Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day celebration of the Jews’ victory over the Greek-Syrian forces in the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BC. It is both a religious and national holiday for the Jewish people, and it commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. Hanukkah has become a widely celebrated holiday, even among non-Jewish individuals, with its tasty food, exciting games, and stunning decorations. As such, many people want to know when Hanukkah started.
The story of Hanukkah dates back to the year 167 BC when the Maccabees- a small Jewish army led by Judah Maccabee and his father Mattathias- defended their homeland against the large powerful armies of the Syrians and Greeks. After a long and grueling war of several years, Judah and his brothers were able to drive the Syrians out of the Land of Israel.
After successfully winning their independence, the Maccabees returned to Jerusalem and to their great surprise, found that the Syrian King Antiochus IV had desecrated the Jewish temple. Antiochus had prevented Jews from performing their religious rituals, ordered pagan idols to be placed in the gleaming temple, and slaughtered animals inside.
In order to cleanse the temple and restore its holiness, the Maccabees lit a great menorah- a seven-armed candelabrum. They only had one container of oil, which was supposed to last only one day, but through a miracle, the oil burned brightly and continuously for eight days!
Upon rededication of the temple, the Maccabees joyfully declared a festival which is celebrated today as Hanukkah. The festival is comprised of 8 days, and for each day, a candle is lit in remembrance of the miracle and to mark its celebration.
The actual beginning of the Hanukkah festival is believed to have varied throughout the years, in terms of both its date and duration. In the Biblical Book of Maccabees, the festival is said to have lasted eight days and was celebrated in the month of Kislev which generally falls between late November and late December according to the Gregorian calendar. In 4th century AD, the Talmud specified the day on which the festival was to begin, however this changed in the 17th century when the festival began to be celebrated around the same time as the Christian holidays.
Hanukkah is an ancient festival full of history and heritage, and its celebration continues to an essential part of Jewish tradition today. The eight-day festival is celebrated each year in remembrance of the miracle of the oil that burned for 8 days instead of 1. Since its inauguration, Hanukkah has become a widely recognized holiday, celebrated not only by Jews but by people around the world.
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Last update 2023-11-27. Price and product availability may change.