Hanukkah is an eight-day festival of rededication celebrated by Jews around the world. It commemorates the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BCE. It is traditional to light the Hanukkah Menorah, exchange gifts, and play the traditional game of dreidel. Knowing when Hanukkah begins is the key to to joining in the festivities.
Hanukkah starts on the 25th of Kislev, which usually falls in the month of December, on the Gregorian calendar. Because the Jewish calendar is a lunar one, however, it is not always easy to determine the exact date of the festival. The date of the 25th of Kislev varies from year to year, and often it is listed on Jewish calendars. The exact start of the festival is calculated based on the moon and day of the week, and the precise beginning of Kislev is therefore subject to much debate.
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Why Kislev 25?
The Jewish calendar follows a lunar cycle; one year has 12 or 13 months, depending on which year it is. Kislev is the third month of the Jewish calendar and usually falls in December. The 25th of Kislev marks the beginning of Hanukkah. It is a time of joy and happiness for the Jewish people, who mark the festival by lighting the Hanukkah Menorah.
How does the Jewish calendar work?
The Jewish calendar follows a cycle of 12 months of either 29 or 30 days. The length of each month is determined by a complex system of intercalary months of 29 or 30 days added when necessary. Each month starts with the new moon, and the new year is always on Rosh Hashanah, which is usually in September or October. Kislev is the third month of the Jewish calendar, and the 25th of Kislev is determined by the first full moon after the new moon that marks the start of the month.
The eight festive nights
The festival of Hanukkah spans eight days, beginning on the 25th of Kislev and ending on the 2nd of Tevet. This is the time when Jews light the Hanukkah Menorah, exchange gifts, and play the traditional game of dreidel. On the seventh night, it is traditional to light all eight candles of the Hanukkah Menorah, and on the final night all eight are lit again.
Symbolism of Hanukkah
The eight days of Hanukkah commemorate the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BCE. The celebration remembers the miracle that occurred when a single day’s worth of oil, lit in the menorah that remains as a reminder of the Temple, burned for eight days. This light, according to tradition, symbolizes the spiritual purity of both the Maccabees’ cause and the people of Jewish faith.
Hanukkah is an eight-day festival of rededication celebrated by Jews around the world. It marks a time of joy and happiness as families and friends come together to light the Hanukkah Menorah, exchange gifts, and play the traditional game of dreidel. Knowing when Hanukkah begins is the key to joining in the festivities, with the exact date determined by the first full moon after the new moon of the third month of the Jewish calendar, Kislev. The celebration remembers the miracle that occurred when a single day’s worth of oil, lit in the menorah that remains as a reminder of the Temple, burned for eight days and symbolizes the spiritual purity of both the Maccabees’ cause and the people of Jewish faith.
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Last update 2023-11-27. Price and product availability may change.