History of Hanukkah

The evolution of an ancient Jewish holiday

The word Hanukkah means Dedication in Hebrew. Today's Hanukkah celebration lasts for eight days and eight nights, beginning on the 25th of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar. Translated into today's terms, Hanukkah may begin in late November, December, or occasionally in very early January.

The revolt against the Greeks

The roots of Hanukkah are based in the second century B.C.E. Antiochus, the Greek King of Syria, had outlawed Jewish customs and forced Jews to follow Greek religion and worship Greek gods. In 168 B.C.E., the Jewish Holy Temple in Israel had been seized by the Greeks and turned into a monument to Zeus.

Under the rule of Mattathias, a Jewish High Priest, a band of Jews began a revolt against this crushing foreign rule. A Greek officer asked Mattathias to bow to a Greek idol and eat the flesh of a pig, forbidden under Jewish custom. When Matthias refused, another Jew stepped forward and offered to do it instead, and Mattathias became outraged and killed both the soldier and the other Jew. He then took off for the hills and was soon followed by a band of Jews who wanted to oust the Greeks from the land.

After the death of Mattathias a year later, his son Judah Maccabee took charge of the expanding Jewish army, and the fighting continued for three years. The Greeks were eventually driven out despite the fact that they had a larger army and better weapons. Upon their victory, Maccabee and his soldiers went to Israel to view the desecration of the Holy Temple.

The rebuilding of the Temple

The Holy Temple was in shambles, destroyed by foreign soldiers and desecrated by the Greeks. The symbolic golden menorah, a seven-branched lamp created by the Biblical artist Bezalel for the Temple, was intact but was not burning. Maccabee and his soldiers set about cleansing and repairing the Temple. When they were finished, they held a dedication ceremony and searched the premises for oil to light the menorah.

As the story goes, a flask of oil was discovered that held just enough to light the lamp for one day. Miraculously, the small amount of oil lasted for eight days, which gave the soldiers enough time to locate more oil and keep the lamp burning.

Modern Hanukkah customs

Today, the eight days of Hanukkah are designed to symbolize the eight days of the menorah's burning. Most modern menorahs have nine branches. One candle is lit for each of the eight nights, with the ninth candle raised higher than the others. This ninth candle, called the shamus, is used to light the remaining candles. The Jewish people say blessings as each candle is lit and celebrate the eight nights with gifts, feasts, and celebration.

More information on Hanukkah decorations