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It's one of the minor Jewish holidays (not the most holy), and it is an 8-day celebration of the miracle of the oil.
The Seleucids (Syrian-Greeks) under Antiochus Epiphanes (2nd century BCE), at the instigation of the Hellenizers, had forbidden various Torah-practices such as Sabbath-observance and circumcision, rededicated the Temple to a Greek idol, and pressed the Jews to offer up sacrifices to the idol. One of the leading elder Jewish sages called upon the people to keep observing the Torah anyway; and if necessary, to use force in resisting the decrees.
When a Hellenized Jew offered a sacrifice to the Greek idols in a nearby village, the sage killed him as well as the Greek overseer. This brought a violent reaction from the Greeks; and the loyal Jews, led by the Hasmonean family, were forced to retreat from their towns and strike out at the Greeks in an attempt to oust them from the Holy Land and to enable the people to once again observe the Torah. The Torah-Jews were heavily outnumbered by the attacking Greek armies, but God gave them miraculous victories again and again.
After three years of struggle, the Greek armies retreated from Jerusalem, and the Hasmoneans (also called Maccabees) entered the Holy Temple which the Greeks had defiled, reconsecrated it to God, and began the Temple service once more. Among other things, they wanted to relight the olive oil candelabrum (Exodus ch. 25), but could only find one day's supply of undefiled oil - and it would take eight days to make and bring some more. Miraculously, the menorah stayed lit for eight days (Talmud, Shabbat 21b), allowing enough time for new oil to be prepared and brought.
The significance of the miracle is that it demonstrated that God's presence was still there. The Torah-community was overjoyed, because God's presence meant everything to them. This is what Hanukkah represents: the closeness to God; and the avoidance of Hellenization (assimilation). The Torah Sages instituted the festival of Hanukkah at that time (Talmud, Shabbat 21b), to publicize the miracle (Rashi commentary, ibid). This is why we light our Hanukkah-menorahs. (The Hanukkah-menorah, or hanukkiyah, is a special form of the original seven-branched menorah.
Our Hanukkah-menorahs have eight spaces for oil, or candles, to mark each of the eight days for which the oil lasted and a ninth to hold the shamash, a candle used to light the others.) The Al-Hanisim prayer which we recite during Hanukkah centers around the Hasmoneans' victory and rededication of the Temple, while the candle-lighting commemorates the miracle of the oil.
Though the military victory is prominently mentioned in the prayers, it wouldn't have been celebrated if not for the miracle of the oil. It should also be noted that the main goal for which the Maccabees fought was not political independence. They fought to enable the people to observe the Torah's commandments; as we say in the Al Hanisim prayer: "The Greeks sought to cause us to forget Your Torah and leave Your statutes." .
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∙ 6y ago
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoNo. The Jewish New Year, known as 'Rosh Hashanah', occurs at or just before the beginning of autumn, and is extensively discussed in the Torah. It marks a period of introspection and repentance. Hanukkah is not mentioned in the Torah. It occurs around the beginning of winter, and celebrates the re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem after its desecration by the Greeks.
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∙ 10y agoNo, Channukah is one of the lesser Jewish holidays and isn't a 'holy' time to the same degree as the Sabbath and Torah-festivals (Leviticus ch.23).
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∙ 6y agoHanukkah is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the victory of the Maccabean War of 165 BCE.
Wiki User
∙ 6y agoNo. Hanukkah is a minor Jewish holiday.
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What are the most sacred high holy days during the Jewish religious year?
Yom Kippur
What would one answer to the question of when is Hanukkah?
Hanukkah begins on 25 Kislev. For the year 2013, Hanukkah begins on November 27, 2013 and ends on December 5, 2013. Hanukkah is celebrated by the Jewish communities.
What clothes do youy wear on Hanukkah?
There are no particular clothing requirements for Hanukkah in Jewish law. Whatever is acceptable for the rest of the year is good for Hanukkah too. Hanukkah is not one of the major Jewish festivals.
Who uses the menorah?
The Hanukkah-menorah, also called a Hanukkiyyah, is used on Hanukkah.(Jewish people also have a different candle holder, called a menorah, that some venues use for decoration or as a religious symbol, all year round).
Why does Hanukkah start in different months in a year?
Hanukkah starts on different days, but it almost always starts in December (or the last few days of November). Hanukkah is always on the 25th of Kislev, which is on the Jewish calendar. Because this calendar uses a different leap year system, it doesn't line up with the western calendar.
Why is Hanukkah so early this year?
Because the Hebrew calendar is based on the lunar cycle, the dates of Jewish holidays according to the Gregorian calendar change from year to year. For this reason, the beginning of Hanukkah can range from late November to late December. In 2021, Hanukkah begins at sundown on Sunday, November 28, and continues through Monday, December 6.
Do people tell stories on Hanukkah?
Not usually, although Hanukkah children's books are growing in popularity, and stories may be read in Jewish schools.Answer:One of the many observances included in Judaism is to retell the events of how Hanukkah started. The best time for this is during Hanukkah; and many families do this.
What do Jewish children celebrate instead of Christmas?
Jews don't celebrate anything instead of Christmas. This is because Jesus plays no role whatsoever in Judaism, therefore there is no Jewish holiday to celebrate him. Some people mistakenly believe that Channukah is the "Jewish Christmas", however, this couldn't be further from the truth. Channukah celebrates the rejection of forced assimilation, celebrating Christmas would directly violate the meaning of Channukah.
Does china celabrate christmas?
Some Chinese people celebrate Christmas. I have been to China during the winter and saw many department stores with decorations of Christmas Trees, Santa Claus, and Christmas Tree bulbs. However, since many Chinese are not Christians, they do not celebrate the birth of Jesus on this day. To them, it is just another holiday. Kwanzaa is an African American Holiday, not celebrated in China. Hanukkah is Jewish holiday, only celebrated in China by Jewish tourists and Jewish foreign workers.
Is the holy time of year Judaism Hanukkah?
No, the holiest times for Judaism are the Sabbath, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot.Answer:Every Jewish occasion such as Hanukkah and Purim have more holiness than regular weekdays. Still, Hanukkah is a minor festival. The holiest times in Judaism are the ones listed above.
How do you wish someone a happy Hanukkah in English?
You shouldn't. Hanukkah and Christmas are no necessarily on the same day, so it would be inappropriate to wish someone a happy Hanukkah on December 25, if that day isn't during of Hanukkah. A better idea would be to look on a calendar to see when Hanukkah falls, then then wish your Jewish friends a Happy Hanukkah on Hanukkah.
Is it true the high holy days include Hanukkah and Yom Kippur the two most sacred of all Jewish holidays?
No, it is not true. Hanukkah is not even explicitly mentioned in the Torah, and is hardly in the class of Yom Kippur. When the "High Holy Days" are mentioned, that title refers to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur ... two holidays that are observed only 10 days apart.Hanukkah is a celebration of events in Jewish history. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are Torah-holidays (Leviticus ch.23) that are dedicated to proclaiming God's kingship, to personal introspection, to taking stock of one's personal life and future intentions, to evaluating one's role as a member of the unified Jewish community, and to seeking the forgiveness of God and of people whom we have wronged in the previous year.
