The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah celebrates how the Maccabees, a small army led by Judah Maccabee, fought to reclaim their Holy Temple from Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the Greek-Syrian ruler from 175 to 164 BCE. It is celebrated as a home festival, with family gatherings and rituals. Every night of Hanukkah is special and meaningful as it conveys the importance of joy, hope, and dedication towards Judaism. So, what night of Hanukkah is today?
How To Determine What Night Of Hanukkah Is Today?
The simplest way to figure out what night of Hanukkah you are currently celebrating is to check a Hanukkah calendar for the current year. A Hanukkah calendar will list the eight days of Hanukkah beginning with the 25th of Kislev, and how many days of Hanukkah you will be celebrating for the current year. It is worth noting that the Jewish calendar is a lunar calendar, and the length of the year typically varies between 353 and 355 days. Therefore, each year the day on which Hanukkah begins will also vary.
You can also use an online Hanukkah calculator if you prefer to work with an explicit date. All you need to do is enter the current Gregorian date and your location to acquire the exact date for the current night of Hanukkah. For example, if one were to enter July 5, 2020 in New York City, they would discover that it is the seventh night of Hanukkah.
Observing What Night Of Hanukkah It Is
On each night of Hanukkah, Jews will light a Menorah with eight branches, representing each night. A ninth branch, called the Shamash, is the one used to light the other candles. During the first night, only the first candle is lit, and the number of candles lit increases every night until all eight candles are lit on the last night of Hanukkah.
Every night of Hanukkah is celebrated differently by Jewish families. On the first night, a brief Havdalah ceremony is performed by lighting two additional candles simultaneously and saying the benediction over them. This ceremony marks the separation between the different days of Shabbat and the coming of a new week. On the last night of Hanukkah a long Havdalah ceremony is performed.
Other common customs include:
- Singing Hanerot Halalu during the lighting of the menorah
- Eating a special sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts) and latkes (potato pancakes)
- Spinning the dreidel (a four-sided spinning top with a Hebrew phrase printed on each side)
- Exchanging gelt (coins traditionally given as gifts) and presents
So, depending on if you have already determined the night of Hanukkah you are celebrating today, it is time to prepare for the evening festivities. Whether you are lighting the Menorah with your family, making latkes, singing Hanerot Halalu, blowing the shofar (ritualistic ram’s horn), or spinning the dreidel, remember to immerse yourself in the joy and history of the holiday and make this Hanukkah one to remember.
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Last update 2023-11-27. Price and product availability may change.