Hanukkah is an important festival of lights celebrated by Jewish people around the world. It is an eight day festival that celebrates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem in the second century BC. But while we know when Hanukkah is celebrated, what year was it created?
The history of Hanukkah dates back to the second century BC, when the Maccabees won a battle against the Syrian-Greeks (the Seleucids) over the right to practice their own religion. After reclaiming the Temple in Jerusalem, the Maccabees wanted to rededicate it to their faith. They searched and found only enough oil to last a day, but miraculously, it lasted for eight days, giving them enough time to prepare more oil for the Temple. Since then, the eight day celebration of Hanukkah commemorates this miracle.
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The Origins of the Hanukkah Celebration
Hanukkah was originally celebrated as an annual feast and ritual celebration, known as the “Festival of Lights.” It was celebrated in Jerusalem for at least two centuries before the start of the Common Era. The Book of Maccabees, written in the second century BC, marked the first written record of the celebration.
Promoting Nationalistic Pride
With the rise of the Roman Empire in the first century, the observance of Hanukkah was used by Jewish people to maintain their national identity and promote nationalistic pride. The festival began to be celebrated not only for its religious and spiritual aspects, but also for its patriotism. This led to the fashioning of the traditional dreidel, or four-sided spinning top, which is the most popular Hanukkah game played today.
The First Official Hanukkah Celebrations
Hanukkah was not officially “created” until the fourth century, when a document known as the Book of Consolation written by R. Judah declared the festival a new holiday. This was a special holiday mandated by the sages of the Talmud and it marked the first official gathering around the Hanukkah celebration.
Celebrating Hanukkah in Modern Times
Today, Hanukkah is one of the most widely observed Jewish holidays, celebrated for eight days and nights beginning on the 25th day of Kislev, the ninth month of the Hebrew calendar. Festivities include the lighting of the eight-branched menorah, or Hanukkiah, the eating of traditional foods like latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jam-filled donuts), exchanging of gifts, and the playing of the dreidel game.
In conclusion, Hanukkah was originally celebrated as an annual feast and ritual celebration at least two centuries before the start of the Common Era. It wasn’t until the fourth century when a document known as the Book of Consolation officially declared the festival a holiday. To this day, Hanukkah is celebrated around the world by Jewish people for eight days and nights, beginning on the 25th day of Kislev of each Hebrew year.
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Last update 2023-11-27. Price and product availability may change.