Where was Hanukkah originated?

Answer 1

Hanukkah originated in Jerusalem at a time when the land had been invaded and was controlled by the Seleucid Empire which came from Macedonia. During their occupation, the Seleucid leader Antiochus banned circumcision, rededicated the Temple to Zeus and ordered pigs to be sacrificed there - these, naturally, we not popular moves among the Jews.

A small band of Jewish rebels began to organise themselves and became known as the Maccabees, a word meaning "hammer" and fought back - and, despite being heavily outnumbered, miraculously managed to take back the Temple which they immediately reconsecrated. As part of this action, they relit the Menorah (Exodus ch.25), which was fueled with olive oil. However, it soon became apparent that there was only sufficient oil to keep the candelabra burning for one single day - and it would take eight days to make and bring some more.

Yet, miraculously, that one day's worth of oil lasted for the full eight days - how this should be could not be explained by natural causes and was a miracle, which is what we celebrate during Hanukkah every year when we light the Hanukkah Menorah, or hanukkiyah, a special form of the original seven-branched menorah. Our Hanukkah-menorahs have eight spaces for oil (or, more commonly, 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.