Hanukkah is an 8-day Jewish holiday also known as the Festival of Lights. It occurs every year, usually in late November or December, and is celebrated for the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem that took place in the second century B.C.E. It is a time of joy, thanksgiving, and the exchange of gifts. But did you know that the date of Hanukkah changes every year?
The reason the date of Hanukkah changes every year is that it is determined by the Jewish lunar calendar. Much like other religious calendars such as those of Islam, Judaism follows a lunar calendar. This means that days of a month can fall on different dates on the solar calendar each year. In general, this means that Hanukkah usually falls on the 25th of the Jewish month of Kislev, but this isn’t always the case.
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Understanding The Jewish Lunar Calendar
The Jewish lunar calendar is derived from the Babylonian calendar, and it consists of 12 months of 29 or 30 days each. Most years consist of 353, 354 or 355 days, with an extra month added seven times every 19 years to keep the calendar roughly aligned with the solar year. The extra month is known as a “leap” month and is inserted in the middle of the month of Adar. This is why the months on the calendar may seem to jump around from one year to the next.
Hanukkah’s Moveable Date
Because Hanukkah is based on the Jewish lunar calendar, its date on the western calendar changes each year. The usual date of Hanukkah falls anywhere between the 25th of November and the 2nd of December, but because of the way the lunar calendar works, it is not always on the same dates. It usually occurs for eight days, but sometimes it is spread out over seven or nine days.
How To Calculate The Dates For Hanukkah
In order to calculate the exact dates for Hanukkah, it is necessary to use a calendar. To calculate, simply add 30 days to the date of the beginning of the previous month, Kislev. Then, determine the date that falls after sundown on the 25th day of the month of Kislev and before sundown of the 26th day of Kislev.
Conclusion
Hanukkah is a popular Jewish holiday that is celebrated for eight days every year. Though the holiday usually occurs between late November to early December, the date changes each year due to the Jewish lunar calendar. Because of this, the date can either be spread out across seven, eight, or nine days. To find out the exact date for the Holiday, one should consult a Jewish lunar calendar to calculate.
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Last update 2023-11-27. Price and product availability may change.