Festivals and holidays are part and parcel of our lives. Though they vary from region to region and differ from faith to faith, they are all celebrations of love, happiness, and harmony. They foster a festive spirit among people of the same culture and also across diverse cultures. “Hanukkah” is one such festival-cum-holiday among Jews. It’s also a period that symbolizes miracles, victories, and love. In this blog, let’s understand the brave history of Hanukkah and discuss the events that happen during this important holiday.
Do you know what the term “Hanukkah” means? It means “dedication” in Hebrew. As stated above, it is a Jewish holiday filled with lots of celebrations, joy, and love. Gifts are exchanged, and candles are lighted in containers called “menorahs.” Hanukkah is also known as the “Festival of Lights” among Jews.
Even though some people think that it’s some kind of “Jewish Christmas,” it is not. However, it’s one of the most beloved and celebrated Jewish holidays.
In 168 BC, Antiochus Epiphanes, a Syrian King, ordered his soldiers to desecrate the Temple of Jerusalem. At that time, the Jews regarded this temple as the holiest place. However, Antiochus abolished many of the Jews’ rituals and commanded them to worship the Greek God Zeus.
Moreover, Antiochus installed statues of Greek idols and slaughtered pigs at the altar. Thus, he made the Temple, the holiest place of the Jews, “dirty.” These practices infuriated the Jews to a great extent. But they were just the beginning of Antiochus’s atrocities. Ultimately, he renamed the holy Temple of the Jews after Zeus. This started a Jewish resistance movement.
A priestly family, known as the “Maccabees,” gathered the Jews and fought against the Syrians. Even though they were outnumbered, the Maccabees miraculously won the battle! Thus, It is a representation of Jewish valor and victory against overpowering odds.
The history of Hanukkah that we are discussing here would not be complete without mentioning the oil miracle. Are you excited to find out what it is? Then, come on… let’s delve deeper!
After they won the war, the Jews cleaned their Temple, Beit Hamikdash, and then rededicated it in 167-160 BC. They relit the “Ner Tamid” – the lamp that burned forever without a break. It was also called the “Everlasting Light” or “Eternal Light.” But there was only one jar of oil to keep it burning. So, a person was sent to get more oil, but it took him eight days to return with the oil. However, the Ner Tamid kept burning just with that one jar of oil during those eight days!
The Jews shouted, “It’s a miracle!” and danced around with joy. Though this excitement might have been the foundation of the Hanukkah celebrations, they started in full swing only after a couple of centuries.
The oil miracle was, indeed, a miraculous indication of a supernatural power!
The first traditional Hanukkah, resembling the present celebration, didn’t happen until 250 years after the Syrians were defeated. The traditional Hebrew candelabra, famously known as the “Menorah,” consists of nine candle holders. While eight were aligned equally to represent the eight days the oil lamp lasted, the 9th candle, called the “Shamash”, was placed distinctly to represent the original lamp itself.
Unlike Shabbat, Hanukkah can be celebrated by going about usual activities and visiting family and friends. Jews generally eat fried foods on this day. The ‘Festival of Lights’ is celebrated by lighting the Shamash candle and one other candle on the Menorah each day until the 8th day, when all of them are lit simultaneously from left to right.
Hanukkah appears only in the New Testament, where Jesus is mentioned as attending a ‘Feast of Dedication’. This is the only time the festival is mentioned in the Bible. It is not a ‘Jewish Christmas, ’ even though both holidays are celebrated at the same time of the year with similar traditions.
The First and Second Books of Maccabees provide a detailed account of Hanukkah, but the Hebrew Bible excludes these two books.
It starts on the 25th day of Kislev, a month on the Hebrew calendar. Hanukkah is a testament to the Jews’ victory. According to the Hebrew calendar, Kislev, also known as “The Month of Dreams,” can fall anywhere between November and December.
Starting from the 25th of Kislev, Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days and eight nights continuously. This practice is still followed in memory of the eight days the miraculous flame lasted in the Jewish Temple.
Now that you know some facts about the history of Hanukkah, let’s learn about the foods/dishes usually cooked and served during the Hanukkah celebrations.
Here are some traditional dishes prepared during Hanukkah. Is your mouth watering already? Take a look at them now!
Also called “potato pancakes,” latkes are prepared from mashed or shredded potatoes.
It’s a traditional egg noodle casserole that can be sweet or savory. It’s commonly served as a side dish.
In ancient times, money was gifted during Hanukkah, and this money was called “gelt.” However, in modern times, the gelt is a chocolate coin enclosed by gold foil.
It’s nothing but fluffy, crispy bread with an egg wash on top. It’s one of the most traditional Hanukkah dishes served on the table of feasts.
It’s served as one of the desserts on the Hanukkah table. These are usually plump, jelly-filled donuts having powdered sugar on top.
While the menorahs were originally placed facing the streets, practicing Judaism became dangerous during the next few decades, so they were brought inside.
We hope you enjoyed reading our blog on the history of Hanukkah. If you have a Jewish friend and want to wish them a happy Hanukkah, use the following words of greetings!
You can now refresh your memory on the Hanukkah facts we’ve discussed by answering the Quiz on this page!
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