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group ''Skullen'' lighting Hanukkah lights]] Hanukkah (, also spelled '''Chanukah'''), also known as the '''Festival of Lights''', is an eight-day Jewish Holiday beginning on the 25th day of the month of Kislev , which may fall anytime from late November to late December. The festival is observed in Jewish homes by the kindling of lights on each night of the holiday - one on the first night, two on the second, and so on. COMMEMORATION ''Hanukka,'' from the Hebrew word for "dedication", marks the re-dedication of the Temple after its desecration by Antiochus IV and commemorates the "miracle of the cruze of oil." According to the Talmud , at the re-dedication of the Temple In Jerusalem following the victory of the Maccabees over the Seleucid Empire , there was only enough consecrated Olive Oil to fuel the eternal flame in the Temple for one day. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days - which was the length of time it took to press, prepare and consecrate new oil. Hanukkah is also mentioned in the Deuterocanonical Books of 1 Maccabees and 2 Maccabees . 1 Maccabees states: "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 rededication...should be observed...every year...for eight days. (1 Mac.4:56-59)" According to 2 Maccabees, "the Jews celebrated joyfully for eight days as on the feast of Booths." The martyrdom of Hannah and her seven sons has also been linked to Hanukkah. According to the Talmudic storyTalmud Gittin 57b tell a story of a woman and her seven son kill by "Caesar". The name "Hannah" is not stated. and Book Of Maccabees , a Jewish woman named Hannah and her seven sons were tortured and executed by Antiochus' for refusing to bow down to a statue and eat pork, in violation of Jewish law. Historically, Hanukkah commemorates two events:
Because Judaism as a religion shies away from glorifying military victories, the Hasmonean s later became corrupt, and civil war between Jews is viewed as deplorable, Hanukkah does not formally commemorate these historical events. Instead, it focuses on the Miracle of the Oil and the positive spiritual aspects of the Temple's rededication; The oil becomes a metaphor for the miraculous survival of the Jewish people through millennia of trials and tribulations. Name The name "Hanukkah" is interpreted in many ways. 1
HISTORICAL SOURCES In the Talmud The candles and moves to Hanukkah candles. says that after the occupiers had been driven from the Temple, the Maccabees discovered that almost all of the ritual Olive Oil had been profaned. They found only a single container that was still Seal ed by the High Priest , with enough oil to keep the Menorah in the Temple lit for a single day. They used this, and miraculously, that oil burned for eight days (the time it took to have new oil pressed and made ready). The Talmud presents three customs: #Lighting one light each night per household, #One light each night for each member of the household, or, #The most beautiful method, where the number of candles changed each night. There was a dispute over how the last option was to be performed: either display eight lamps on the first night of the festival, and reduce the number on each successive night; or begin with one lamp the first night, increasing the number till the eighth night. The followers of Shammai favored the former custom; the followers of Hillel advocated the latter. As is the case in most such disputes, Jews today follow Hillel. Except in times of danger, the lights were to be placed outside one's door or in the window closest to the street. Josephus could not believe that the lights were symbolic of the liberty obtained by the Jews on the day that Hanukkah commemorates. Rashi , in a note to ''Shabbat 21b,'' says their purpose is to publicize the miracle. Hanukkah is also mentioned in the (older) Mishnah (TB Megillah 30b). In the Septuagint and other sources The story of Hanukkah is alluded in the books of was due to a miracle which occurred on the twenty-fifth of Kislev, and which appears to be given as the reason for the selection of the same date for the rededication of the altar by Judah Maccabeus. The Books of Maccabees are not part of the Tanakh ( Hebrew Bible ), but are part of Deuterocanonical historical and religious material preserved in the Septuagint . The Tanakh ends with the consequences following the events of Purim , and had already been codified many centuries earlier by the Men Of The Great Assembly (''Anshei Knesset HaGedolah''). Another source is the of Philip Birnbaum . THE STORY See Also: Hasmonean Around 200 BCE Jews lived as an autonomous people in the Land Of Israel , also referred to as Judea , which at that time was controlled by the Seleucid King Of Syria . The Jewish people paid taxes to Syria and accepted its legal authority, and by and large were free to follow their own faith, maintain their own jobs, and engage in trade. By 175 BCE Antiochus IV Epiphanes ascended to the Seleucid throne. At first little changed, but under his reign, the Temple in Jerusalem was looted, Jews were massacred, and Judaism was effectively outlawed. In 167 BCE Antiochus ordered an altar to Zeus erected in the Temple. Many modern scholars argue that the king may have been interveneing in an internal civil war between the traditionalist Jews in the country and the Hellenized elite Jews in Jerusalem. These competed violently over who would be the High Priest, with traditionalists with Hebrew/Aramaic like Onias overthrown by Hellenizers with Greek names like like Jason and Menelaus. As the conflict escalated, Antiochus took the side of the Hellenizers by prohibiting the religious practices the traditionalists had rallied around. This may explain why the king, in a total departure from Seleucid practice in all other places and times, banned the traditional religion of a whole people.Tchrikover, Victor. Hellenistic Civilization and the Jews. In any case, Antiochus' actions proved to be a major miscalculation as they provoked a large-scale revolt. Mattathias , a Jewish Priest , and his five sons Jochanan, Simeon , Eleazar , Jonathan , and Judah led a rebellion against Antiochus. Judah became known as Judah Maccabee ("Judah the Hammer"). By 166 BCE Mattathias had died, and Judah took his place as leader. By 165 BCE the Jewish revolt against the Seleucid monarchy was successful. The Temple was liberated and rededicated. The festival of Hanukkah was instituted by and the Temple, Judah ordered the Temple to be cleansed, a new altar to be built in place of the polluted one and new holy vessels to be made. According to the Talmud , oil was needed for the menorah in the Temple, which was supposed to burn throughout the night every night. But there was only enough oil to burn for one day, yet miraculously, it burned for eight days, the time needed to prepare a fresh supply of oil for the menorah. An eight-day festival was declared to commemorate this miracle. , c. 1900.]] The version of the story in 1 Maccabees, on the other hand, states that an eight day celebration of songs and sacrifices was proclaimed upon rededication of the altar, and makes no mention of the miracle of the oil. 1 Macc. iv. 36 A number of historians believe that the reason for the eight-day celebration was that the first Hanukkah was in effect a belated celebration of the festivals of [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=J.+AJ+12.287] ''Jewish Antiquities'' xii. 7, § 7, #323 mentions the eight-day festival and its customs, but does not tell us the origin of the eight day lighting custom. Given that his audience was Hellenized Romans, perhaps his silence on the origin of the eight-day custom is due to its miraculous nature. In any event, he does report that lights were kindled in the household and the popular name of the festival was, therefore the "Festival of Lights" ("And from that time to this we celebrate this festival, and call it Lights"). It has been noted that Jewish festivals are connected to the harvesting of the Biblical seven fruits which Israel was famed for. Pesach is a celebration of the barley harvest, Shavuot of the wheat, Sukkot of the figs, dates, pomegranates and grapes, and Hanukkah of the Olive s. The olive harvest is in November and Olive Oil would be ready in time for Hanukkah in December. It has also been noted that the number eight has special significance in Jewish theology, as representing transcendence and the Jewish People's special role in human history. Seven is the number of days of creation, that is, of completion of the material cosmos, and also of the Classical Planet s. Eight, being one step beyond seven, represents the Infinite. Hence, the Eighth Day of the Assembly festival, mentioned above, is according to Jewish Law a festival for Jews only (unlike Sukkoth, when all peoples were welcome in Jerusalem). Similarly, the rite of circumcision, which brings a Jewish male into God's Covenant, is performed on the eighth day. Hence, Hanukkah's eight days (in celebration of monotheistic morality's victory over Hellenistic humanism) have great symbolic importance for practicing Jews. HANUKKAH RITUALS used for Hanukkah, also called Hanukiot (sing. Hanukiah). 12th thru 19th century, C.E.]] Hanukkah is celebrated by a series of rituals that are performed every day throughout the 8-day holiday. Some are family-based and others are communal. There are special additions to the daily prayer service, and a section is added to the blessing after meals. Hanukkah is not a "Sabbath-like" holiday, and there is no obligation to refrain from activities that are forbidden on the Sabbath, as specified in the '' Shulkhan Arukh '''' Shulkhan Arukh '' '' Orach Chayim '' 670:1 People go to work as usual, but may leave early in order to be home to kindle the lights at nightfall. There is no religious reason for schools to be closed, although, in Israel, schools close for the whole week of Hanukkah. Kindling the Hanukkah Lights See Also: Chanukkiyah The primary ritual, according to (Tracate Shabbat 21b-23a), against using the Hanukkah lights for anything other than publicizing - and meditating on - the Hanukkah story. (This differs from Sabbath candles which are meant to be used for illumination). Hence, if one were to need extra illumination on Hanukkah, the ''shamash'' candle would be available and one would avoid using the prohibited lights. Some light the ''shamash'' candle first and then use it to light the others.'' Shulkhan Arukh '' '' Orach Chayim '' 673:1 So all together, including the ''shamash'', two lights are lit on the first night, three on the second and so on, ending with nine on the last night, for a total of 44. Hanukkah menorah]] The lights can be candles or oil lamps.'', has six branches plus a central shaft, for a total of seven lamps. The reason for the Hanukkah lights is not for the "lighting of the house within", but rather for the "illumination of the house without", so that passers-by should see it and be reminded of the holiday's miracle. Accordingly lamps are set up at a prominent window or near the door leading to the street. It is customary amongst some Ashkenazi m to have a separate menorah for each family member (customs vary), whereas most Sephardi m light one ''chanukkiyah'' for the whole household. Only when there was danger of Anti-semitic Persecution were lamps supposed to be hidden from public view, as was the case in Persia under the rule of the Zoroastrians , or in parts of Europe before and during World War II. However, most Hasidic groups, light lamps near an inside doorway, not necessarily in public view. According to this tradition, the lamps are placed on the opposite side from the '' Mezuzah '', so that when one passes through the door he is surrounded by the holiness of ''mitzvoth''. oil-burning Hanukkah menorah from Israel circa 1948, by Maurice Ascalon .]] When to light the lights Hanukkah lights should burn for at least one half hour after it gets dark (the custom of the Vilna Gaon - observed by many residents of Jerusalem as the custom of the city, is to light at sundown, although most Hassidim light later, even in Jerusalem. Many Hassidic Rebbes light much later, because they fulfill the obligation of publicising the miracle by the presence of their Hasidim when they kindle the lights.). The standard inexpensive wax candles sold for Hanukkah burn for approximately half an hour, so on most days this requirement can be met by lighting the candles when it is dark out. Friday night presents a problem, however. Candles must be lit before the start of Shabbat and inexpensive Hanukkah candles do not burn long enough to meet the requirement. A simple solution is to use "tea lights" or Sabbath candles, arranging them in a straight line and setting the ''shamash'' candle apart and above the rest, or by using the traditional oil lamps. Blessings over the candles Stamp honoring Hanukkah and showing a Menorah with colored candles]] Typically three blessings (''Brachot'' singular ''Brachah'') are recited during this eight-day festival. On the first night of Hanukkah, Jews recite all three blessings, on all subsequent nights, they recite only the first two.'', on the following night a second light is placed to the left of the first and is lit first proceeding from left to right, and so on each night. The first blessing Recited all eight nights just prior to lighting the candles: ''Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu l'hadlik neir (shel) chanukah.'' The second blessing Recited all eight nights just prior to lighting the candles: ''Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, she-asah nisim la-avoteinu, bayamim haheim, (u)baz'man hazeh. '' The third blessing Recited only on the first night just prior to lighting the candles: ''Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, shehecheyanu, v'kiyemanu, vehigi-anu laz'man hazeh. '' After kindling the lights - ''Hanerot Halalu'' Rosenberger - Satmar Hasid - Rabbi of Ramat Beit Shemesh Bet lighting Chanukah candles]] When the lights are kindled the ''Hanerot Halalu'' prayer is subsequently recited:'' Shulkhan Arukh '' '' Orach Chayim '' 676:4 ( Ashkenazi c version): ''Hanneirot hallalu anachnu madlikin 'al hannissim ve'al hanniflaot 'al hatteshu'ot ve'al hammilchamot she'asita laavoteinu bayyamim haheim, (u)bazzeman hazeh 'al yedei kohanekha hakkedoshim. Vekhol-shemonat yemei Hanukkah hanneirot hallalu kodesh heim, ve-ein lanu reshut lehishtammesh baheim ella lir'otam bilvad kedei lehodot ul'halleil leshimcha haggadol 'al nissekha ve'al nifleotekha ve'al yeshu'otekha.'' Singing of ''Maoz Tzur'' after lighting See Also: Ma'oz Tzur Each night after the lighting of the candles, while remaining within eyeshot of the candles, Ashkenazi m (and, in recent decades, some Sephardi m and Mizrahi m in Western countries), then usually sing the following hymn written in Medieval Ashkenaz ( Germany ). The song contains six stanzas. The first and last deal with general themes of divine salvation, and the middle four deal with events of persecution in Jewish History , and praises God for survival despite these tragedies (the The Exodus from Egypt, the Babylonian Captivity , the miracle of the holiday of Purim , and the Hasmonean victory). Other customs Various Hasidic and Sefardic traditions have additional prayers that are recited both before and after lighting the Hanukkah lights. This includes the recitation of many Psalms, most notably Psalms 30, 67, and 91 (many Hassidim recite Psalm 91 seven times after lighting the lamps, as was taught by the Baal Shem Tov ), as well as other prayers and hymns, each congregation according to its own custom. Additions to the daily prayers An addition is made to the "''hoda'ah''" (thanksgiving) benediction in the ''" or "''Megillat Hanukkah''", which has other names and dates strangely mixed.) The same prayer is added to the grace after meals. In addition, the '' Hallel '' Psalms are sung during each morning service and the '' Tachanun '' penitential prayers are omitted. The Torah is read every day in the synagogue, the first day beginning from Numbers 6:22 (According to some customs, Numbers 7:1), and the last day ending with Numbers 8:4. Since Hanukkah lasts eight days it includes at least one, and sometimes two, 7:40 - 7:50. The Hanukkah ''menorah'' is also kindled daily in the synagogue, at night with the blessings and in the morning without the blessings. The menorah is not lit on the Sabbath, but rather prior to the beginning of the Sabbath at night and not at all during the day. Some congregations have the custom of throwing towels at the one who kindles the menorah in the synagogue, in order to demonstrate that he has not fulfilled his obligation to kindle, and must still kindle again later in his home. During the Middle Ages " Megillat Antiochus " was read in the Italian Synagogues on Hanukkah just as the Book Of Esther is read on Purim . It still forms part of the liturgy of the Yemenite Jews The Scroll Of The Hasmoneans . ''Zot Hanukkah'' The last day of Hanukkah is known as ''Zot Hanukkah'', from the verse in the Book of Numbers 7:84 "''Zot Chanukat Hamizbe'ach''" - "This was the dedication of the altar", which is read on this day in the synagogue. According to the teachings of '' Kabballah '' and Hasidism , this day is the final "seal" of the High Holiday season of '' Yom Kippur '', and is considered a time to repent out of love for God. In this spirit, many Hassidic Jews wish each other "''Gmar chatimah tovah''", "may you be sealed totally for good", a traditional greeting for the ''Yom Kippur'' season. It is taught in Hassidic and Kabbalistic literature that this day is particularly auspicious for the fulfillment of prayers. JUDITH AND HOLOFERNES Eating dairy foods, especially cheese, on Hanukkah is a little-known custom that has its roots in the story of Judith, as related in the book of Judith (''Yehudit''/''Yehudis'' in Hebrew). Holofernes , an Assyrian general, surrounds the village of Bethulia as part of his campaign to conquer Judea. After intense fighting, the water supply of the Jews is cut off and the situation becomes desperate. Judith, a pious widow, tells the city leaders that she has a plan to save the city. Judith goes to the Assyrian camps and pretends to surrender. She meets Holofernes, who he is smitten by her beauty. She goes back to his tent with him, where she plies him with cheese and wine. When he falls into a drunken sleep, Judith beheads him and escapes from the camp, taking the severed head with her. When Holoferenes' soldiers find his corpse, they are overcome with fear; the Jews, on the other hand, are emboldened, and launch a successful counterattack. The town is saved, the Assyrians defeated. Many argue that Holofernes was actually Greek, placing the events in the general time-frame of Hanukkah. The longstanding tradition that Judith was the daughter of Mattathias, the Hasmonean High Priest, and sister to Judah the Maccabee, is how this story came to be associated with Hanukkah. There are many depictions of Judith and Holofernes in Christian art. HANUKKAH MUSIC See Also: Chanukah music After lighting the candles and reciting the blessings, singing Hanukkah songs is customary in many Jewish homes. Israeli Hanukkah songs As a festival that has become something of a national holiday in Israel, a large number of songs have been written on Hanukkah themes - perhaps more so than for any other Jewish holiday. Some of the most well known are "Hanukkiah Li Yesh" ("I have a Hanukkah Menora"), "Kad Katan" ("A Small Jug"), "Sevivon Sov Sov Sov" ("Hanukka Top, Spin and Spin") and "Ner Li, Ner Li" ("I have a Candle"). HANUKKAH FOODS Potato Pancakes , known as Latke s in Yiddish , are traditionally associated with Hanukkah (especially among Ashkenazi families) because there is a custom to eat foods fried or baked in oil, preferably Olive Oil , as the original miracle of the Hanukkah menorah involved the discovery of the small flask of oil used by the Jewish High Priest (the Kohen Gadol ). Many Sephardic families as well as Polish Ashkenazim and Israel is have the custom to eat all kinds of fruit filled Doughnut s (), ( Bimuelos , or Sufganiyot ) which are Deep-fried in oil. HANUKKAH GAMES Dreidel See Also: Dreidel The ''dreidel'', or ''sevivon'' in Hebrew, is a four-sided spinning top that children play with on Hanukkah. Each side is imprinted with a Hebrew letter. These letters are an acronym for the Hebrew words, נס גדול היה שם, ''Nes '''G'''adol '''H'''aya '''S'''ham''—"A great miracle happened there" (referring to the miracle of the oil that took place in the Beit Hamikdash ). In the State Of Israel , the fourth side of most dreidels is inscribed with the letter פ ''( Pe )'', rendering the acronym, נס גדול היה פה, ''Nes '''G'''adol '''H'''aya '''P'''o''—"A great miracle happened here" (referring to the fact that the miracle occurred in the land of Israel). Some stores in Haredi neighbourhoods may sell the traditional ''Shin'' dreidels. Some Jewish commentators ascribe symbolic significance to the markings on the dreidel. One commentary, for example, connects the four letters with the four exiles to which the nation of Israel was historically subject—Babylonia, Persia, Greece, and Rome.http://www.ohr.org.il/yhiy/article.php/1309 After lighting the Hanukkah menorah, it is customary in many homes to play the dreidel game: Each player starts out with 10 or 15 coins (real or of chocolate), nuts, raisins, candies or other markers, and places one marker in the "pot." The first player spins the dreidel, and depending on which side the dreidel falls on, either wins a marker from the pot or gives up part of his stash. The code (based on a Yiddish version of the game) is as follows:
Another version differs in that nun is ''nem'' - "take", while gimel is ''gib'' - "give". The game may last until one person has won everything. Some say the dreidel game is played to commemorate a game devised by the Jews to camouflage the fact that they were studying Torah, which was outlawed by Greeks. The Jews would gather in caves to study, posting a lookout to alert the group to the presence of Greek soldiers. If soldiers were spotted, the Jews would hide their scrolls and spin tops, so the Greeks thought they were gambling, not learning. Hanukkah ''gelt'' Hanukkah ''gelt'' ( Yiddish for "money") is often distributed to children to enhance their enjoyment of the holiday. The amount is usually in small coins, although grandparents or other relatives may give larger sums as an official Hanukkah gift. In Israel , Hanukkah ''gelt'' is known as ''dmei Hanukkah''. Many Hassidic Rebbe s distribute coins to those who visit them during Hanukkah. Hassidic Jews consider this to be an auspicious blessing from the Rebbe, and a '' Segulah '' for success. Twentieth-century American Chocolatier s picked up on the gift/coin concept by creating chocolate ''gelt'', or chocolate shaped and stamped like coins and wrapped in gold or silver foil. Chocolate ''gelt'' is often used in place of money in dreidel games. INTERACTION WITH OTHER TRADITIONS Hanukkah gained increased importance with many Jewish families in the latter half of the twentieth century, including large numbers of Secular Jews who wanted a Jewish alternative to the Christmas celebrations that often overlap with Hanukkah. In recent years, an amalgam of Christmas and Hanukkah has emerged — dubbed " Chrismukkah " — celebrated by some Mixed-faith families, particularly in the United States. A decorated tree has come to be called a " Hanukkah Bush ". Other Jews ( Tongue-in-cheek ) simultaneously acknowledge both the increasing secularization of the holiday season and their Jewish roots by wishing each other a "happy holidays." Though it was traditional to give "gelt" or money coins to children during Hanukkah, in many families this has changed into gifts in order to prevent Jewish children from feeling left out of the Christmas gift giving. These secular traditions are not a traditional part of the Hanukkah observance, and are often frowned upon by more observant and traditionally-minded Jews. The African American festival of Kwanzaa incorporates a ritual similar to that of the menorah. Every day of the week-long festival, celebrants light one candle in a seven-branch candleholder called a '' Kinara ''. Each candle represents one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa. ALTERNATIVE SPELLINGS BASED ON TRANSLITERATING HEBREW LETTERS In Hebrew , the word Hanukkah is written or . It is most commonly transliterated to English as ''Chanukah'' or ''Hanukkah'', the latter because the sound represented by "CH" (as in the Scottish pronunciation of " Loch ") essentially does not exist in the modern English language. Furthermore, the letter " Heth " (), which is the first letter in the Hebrew spelling, is pronounced differently in modern Hebrew ( Voiceless Velar Fricative ) than in classical Hebrew ( Voiceless Pharyngeal Fricative ), and neither of those sounds is unambiguously representable in English spelling. Moreover, the 'kaf' consonant is Geminate in classical (but not modern) Hebrew. Adapting the classical Hebrew pronunciation with the geminate and pharyngeal Ḥeth can lead to the spelling "Hanukkah"; while adapting the modern Hebrew pronunciation with no geminate and velar Ḥeth leads to the spelling "Chanukah". Variations include:
BACKGROUND Chronology
Battles of the Maccabean revolt See Also: Maccabees There were a number of key battles between the Maccabees and the Seleucid Syrian-Greeks:
WHEN HANUKKAH OCCURS The dates of Hanukkah are determined by the Hebrew Calendar . Hanukkah begins at the 25th day of Kislev and concluding on the 2nd or 3rd day of Tevet (Kislev can have 29 or 30 days). The Jewish day begins at sunset, whereas the Gregorian Calendar begins the day at midnight. So, the first day of Hanukkah actually begins at sunset of the day immediately before the date noted on Gregorian calendars. Hanukkah according to the Gregorian calendar Hanukkah begins at sundown on the evening before the date shown (These are official dates). SEE ALSO
REFERENCES EXTERNAL LINKS General
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