Hanukkah Story?
The Hanukkah story takes place during the reign of Antiochus IV in 175 BCE. He was the King of the Greek kingdom of Seleucid. Antiochus had previously issued decrees forbidding the practice of the Jewish faith and desecrated the Second Temple by ordering an altar to Zeus be built on the temple mount.
In 167 BCE, the Jewish Maccabees launched a small-scale revolt with a small army of only 1,000. Under the leadership of Judah Maccabee, the Maccabees were able to gain control of Jerusalem and cleanse the temple by taking out all of the idols and cleansing it.
While Judah and the Maccabees wanted to rebuild the temple, they found that they only had enough oil to light the menorah for one day. Miraculously, the oil lasted for eight days, allowing them enough time to find more oil to relight the menorah.
To celebrate the miracle of the oil lasting for eight days, the Festival of Lights was created. It is said that on each night of Hanukkah, a new branch of the menorah is lit until all eight are lit. Additionally, special prayers are also said and gifts are exchanged between families.
The Hanukkah story is an important part of the Jewish faith and culture and continues to be celebrated each year by lighting the menorah and sharing in festivities with family and friends. The miracle of the oil is celebrated by lighting a new candle each night to represent the eight days that the oil lasted. It is a great reminder of our freedom to practice Jewish traditions and a reminder of the importance of standing up for what we believe in.
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Last update 2023-11-27. Price and product availability may change.