Hanukkahחֲנֻכָּה

The historical core of Hanukkah is the Maccabean revolt (from 167 BCE) against the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who banned certain Jewish religious practices in Judea and desecrated the Temple. The revolt was led by the priest Mattathias of the Hasmonean family and after him by his son Judah the Maccabee.¹

According to 1 Maccabees the Temple was purified and the altar rededicated on 25 Kislev (164 BCE), and the celebration lasted eight days; Judah and his brothers decreed that it should be celebrated every year. 2 Maccabees describes an eight-day celebration “in the manner of Tabernacles” (Sukkot), which they had previously been unable to celebrate. Neither book mentions the miracle of the oil.^2,3

Neither book of Maccabees is part of the Hebrew canon; they were preserved in the Greek tradition. Josephus knows the festival and calls it “Lights”.⁴

The Babylonian Talmud (Shabbat 21b) asks “What is Hanukkah?” and answers with a story: when the Hasmoneans prevailed, they found in the Temple a single cruse of pure oil bearing the high priest's seal, enough for one day, yet it burned for eight days. The following year these days were established as a festival of praise and thanksgiving. This is a rabbinic narrative written down centuries after the events, not a historical report in the modern sense.^5,6

The name חֲנֻכָּה means “dedication” and refers to the rededication of the Temple. The festival joins two motifs: the military victory of a small group and the spiritual renewal of the Temple service.

Rabbinic tradition emphasizes the miracle of light rather than the war. The purpose of the lighting is pirsum ha-nes, publicizing the miracle; that is why the lights are placed by the door or in the window.⁵

The Talmud lists three levels of observance: the basic obligation is one light per household per night; the “meticulous” (mehadrin) light one for each member; the “most meticulous” vary the number of lights according to the day. The School of Hillel, whose view is followed, increases the number of lights from one to eight.⁵

Widespread customs include games with the sevivon (spinning top), gifts or small coins for children (Hanukkah gelt) and public lightings of large hanukkiot in town squares, organized since the 1970s mainly by the Chabad movement.

The lights are kindled every evening, according to most authorities after sunset or at nightfall; they should burn for at least about half an hour after dark. On Friday the hanukkiah is lit before the Shabbat candles, and on Saturday evening only after Shabbat has ended.⁸

The lights are meant “for looking at”, not for use: they may not be used as light for reading or work. That is why a shamash is added, an auxiliary light from which the others are lit.⁹

During Hanukkah Al ha-Nissim (“For the miracles”) is inserted into the Amidah and into the grace after meals, the full Hallel is recited every morning, and in the synagogue the Torah passage on the offerings of the tribal princes (Numbers 7) is read. Work is not suspended; in some communities women refrain from work while the lights are burning.^10,11,12

The Hanukkiah has eight lights in a row and a distinct shamash. It differs from the seven-branched Temple menorah, which may not be reproduced exactly.

Each evening children can add one candle and count for themselves how many are already burning. The sevivon game is played for nuts or chocolate coins: nun – nothing, gimel – everything, he – half, shin – put one in.

For small children a candle hanukkiah on a non-flammable base with adult supervision is safer; oil lamps are better suited to older children.