▷ What Is The Third Name Of Hanukkah?

Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. But there are several other names of this popular holiday, one of which is particularly interesting. So what is the third name of Hanukkah?

Over the centuries, the Jewish holiday we now know as Hanukkah had been given several names. While the most commonly used terms are Hanukkah and the Festival of Lights, it is also known as the Festival of Dedication, or Chanukah in Hebrew. But there is a third name for the holiday, one that is rarely, if ever, used in modern times: The Feast of the Maccabees.

The History Of The Feast Of The Maccabees

The origin of this third name of Hanukkah is to be found in the books of the Maccabees. This series of books is part of the biblical Apocrypha, and tells the story of the Maccabean Revolt. In the books, Judah Maccabee leads a revolt of the Jewish people against their Greek-Syrian rulers when the King attempted to force his people to syncretize their faith with that of the Greeks and Syrians. The victorious Maccabeans then reclaimed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and re-dedicated it, an event celebrated every year since as Hanukkah.

How It Became A Holiday

An open-ended festival was observed on the 25th of the month of Kislev, the date when the rededication of the Temple took place. In the Apocrypha, this festival is referred to as the Feast of the Maccabees, a name commemorating the heroes of the revolt and the victory of their people.

The Shift In Name

The name of the holiday gradually shifted away from the Feast of the Maccabees during the Middle Ages. The name Chanukah, still mentioned in the Apocrypha, became more prominent and by the late 1700s became the primary name used for the holiday. The name Hanukkah is an English version of the Hebrew word, and the Festival of Lights, a translation of the original Hebrew, also began to be used.

The Feast of the Maccabees is still mentioned in literature and art depicting the Maccabean Revolt, but is not a common name for Hanukkah today. It is a reminder, however, of the historic event that is the core of the holiday – the victory of a people over oppressive forces and the reclaiming of their faith. This is a true testament to the power of perseverance and faith in the face of overwhelming odds, and to a victory that can still be celebrated by the Jewish people today.

Related Products:

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