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It commemorates the Maccabean War of 165 BCE, so it could be as old as that.
Answer:Hanukkah originated in the year that the Hasmoneans recaptured Jerusalem, as stated in the Talmud. This was in 165 BCE.The Seleucids (Syrian-Greeks) under Antiochus Epiphanes (2nd century BCE), at the instigation of the Hellenizers, had forbidden various Torah-practices in Judea, such as Sabbath-observance, and pressed the Jews to offer up idolatrous sacrifices. The Hasmoneans (a family of religious Jews) fought to retake the Holy Temple, which had been seized by the Seleucids, and to enable the people to once again observe the Torah.
When they reached the Temple grounds and prepared to light the oil lamps of the Temple's menorah (Exodus ch.25), they found only one day's supply of unsullied olive oil. 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 still dwelt in the Holy Temple. 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 eight-day rededication of the Temple is also mentioned in the book of Maccabees (I, 4:36; and II, 1:18); and Josephus mentions the eight-day festival in Antiquities ch.12.
The Al-Hanisim prayer which we recite during Hanukkah centers around the Hasmoneans' victory, while the candle-lighting commemorates 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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Hanukkah is held on the 25 of this month?
Hanukkah always starts on the Hebrew calendar date of 25 Kislev
What date does Hanukkah start in 2011?
In 2011, Hanukkah began on the evening of December 20
What festivals is there during Hanukkah?
Hanukkah is a festival.No other festival in another tradition necessarilycoincides with Hanukkah, since the date of Hanukkah is set by using the Hebrew calendar while the festivals of other religions are set using different calendars.
What date is Hanukkah in 2009?
Hanukkah 2009 began in the evening of Friday the 11th of December and ended in the evening of Saturday the 19th of December.
On what date was the fourth day of Hanukkah in 1904?
December 6, 1904
What date did Hanukkah start in 2007?
The evening of December 4, 2007
What is the date for the first day of Hanukkah in 2011?
December 20, 2011
Is Hanukkah celebrated one full moon every year?
Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days, starting on the Hebrew date of 25 Kislev. The sixth day of Hanukkah always occurs on a new moon. None of the days of Hanukkah occur on a full moon.
What date do you give a Hanukkah card?
There are no traditions about when to send Hanukkah cards. This is a non-traditional practice borrowed from Christmas and is only a few decades old.
Is Hanukkah a french word?
Hanukkah doesn't originate in French. It is a Hebrew word (see Numbers 7:10 and Nehemiah 12:27); and when it is found in French or other languages, it has been borrowed and transliterated from the Hebrew.
On what date did Hanukkah begin in 2008?
Chanukah began on December 21, 2008
What date is the Hanukkah celebrated in its country of origin?
Eight days, beginning on the 25th of Kislev.
