Hanukkah

If you're an atheist, then by definition, it doesn't matter what holidays you celebrate.

If you want to be nice to your spouse, then that's most likely the over-riding concern that determines how you want to conduct your celebrations, and you'd go through the motions of 'celebrating' or at least acknowledging whatever occasions [s]he wants to celebrate. A Jewish spouse that married an atheist ought to be quite easy to please.

On the other hand an atheist can participate in any holiday he wants as long as he finds the company of the other celebrants pleasant, the food enjoyable and the opportunity to interact with people he likes worthwhile. He is not constrained to celebrate only the appropriate holidays for his peer group.

In that sense, the atheist enjoys a unique flexibility, although it may justifiably be remarked that the line between participation and celebration has become fuzzy.

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. The fact that the Greeks had taken the Temple made it impossible to conduct the Temple services, part of which included lighting the Temple's menorah as commanded by the Torah (Exodus ch.25).

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."

It starts on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev, which is usually some time in the second half of December. To find out the date in December date go to www.aish.org.uk. In 2010 it will be December 1 to December 9.

the traditional greeting is Chag Sameach (?? ???).

Hanukkah lasts for 8 days.

The type of gifts that are appropriate for Hanukkah are gifts that are small but are also meaningful. Buy a gift that you know they would love but also make sure its not too big.

The Holy Temple in Jerusalem.

Gifts do not go with the lamp.
Gift giving during Hanukkah is a modern practice that only stated a few decades ago, among non-Orthodox Jews. It has nothing to do with the lamp (called a Chanukiah or Hanukkah-menorah).

Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem in the 2nd century BCE following the Maccabean Revolt and a miracle that took place at that time.

The Maccabees were a Jewish army that rebelled against the Seleucid Empire which had conquered Judea. Their victory in the rebellion meant that Judaism could be revived, and Jerusalem once again came under Jewish control and so the Temple, which had been partially destroyed (not to be confused with its destruction in 70CE by the Romans) was repaired and "reconsecrated."

The candelabra of the Temple (Exodus ch.25) was lit with olive oil. However, the Maccabees soon realised that they had only enough oil to keep the flames burning for a single day and it would take a week to make more. Miraculously, the oil they did have lasted for another seven days, giving them time to do so. 1 Maccabees, an ancient Jewish text that has become part of the Christian Old Testament but which is not part of the Torah (Jewish Bible) states that: "For eight days they celebrated the rededication of the altar. Then Judah and his brothers and the entire congregation of Israel decreed that the days of the dedication...should be observed...every year." Jews have celebrated Hanukkah ever since.

Answer:

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 circumcision, rededicated the Temple to a Greek idol, and pressed the Jews to offer up idolatrous sacrifices. Despite being heavily outnumbered, 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. The Hasmoneans (also called Maccabees) were miraculously victorious. When they reached the Temple grounds, they immediately reconsecrated it to God. 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.

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 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."

The 6th and 7th books of Moses are bunk and have nothing to do with Judaism.

There's no rule. Usually, the menorah is set up in the minutes or hours leading up to the first evening of Hanukkah.

Ham is not a traditional celebration dinner for a Jewish man's birthday. In fact, many Jews NEVER eat ham because it is prohibited by Jewish law.

It happened in 2002 and will happen again in 2013.

Antiochus was the name of the king of the Seleucid Empire in Syria.

There are no specific requirements or traditions concerning how to dress during Hanukkah.

Jews do not eat a pig at any time of the year, so they do not eat a pig on Hanukkah either.

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the 25th of Kislev.

The candles are put into the Hanukkiah (Hanukkah-menorah) starting on the first evening) of Hanukkah. The candles are lit in the early evening after sunset or later.

The Temple in Jerusalem, which had been built by Ezra after the Babylonians had destroyed Solomon's Temple.

In addition, each family celebrated Hanukkah in their homes (and still do).

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.

All stores are open on Hanukkah, unless there is another reason to close, such as a weekend or a legal holiday.

• Is it happy Hanukkah

You light 9 candles on Hanukkah, and there is no tradition of asking why, unless there are guests in the home who don't know about Hanukkah.