46a.[24]. Eventually, Jewish priest Mattahias, his son Judah Maccabee, and their army (creatively called The Maccabees) revolted, ultimately forcing Antiochus IV out of Judea. Password reset email has been resent. ", "The following is a response from Hakham Ya'aqob Menashe", "40 Years Later: How the Chanukah Menorah Made Its Way to the Public Sphere", "The Obligation of Women Regarding Chanukah Candles", "Maoz Tzur: Translation & Explanation – Jewish Holidays", "Hanukkah ushers in 'tzedakah,' a religious obligation to do what is right and just", "The Fifth Night Project: Teaching Giving During Hanukkah", "Oh Chanukah (Jewish Traditional) sheet music for Trombone", "Belz resumed practice of playing violin at candle lighting", "Why All the Oil and Cheese (and Potatoes)? About The Author. 2, 24–25[37]). וכל שמונת ימי חנוכה הנרות הללו קודש הם, ואין לנו רשות להשתמש בהם אלא להאיר אותם בלבד כדי להודות ולהלל לשמך הגדול על נסיך ועל נפלאותיך ועל ישועותיך. The Hanukkah celebration revolves around the lighting each evening of candles on a nine-branched menorah, known in Hebrew as the hanukiah. The law requires only one light each night per household, A better practice is to light one light each night for each member of the household. Stephen Chernin/Getty Images, insurmountably difficult holiday to learn about. One minhag favors the fifth night of Hanukkah for giving Hanukkah gelt. The song contains six stanzas. Ask any Rabbi and you’ll get a resounding “no.” While it is celebrating a miracle, there are much more sacred holidays in Judaism. Hanukkah is the … Success! See, This is the first reference to the Feast of Dedication by this name (ta egkainia, ta enkainia [a typical "festive plural"]) in Jewish literature (Hengel 1999: 317). [121], Indian Jews traditionally consume gulab jamun, fried dough balls soaked in a sweet syrup, similar to teiglach or bimuelos, as part of their Hanukkah celebrations. Both foods are fried in oil, commemorative of the miracle of the Maccabees’ long-burning oil. Accordingly, lamps are set up at a prominent window or near the door leading to the street. Merriam-Webster’ uses the spelling “Hanukkah,” but “Chanukah” is also widely accepted. [145][146] Diane Ashton argues that Jewish immigrants to America raised the profile of Hanukkah as a kid-centered alternative to Christmas as early as the 1800s. Since Hanukkah lasts eight days it includes at least one, and sometimes two, Jewish Sabbaths (Saturdays). [88] Friday night presents a problem, however. Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday which celebrates the victory of the Maccabees over the larger Syrian army. PHOTO: What is Hanukkah and what does it celebrate? Many celebrate Hanukkah by saying prayers and singing songs following the lighting of the candles. This day can occur anytime from late November to late December. [134][135][136], Major Jewish holidays are those when all forms of work are forbidden, and that feature traditional holiday meals, kiddush, holiday candle-lighting, etc. The, 96 BCE: Beginning of an eight-year civil war between, 85–82 BCE: Consolidation of the Kingdom in territory east of the, 63 BCE: The Hasmonean Jewish Kingdom comes to an end because of a rivalry between the brothers, Sunset, 2 December 2018 – nightfall, 10 December 2018, Sunset, 22 December 2019 – nightfall, 30 December 2019, Sunset, 10 December 2020 – nightfall, 18 December 2020, Sunset, 28 November 2021 – nightfall, 6 December 2021, Sunset, 18 December 2022 – nightfall, 26 December 2022, Sunset, 7 December 2023 – nightfall, 15 December 2023, Sunset, 25 December 2024 – nightfall, 2 January 2025, Sunset, 14 December 2025 – nightfall, 22 December 2025, This page was last edited on 8 January 2021, at 19:36. Some, especially Ashkenazim, light the shamash candle first and then use it to light the others. Sephardi, Polish, and Israeli families eat jam-filled doughnuts called sufganiyot, which were (Yiddish: פאנטשקעס pontshkes) by Ashkenazi Jews living in Eastern and Central Europe prior to the Holocaust, bimuelos (spherical doughnuts) and sufganiyot which are deep-fried in oil. The Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches consider them deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament. Chanukah? At the end of the Shabbat, there are those who light the Hanukkah lights before Havdalah and those who make Havdalah before the lighting Hanukkah lights. Lamps are lit in the evening over the doors of the homes, on each of the eight nights, so as to display the miracle. Some of the best known are "Ma'oz Tzur" (Rock of Ages), "Latke'le Latke'le" (Yiddish song about cooking Latkes), "Hanukkiah Li Yesh" ("I Have a Hanukkah Menorah"), "Ocho Kandelikas" ("Eight Little Candles"), "Kad Katan" ("A Small Jug"), "S'vivon Sov Sov Sov" ("Dreidel, Spin and Spin"), "Haneirot Halolu" ("These Candles which we light"), "Mi Yimalel" ("Who can Retell") and "Ner Li, Ner Li" ("I have a Candle"). [45] Other authors point to possible socioeconomic reasons in addition to the religious reasons behind the civil war. It is taught in Hasidic and Kabbalistic literature that this day is particularly auspicious for the fulfillment of prayers. In 175 B.C., Antiochus Epiphanes becomes ruler of the Seleucid Empire. Just as God worked through a small group of Jewish believers to take back the holy Temple, Yeshua took back our personal "temples" from the enemy and dedicated us to God. The historical story centers on the Maccabees, a band of fighters from a priestly family trying to preserve and reclaim a certain Jewish way of life. that the sole cruse of pure oil found which held enough oil to burn for one night actually burned for eight nights). [145] Recent celebrations have also seen the presence of the Hanukkah bush, which is seen as a Jewish counterpart to the Christmas tree. So today, Jews celebrate Hanukkah to remember their defeat over Antiochus, the restoration of the Temple of Jerusalem, and the miracle of the oil. [107], It is customary for women not to work for at least the first half-hour of the candles' burning, and some have the custom not to work for the entire time of burning. 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. The Hanukkah menorah is also kindled daily in the synagogue, at night with the blessings and in the morning without the blessings. These books are not part of the canonized Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) used by modern Jews, though they were included in the Greek Septuagint. The soldiers only had enough oil to light the menorah for a single night, but the story goes that the little bit of oil lasted for eight full nights. Courtesy Kestenbaum & Company, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 4: PS 1 second grade students play with dreidels and chocolate gold coins after lighting the menorah December 4, 2007 at the Eldridge St. Synagogue in New York City. The White House commissioned a menorah made by students at the Max Rayne school in Israel and invited two of its students to join U.S. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama as they welcomed over 500 guests to the celebration. [33] However, in 175 BCE, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the son of Antiochus III, invaded Judea, at the request of the sons of Tobias. The last time was 1899; and due to the Gregorian and Jewish calendars being slightly out of sync with each other, it will not happen again in the foreseeable future. When is Hanukkah? If I ever find spare time, I use it for gardening, snowboarding, and studying the Hebrew language. Although not one of the more serious holy days of the Jewish tradition, it is still traditionally celebrated with specific foods and ceremonies. This year, Hanukkah will begin at sundown on December 22 and last until sundown on December 30. After outlawing the Jewish religion and Jewish practices, then-King Antiochus IV … Since the 1970s, the worldwide Chabad Hasidic movement has initiated public menorah lightings in open public places in many countries. [38] 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. [67], Among Ashkenazim the tendency is for every male member of the household (and in many families, girls as well) to light a full set of lights each night,[73][74] while among Sephardim the prevalent custom is to have one set of lights for the entire household. After intense fighting, the water supply of the Jews was cut off and the situation became desperate. However, its original sound is closer to the English H than to the Scottish Ch, and Hanukkah more accurately represents the spelling in the Hebrew alphabet. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade" (NIV). [122], After lighting the candles, it is customary to play (or spin) the dreidel. [67], A large number of songs have been written on Hanukkah themes, perhaps more so than for any other Jewish holiday. Romanian Jews eat pasta latkes as a traditional Hanukkah dish, and Syrian Jews consume Kibbet Yatkeen, a dish made with pumpkin and bulgur wheat similar to latkes, as well as their own version of keftes de prasa spiced with allspice and cinnamon. Celebrate the festival of lights and stick to Hanukkah traditions to show your appreciation for the holiday. When soldiers would come through Jewish communities, those studying the Torah in secret would pretend to play the dreidel game so as not to be caught and arrested. [16] Furthermore, the letter ḥeth (ח), which is the first letter in the Hebrew spelling, is pronounced differently in modern Hebrew (voiceless uvular fricative) from in classical Hebrew (voiceless pharyngeal fricative [ħ]), and neither of those sounds is unambiguously representable in English spelling. Judea was part of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt until 200 BCE when King Antiochus III the Great of Syria defeated King Ptolemy V Epiphanes of Egypt at the Battle of Panium. An example of this is the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life's renewable energy campaign.[142][143][144]. Hanukkah is one of the few Jewish holidays that is not instituted in the Torah. The students' school in Israel had been subjected to arson by extremists. Many families use an oil lamp (traditionally filled with olive oil) for Hanukkah. [27] Al HaNissim describes the history of the holiday as follows: The Jewish historian Titus Flavius Josephus narrates in his book, Jewish Antiquities XII, how the victorious Judas Maccabeus ordered lavish yearly eight-day festivities after rededicating the Temple in Jerusalem that had been profaned by Antiochus IV Epiphanes. [147] Ashton says that Jewish families did this to maintain a Jewish identity distinct from mainline Christian culture, but on the other hand the mirroring of Hanukkah to Christmas helped Jewish families and kids feel American. [citation needed], The Mishna (late 2nd century) mentions Hanukkah in several places,[18] but never describes its laws in detail and never mentions any aspect of the history behind it. [128], In 2001, President George W. Bush held an official Hanukkah reception in the White House in conjunction with the candle-lighting ceremony, and since then this ceremony has become an annual tradition attended by Jewish leaders from around the country. (Hanukkah is the Hebrew and Aramaic word for 'dedication'.) You may have heard Hanukkah referred to as “The Festival of Lights” and might already be familiar with a menorah. The Hebrew word Chanukah means “dedication,” and is thus named because it celebrates the rededication of the Holy Temple (as you’ll read below). [150] Children play a big role in Hanukkah, and Jewish families with children are more likely to celebrate it than families without, and sociologists hypothesize that this is because Jewish parents do not want their kids to be alienated from their peers who celebrate Christmas. Only when there was danger of antisemitic 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. 3 Take part in Chanukah traditions such as lighting the menorah, playing the dreidel game, eating gelt, cooking and baking delicious food, and enjoying the fun of Hanukkah gifts. לְהוֹדָעָא לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמֶעֲבַד הָדֵין תְּמָנְיָא יוֹמִין חַדְוָא וִיקָר כְּיּוֹמֵי מוֹעֲדַיָּא דִּכְתִיבִין בְּאוֹרָיְתָא לְאַדְלָקָא בְּהוֹן לְהוֹדָעָא לְמַן דְּיֵּיתֵי מִבַּתְרֵיהוֹן אֲרֵי עֲבַד לְהוֹן אֱלָהֲהוֹן פּוּרְקָנָא מִן שְׁמַיָּא. A story similar in character, and older in date, is the one alluded to in 2 Maccabees 1:18–1:36 according to which the relighting of the altar fire by Nehemiah was due to a miracle which occurred on the 25th 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 Maccabee.The above account in 1 Maccabees 4, as well as 2 Maccabees 1:9 portrays the feast as a delayed observation of the eight-day Feast of Booths (Sukkot)"; similarly 2 Maccabees 10:6 explains the length of the feast as "in the manner of the Feast of Booths". [110], Penina Moise's Hannukah Hymn published in the 1842 Hymns Written for the Use of Hebrew Congregations was instrumental in the beginning of Americanization of Hanukkah. Judah became known as Yehuda HaMakabi ("Judah the Hammer"). Mattathias (Mattityahu), a Jewish priest, and his five sons Jochanan, Simeon, Eleazar, Jonathan, and Judah led a rebellion against Antiochus. וּבעוֹ מִשְׁחָא דְּזֵיתָא דָּכְיָא לְאַדְלָקָא בּוֹצִנַיָּא וְלָא אַשְׁכַּחוּ אֵלָא צְלוֹחִית חֲדָא דַּהֲוָת חֲתִימָא בְּעִזְקָת כָּהֲנָא רַבָּא מִיּוֹמֵי שְׁמוּאֵל נְבִיָּא וִיַדְעוּ דְּהִיא דָּכְיָא. A Warner Media Company. During the Middle Ages "Megillat Antiochus" was read in the Italian synagogues on Hanukkah just as the Book of Esther is read on Purim. And they sought after pure olive oil to light the lamps therewith, but could not find any, except one bowl that was sealed with the signet ring of the High Priest from the days of Samuel the prophet and they knew that it was pure. The light of hope must outlast the fires of hate. Hanukkah begins at the 25th day of Kislev and concludes on the second or third day of Tevet (Kislev can have 29 or 30 days). In the days of the Hasmonean Mattathias, son of Johanan the high priest, and his sons, when the iniquitous Greco-Syrian kingdom rose up against Your people Israel, to make them forget Your Torah and to turn them away from the ordinances of Your will, then You in your abundant mercy rose up for them in the time of their trouble, pled their cause, executed judgment, avenged their wrong, and delivered the strong into the hands of the weak, the many into the hands of few, the impure into the hands of the pure, the wicked into the hands of the righteous, and insolent ones into the hands of those occupied with Your Torah. The Jewish day begins at sunset. Hanukkah is the Jewish Festival of Lights. Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, or Feast of Dedication, is celebrated annually on the 25th of Kislev and lasts for 8 days. Hanukkah bushes are generally discouraged today by most rabbis,[1] but some Reform, Reconstructionist and more liberal Conservative rabbis do not object, even to Christmas trees. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁעָשָׂה נִסִּים לַאֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה. Why do the dates of Hanukkah change every year? New York: Funk & Wagnalls. It celebrates a miracle that happened in Jerusalem over 2,000 years ago. [49] However, given the famous question Rabbi Yosef Karo posed concerning why Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days when the miracle was only for seven days (since there was enough oil for one day),[50] it was clear that he believed it was a historical event. Due to the coincidental timing of Christmas and Hanukkah, some Jewish families participate in present exchanges and decorating. Each night, one additional candle is lit by the shamash until all eight candles are lit together on the final night of the festival. What does Hanukkah celebrate? Hanukkah is a time to remember and celebrate this victory of truth and faithfulness to God’s Word. According to the teachings of Kabbalah 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. Despite what some holiday movies will have you believe, Hanukkah is not the Jewish equivalent of Christmas, nor is it an insurmountably difficult holiday to learn about. The class was there to learn about Hannukah and also about the newly restored synagogue which originally opened its doors in 1887. [92], The blessings are said before or after the candles are lit depending on tradition. The Aramaic New Testament uses the Aramaic word "Khawdata" (a close synonym), which literally means "renewal" or "to make new." The Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches consider them deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament.[17]. [81], The United States Postal Service has released several Hanukkah-themed postage stamps. Thus: the Miracle of Hanukkah. [citation needed], The story of Hanukkah is preserved in the books of the First and Second Maccabees, which describe in detail the re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem and the lighting of the menorah. [138], With the advent of Zionism and the state of Israel, however, these themes were reconsidered. When he fell into a drunken sleep, Judith beheaded him and escaped from the camp, taking the severed head with her (the beheading of Holofernes by Judith has historically been a popular theme in art). To explain the Mishna's lack of a systematic discussion of Hanukkah, Rav Nissim Gaon postulated that information on the holiday was so commonplace that the Mishna felt no need to explain it. [7][8], Many homiletical explanations have been given for the name:[9], In Hebrew, the word Hanukkah is written חֲנֻכָּה or חֲנוּכָּה (Ḥănukkāh). [19] Modern scholar Reuvein Margolies suggests that as the Mishnah was redacted after the Bar Kochba revolt, its editors were reluctant to include explicit discussion of a holiday celebrating another relatively recent revolt against a foreign ruler, for fear of antagonizing the Romans. I love nature, astronomy, flowers, and snow. The word Hanukkah is actually a transliteration and not a direct translation of the Hebrew word for dedication, so there will never be a perfect English spelling. Also spelled Hanukkah (or variations of that spelling), the Hebrew word is actually pronounced with a guttural, “kh” sound, kha-nu … [28] Josephus does not say the festival was called Hanukkah but rather the "Festival of Lights": In the New Testament, John 10:22–23 says, "Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. [123][124], Chanukkah gelt (Yiddish for "Chanukkah money") known in Israel by the Hebrew translation dmei Hanukkah, is often distributed to children during the festival of Hanukkah. (federal) = federal holidays, (abbreviation) = state/territorial holidays, (religious) = religious holidays, (cultural) = holiday related to a specific racial/ethnic group or sexual minority, (week) = week-long holidays, (month) = month-long holidays, (36) = Title 36 Observances and Ceremonies [147] This in parts mirrors the ascendancy of Christmas, which like Hanukkah increased in importance in the 1800s. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, which may occur at any time from late November to late December in the Gregorian calendar. [80][81][82][83] Diane Ashton attributed the increased visibility and reinvention of Hanukkah by some of the American Jewish community as a way to adapt to American life, re-inventing the festival in "the language of individualism and personal conscience derived from both Protestantism and the Enlightenment". Megillat Taanit (1st century) contains a list of festive days on which fasting or eulogizing is forbidden. ", בָּתַר דְּנָּא עָלוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְבֵית מַקְדְּשָׁא וּבְנוֹ תַּרְעַיָּא וְדַכִּיאוּ בֵּית מַקְדְּשָׁא מִן קְטִילַיָּא וּמִן סְאוֹבֲתָא.
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