Maddie James
Hanukkah is a Jewish festival that is celebrated for eight days, starting at sundown on Kislev 25, which is usually in December. It commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem and the miracle of the oil that lasted for eight days. The festival is marked by the lighting of candles on each day, with the amount of light increasing each night. The candles are placed in a menorah, a candelabrum with nine branches. Eight of the nine branches hold candles that symbolise the eight nights of the holiday, and the ninth branch holds a helper candle, or shamash, which is used to light the others.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of candles | 8 for each night of Hanukkah, plus a ninth "helper" candle |
| What the candles represent | The miracle of the oil that lasted for eight days |
| How the candles are lit | One candle lit on the first night, two on the second, and so on until all nine are lit on the final night |
| Placement | Placed in a significant place in the home, or in a window facing the street |
| Accompanying rituals | Recitation of prayers and blessings, singing of traditional songs, sharing a feast, playing games, exchanging gifts |
| Foods | Fried foods like latkes and sufganiyot (jelly-filled doughnuts), chocolate coins |
| Colours | Blue and white |
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What You'll Learn
The miracle of the oil
Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is a Jewish festival that begins at sundown on Kislev 25, usually in December, and is celebrated for eight days. It commemorates the successful rebellion of the Maccabees in the second century BCE and the rededication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem.
The lighting of the menorah is often accompanied by prayers and blessings that acknowledge the miracles shown to their ancestors and the sacred nature of the Hanukkah candles. In addition to the lighting ceremony, traditional Hanukkah celebrations include the recitation of Scripture, singing of hymns, almsgiving, and playing with a dreidel, a four-sided spinning top. Fried foods, such as latkes and sufganiyot (jelly-filled doughnuts), are also commonly consumed to commemorate the miracle of the oil.
The menorah holds immense religious and cultural significance for Jewish communities worldwide. By lighting the menorah and engaging in traditional rituals, Jews celebrate the resilience of their faith and reaffirm the ideals of Judaism.
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The Maccabees' victory over the Greeks
The conflict was sparked by the persecution of Judaism and the aggressive promotion of Greek culture by the Seleucid rulers, who were descended from one of Alexander the Great's generals. In 167 BCE, the Greeks demanded that the Jews in the town of Modi'in sacrifice a pig to their gods. Mattathias, an elder of the town, refused and killed the Greek official present, along with a Hellenized Jew who was complying with the order. This brave act of defiance ignited the revolt, with Mattathias and his five sons, including Judas Maccabeus, becoming central figures in the resistance.
The Maccabees employed guerrilla tactics, raiding towns and attacking Greek officials and supply lines. They chose to engage the Greeks in the mountainous areas surrounding Jerusalem, where they had a strategic advantage. The revolt lasted for 25 years, with many battles and casualties on both sides. In 164 BCE, the Maccabees achieved a significant victory by capturing Jerusalem. However, the battle continued, and in 160 BCE, Judas Maccabeus was killed at the Battle of Elasa against the Greek general Bacchides.
Despite this loss, the Maccabees' spirit endured, and under the leadership of Judas's brother, Jonathan Apphus, the rebellion persisted. Finally, in 142 BCE, the Greeks signed a peace treaty with Simon, the last survivor of Mattathias' five sons. This treaty restored Jewish sovereignty over the Land of Israel and officially ended the Maccabean Revolt. The victory of the Maccabees over the Greeks was a testament to the resilience and determination of the Jewish people, and it reaffirmed their commitment to their religious beliefs and cultural identity.
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The rededication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem
The Jewish festival of Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem. Also known as the Festival of Lights, it is an eight-day celebration that begins at sundown on Kislev 25, usually in December.
The story of Hanukkah goes back to the second century BCE and the successful rebellion of the Maccabees, a group of Jewish freedom fighters. Despite being vastly outnumbered, the Maccabees recaptured the Holy Temple, the premier site of ancient Judaism, from their oppressors.
When the Maccabees reclaimed the Temple, they found only a small amount of oil—enough for just one night—but miraculously, it burned for eight nights. This allowed the Maccabees time to rededicate the Temple and find more oil.
The miracle of the oil is commemorated during Hanukkah through the lighting of candles. On the first night, one candle is lit, and on each subsequent night, another candle is added, so that on the eighth and final night, eight candles are lit, along with a "helper" candle, known as the shamash, which is used to light the others. The shamash is placed in a different position to the other eight candles, either higher or lower.
The lighting of the candles is accompanied by prayers and blessings, with the first prayer acknowledging that God commanded the kindling of the Hanukkah lights, and the second expressing gratitude for the miracles shown to our ancestors.
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The shamash, or 'helper' candle
The shamash, or helper candle, is the ninth candle on the Hanukkah menorah, also known as the Hanukkiah or Chanukiah. The shamash is placed in a different position to the other eight candles, either higher or lower, or off to one side. This candle is used to light the other eight candles, which represent the eight nights of the holiday. The shamash is lit first, before the prayers, and is used to light the other candles from left to right. The shamash is always set apart from the other candles, and in some traditions, the colour of the candle may be different. This differentiation is not to indicate greater importance, but to emphasise that the eight candles representing the nights of Hanukkah are the core of the mitzvah.
The shamash is also distinct from the seven-branched menorah used in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem. The Hanukkah menorah commemorates this original menorah, but with an additional branch for the shamash. The shamash is also not to be confused with the Hebrew word shemesh, which means "sun".
In Sephardi communities, an extra candle is used to light the first eight candles, and then the shamash is lit last, with the extra candle blown out. In Ashkenazi communities, the shamash is the first candle lit, and it is used to light the others.
The shamash is an important part of the Hanukkah tradition, as it is the candle that brings light to the other candles, symbolising the miracle of the oil that is central to the Hanukkah story. According to the Talmud, when Judas Maccabeus entered the Second Temple of Jerusalem, he found only a small amount of oil that had not been defiled by Antiochus IV Epiphanes. This oil was only enough to burn for one day, but miraculously, it burned for eight days until new oil could be found, establishing the precedent that the festival should last eight days.
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The lighting of the candles
The menorah is placed in a significant location within the household, and the candles are lit after sundown, when it is dark. The blessings are said before the candles are lit, and there are three blessings on the first night and two blessings on each subsequent night. The first blessing acknowledges that God commanded the kindling of the Hanukkah lights. The second thanks God for the miracles shown to our ancestors. The third blessing, only recited on the first night, thanks God for keeping us alive and bringing us to the season.
In Sephardi communities, an extra candle is used to light the other candles, and the shamash is lit last. In Ashkenazi communities, the shamash is lit first and used to light the other candles. The candles are placed in the menorah from right to left, but lit from left to right.
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