Hanukkah
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2008-07-13T05:21:04Z
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Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/98.220.82.27|98.220.82.27]] ([[User talk:98.220.82.27|talk]]) to last version by 90.216.161.164
{{Infobox Holiday
|image = Hanukiyot.jpg
|caption = Several Menorot on the eighth night of the festival.
|holiday_name = Hanukkah
|official_name = [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]]: '''חֲנֻכָּה''' or '''חנוכה'''<br> [[English language|English]] translation: "Establishing/Dedication" (of the [[Temple in Jerusalem]])
|nickname = Festival of Lights, Festival of Dedication
|observedby = [[Jew]]s
|begins = 25 [[Kislev]]
|ends = 2 [[Tevet]] or 3 [[Tevet]]
|celebrations = Lighting [[candle]]s each night. Singing special songs, such as [[Ma'oz Tzur]]. Reciting [[Hallel]] prayer. Eating festive meals and foods fried in oil, such as [[latke]]s and [[sufganiyot]]. Playing the ''[[Hanukkah#Dreidel|dreidel]]'' game, and giving [[Hanukkah#Hanukkah gelt|Hanukkah ''gelt'']]
|type = Jewish
|significance = The [[Maccabees]] successfully rebelled against [[Antiochus IV Epiphanes]]. The Temple was purified and the wicks of the menorah miraculously burned for eight days.
|relatedto = [[Purim]], as a [[rabbi]]nically decreed holiday.
|date2008 = sunset, [[December 21]] to sunset, [[December 29]] The first Day of Hanukkah 2008 is December 22.
|date2009 = sunset, [[December 11]] to sunset, [[December 19]]
|date2010 = sunset, [[December 1]] to sunset, [[December 9]]
}}
[[Image:Skulen2.JPG|thumb|Grand Rabbi [[Israel Abraham Portugal]] of [[Skulen (Hasidic dynasty)|Skulen]] [[Hasidic Judaism|Hasidism]] lighting Hanukkah lights]]
'''Hanukkah''' ({{lang-he|חנוכה}}, alt. '''Chanukah'''), also known as the '''Festival of Lights''', is an eight-day [[Jewish holiday]] commemorating the rededication of the [[Second Temple]] in [[Jerusalem]] at the time of the [[Maccabean Revolt]] of the [[2nd century BCE]]. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights, starting on the 25th day of [[Kislev]] according to the [[Hebrew calendar]], and may occur from late November to late December on the [[Gregorian calendar]].
The festival is observed by the kindling of the lights of a special [[candelabrum]], the ''[[Menorah (Hanukkah)|Menorah]]'' or ''Hanukiah'', one light on each night of the holiday, progressing to eight on the final night. An extra light called a ''[[Shamash#Shamash in Judaism|shamash]]'', ([[Hebrew (language)|Hebrew]]: "guard" or "servant") is also lit each night, and is given a distinct location, usually higher or lower than the others. The purpose of the extra light is to adhere to the prohibition, specified in the [[Talmud]] (Tracate Shabbat 21b-23a), against using the Hanukkah lights for anything other than publicizing and meditating on the Hanukkah story.
Hanukkah is mentioned in the [[deuterocanonical books|deuterocanonical]] or [[Biblical apocrypha|apocrypha books]] of [[1 Maccabees]] and [[2 Maccabees]]. 1 Maccabees states: "For eight days they celebrated the rededication of the [[Altar#In the Hebrew Bible|altar]]. Then [[Judas Maccabeus|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 [[Sukkot|feast of Booths]]."
==Origins of the holiday==
"Hanukkah," from the Hebrew word for "dedication" or "consecration", marks the re-dedication of the [[Temple in Jerusalem]] after its desecration by the forces of [[Antiochus IV]] and commemorates the "miracle of the container of oil." According to the [[Talmud]], at the re-dedication 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 fresh olive 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#In the Hebrew Bible|altar]]. Then [[Judas Maccabeus|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 [[Sukkot|feast of Booths]]."
The martyrdom of Hannah and her seven sons has also been linked to Hanukkah. According to the Talmudic story<ref>Talmud Gittin 57b tells a story of a woman and her seven sons killed by "Caesar". The name "Hannah" is not stated.</ref> and [[2 Maccabees]], a Jewish woman named Hannah and her seven sons were tortured and executed by [[Antiochus IV Epiphanes|Antiochus]] for refusing to bow down to a statue and eat pork, in violation of [[613 Mitzvot|Jewish law]].
===Name===
The name "Hanukkah" is interpreted in many ways.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://innernet.org.il/article.php?aid=11|title=Origin of the Name Chanukah|first=Nosson|last=Scherman|publisher=ArtScroll}}</ref>
*Some scholars say the word was derived from the Hebrew verb "חנך" meaning "to dedicate" or to "educate." On Hanukkah, Jews mark the rededication of the House of the Lord.<ref>[[Maharsha]] on [[Talmud]] [[Shabbat (Talmud)|Shabbat]] 21b</ref>
*Others argue that the name can be broken down into "חנו", from the Hebrew word for encampment, and the Hebrew letters כ"ה, which stand for the 25th day of Kislev, the day on which the holiday begins: Hence, the Jews sat in their camp, that is, they rested fighting, on the 25th day of Kislev.<ref>[[Nissim of Gerona|Ran]] on [[Isaac Alfasi|Rif]] 9b</ref>
*Hanukkah is also the Hebrew [[acronym]] for "ח' נרות והלכה כבית הלל" meaning "eight candles as determined by [[Hillel the Elder|House of Hillel]]" This is a reference to the disagreement between two rabbinical schools of thought - Hillel and the [[Shammai|House of Shammai]] - on the proper way to light Hanukkah candles. Shammai said that eight candles should be lit from the start, and reduced by one candle every night, whereas Hillel argued in favor of starting with one candle and lighting an additional one every night. Jewish law adopted the position of Hillel.
== Historical sources ==
=== In the Talmud ===
The miracle of Hanukkah is described in the [[Talmud]]. The [[Gemara]], in tractate ''Shabbat 21b'' focuses on [[Shabbat]] candles and moves to Hanukkah candles and 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 (device)|seal]]ed by the [[Kohen Gadol|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 among the sages 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 the Elder|Hillel]] advocated the latter. As is the case in most such disputes, [[Halakha|Jewish law]] followed Hillel. Except in times of danger, the lights were to be placed outside one's door or in the window closest to the street. [[Rashi]], in a note to ''Shabbat 21b,'' says their purpose is to publicize the miracle. Hanukkah is also mentioned in the (older) [[Mishnah]] (TB [[The Five Scrolls#In the Mishnah|Megillah]] 30b).
===In the Septuagint and other sources===
The story of Hanukkah is alluded to in the books of [[1 Maccabees]] and [[2 Maccabees]] of the [[Septuagint]] but Hanukkah is not specially mentioned; rather, a story similar in character, and obviously older in date, is the one alluded to in 2 Maccabees 1:18 ''et seq'' according to which the relighting of the altar fire by [[Nehemiah]] 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 books|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 [[Great Assembly|Men of the Great Assembly]] (''Anshei Knesset HaGedolah'').
Another source is the [[Megillat Antiochus]]. This work (also known as "Megillat HaHasmonaim", or "Megillat Hanukkah") is in both [[Aramaic language|Aramaic]] and [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]]; the Hebrew version is a literal translation from the Aramaic original. Recent scholarship dates it to somewhere between the 2nd and 5th Centuries, probably in the 2nd Century,<ref>{{cite web|first=Benjamin|last=Zvieli|title=The Scroll of Antiochus|url= http://www.biu.ac.il/JH/Parasha/eng/miketz/zev.html| accessdate=2007-01-28}}</ref> with the Hebrew dating to the seventh century.<ref name = "pvgsyw"> [http://customerservant.com/2006/12/16/the-scroll-of-the-hasmoneans/ The Scroll Of The Hasmoneans] </ref> It was published for the first time in [[Mantua]] in 1557. [[Saadia Gaon]], who translated it into [[Arabic language| Arabic]] in the 9th Century, ascribed it to the Maccabees themselves, disputed by some, since it gives dates as so many years before the destruction of the second temple in 70 CE.<ref> [http://www.biu.ac.il/JH/Parasha/eng/miketz/zev.html The Scroll of Antiochus] </ref> The Hebrew text with an English translation can be found in the [[Siddur]] of [[Philip Birnbaum]].
Hanukkah is also mentioned in the [[New Testament]], where in the [[Gospel of John]] it is referred to as the Feast of the Dedication ({{bibleverse||John|10:22|KJV}}).
== 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 Empire|Seleucid]] [[Seleucid dynasty|king of Syria]]. The Jewish people paid taxes to Syria and accepted its legal authority, and they 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 intervening 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 [[Kohen Gadol|High Priest]], with traditionalists with Hebrew/Aramaic names like [[Onias III|Onias]] overthrown by Hellenizers with Greek names 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.<ref>Tchrikover, Victor. ''Hellenistic Civilization and the Jews''.</ref>
Antiochus' actions proved to be a major miscalculation as they provoked a large-scale revolt. [[Mattathias]], a [[Kohen|Jewish priest]], and his five sons Jochanan, [[Simon Maccabaeus|Simeon]], [[Eleazar Maccabeus|Eleazar]], [[Jonathan Maccabaeus|Jonathan]], and [[Judas Maccabeus|Judah]] led a rebellion against Antiochus. Judah became known as Yehuda HaMakabi ("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 [[Judas Maccabeus|Judah Maccabee]] and his brothers to celebrate this event.<ref>[http://www.hope.edu/academic/religion/bandstra/BIBLE/1MA/1MA4.HTM#59 1 Macc. iv. 59]</ref> After recovering Jerusalem 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, olive oil was needed for the menorah in the Temple, which was required 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 by the Jewish sages to commemorate this miracle.
[[Image:Hanukkah2.jpg|thumb|right|Hanukkah lamp unearthed near [[Jerusalem]], 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.<ref>[http://www.hope.edu/academic/religion/bandstra/BIBLE/1MA/1MA4.HTM#36 1 Macc. iv. 36]</ref> 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 [[Sukkot]] and [[Shemini Atzeret]].<ref>[http://www.hope.edu/academic/religion/bandstra/BIBLE/2MA/2MA10.HTM#6 Macc. x. 6] and [http://www.hope.edu/academic/religion/bandstra/BIBLE/2MA/2MA1.HTM#9 i. 9]</ref> During the war the Jews were not able to celebrate Sukkot/Shemini Atzeret properly; the combined festivals also last eight days, and the Sukkot festivities featured the lighting of lamps in the Temple (Suk.v. 2-4). The historian [[Josephus]]<ref>[http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=J.+AJ+12.287]
''Jewish Antiquities'' xii. 7, § 7, #323</ref> 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 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 planets. 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 Sukkot, when all peoples were welcome in Jerusalem). Similarly, the rite of [[brit milah]] (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==
[[Image:Hanukkah1.jpg|thumb|right|Various menorot used for Hanukkah. 12th through 19th century, CE]]
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 [[39 categories of activity prohibited on Shabbat|activities that are forbidden on the Sabbath]], as specified in the ''[[Shulkhan Arukh]]''<ref>''[[Shulkhan Arukh]]'' ''[[Orach Chayim]]'' 670:1</ref> 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. Many families exchange gifts each night, and fried foods are eaten.
===Kindling the Hanukkah lights===
:{{seealso|Chanukkiyah}}
The primary ritual, according to [[Halakha|Jewish law and custom]], is to light a single light each night for eight nights. As a universally practiced "beautification" of the [[mitzvah]], the number of lights lit is increased by one each night.<ref>''[[Shulkhan Arukh]]'' ''[[Orach Chayim]]'' 671:2</ref> An extra light called a ''shamash'', meaning ''guard'' or ''servant'' is also lit each night, and is given a distinct location, usually higher or lower than the others. The purpose of the extra light is to adhere to the prohibition, specified in the Talmud (Tracate Shabbat 21b-23a), against using the Hanukkah lights for anything other than publicizing and meditating on the Hanukkah story. This differs from [[Shabbat|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.<ref name = "lonorw">''[[Shulkhan Arukh]]'' ''[[Orach Chayim]]'' 673:1</ref> 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.
[[Image:Tiffany glasswork Hanukkah menora02.jpg|thumb|A modern [[Lead came and copper foil glasswork|"Tiffany"]] Hanukkah menorah]]
The lights can be candles or oil lamps.<ref name = "lonorw"/> Electric lights are sometimes used and are acceptable in places where open flame is not permitted, such as a hospital room. Most Jewish homes have a special [[candelabrum]] or oil lamp holder for Hanukkah, which holds eight lights plus the additional ''shamash'' light.
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 Ashkenazim to have a separate menorah for each family member (customs vary), whereas most Sephardim light one for the whole household. Only when there was danger of [[Anti-Semitism|anti-semitic persecution]] were lamps supposed to be hidden from public view, as was the case in [[Iran|Persia]] under the rule of the [[Zoroastrianism|Zoroastrians]], or in parts of Europe before and during World War II. However, most [[Hasidic Judaism|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''.
<br clear=left>
[[Image:Maurice Ascalon Menorah Pal-Bell.jpg|thumb|left|Bronze [[Pal-Bell]] oil-burning Hanukkah menorah from Israel circa 1948, by [[Maurice Ascalon]].]]
===Time of lighting===
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 Hasidic Rebbes light much later, because they fulfill the obligation of publicizing the miracle by the presence of their Hasidim when they kindle the lights. Inexpensive small 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 outside. Friday night presents a problem, however. Since candles may not be lit on the [[Shabbat]] itself, the candles must be lit before sunset. However, They must remain lit until the regular time - thirty minutes after nightfall - and inexpensive Hanukkah candles do not burn long enough to meet the requirement. A simple solution is to use longer candles, or the traditional oil lamps. In keeping with the above-stated prohibition, the Hanukkah menorah is lit first, followed by the Shabbat candles which signify its onset.
=== Blessings over the candles ===
[[Image:Menorah two candles.jpg|thumb|A menorah with two lit 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.<ref>''[[Shulkhan Arukh]]'' ''[[Orach Chayim]]'' 676:1-2</ref> The blessings are said before or after the candles are lit depending on tradition. On the first night of Hanukkah one light (candle, lamp, or electric) is lit on the right side of the Menorah, on the following night a second light is placed to the left of the first candle and so on, proceeding from right to left each night.
For the full text of the blessings, see [[List of Jewish prayers and blessings#Hanukkah|List of Jewish prayers and blessings: Hanukkah]]
==== ''Hanerot Halalu'' ====
During or after the lights are kindled the hymn ''Hanerot Halalu'' is recited. There are several differing versions - the version presented here is recited in many Ashkenazic communities:<ref>''[[Shulkhan Arukh]]'' ''[[Orach Chayim]]'' 676:4</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan=2 | [[Ashkenazi]]c version:
|-
! Transliteration
! English
|-
| 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
| We light these lights for the miracles and the wonders, for the redemption and the battles that you made for our forefathers, in those days at this season, through your [[Kohen|holy priests]]. During all eight days of Hanukkah these lights are sacred, and we are not permitted to make ordinary use of them except for to look at them in order to express thanks and praise to Your great Name for your miracles, Your wonders and Your salvations.
|-
|}
==== ''Maoz Tzur'' ====
{{main|Ma'oz Tzur}}
Each night after the lighting of the candles, while remaining within sight of the candles, Ashkenazim (and, in recent decades, some Sephardim and Mizrahim in Western countries) usually sing the hymn ''Ma'oz Tzur'' written in Medieval [[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====
After lighting the candles and Ma'oz Tzur, singing various other Hanukkah songs is customary in many Jewish homes. 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 Hasidim 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. In North America it is common to exchange presents or give children presents at this time.
=== Additions to the daily prayers ===
{{quote box|align=left|width=45%|quote="We thank You also for the miraculous deeds and for the redemption and for the mighty deeds and the saving acts wrought by You, as well as for the wars which You waged for our ancestors in ancient days at this season. 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. Both unto Yourself did you make a great and holy name in Thy world, and unto Your people did You achieve a great deliverance and redemption. Whereupon your children entered the sanctuary of Your house, cleansed Your temple, purified Your sanctuary, kindled lights in Your holy courts, and appointed these eight days of Hanukkah in order to give thanks and praises unto Your holy name."|source=Translation of ''Al ha-Nissim''}}
An addition is made to the "''hoda'ah''" (thanksgiving) benediction in the [[Amidah]], called ''Al ha-Nissim'' ("On/about the Miracles").<ref>''[[Shulkhan Arukh]]'' ''[[Orach Chayim]]'' 682:1</ref> This addition refers to the victory achieved over the Syrians by the Hasmonean Mattathias and his sons.
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 [[Book of Numbers|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, [[Shabbat|Jewish Sabbaths]] (Saturdays). The weekly [[Parsha|Torah portion]] for the first Sabbath is almost always ''[[Miketz]]'', telling of [[Joseph (Hebrew Bible)|Joseph]]'s dream and his enslavement in [[Ancient Egypt|Egypt]]. The ''[[Haftarah]]'' reading for the first Sabbath Hanukkah is [[Book of Zechariah|Zechariah]] 2:14-4:7. When there is a second Sabbath on Hanukkah, the ''Haftarah'' reading is from [[I Kings]] 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.
During the [[Middle Ages]] "[[Megillat Antiochus]]" was read in the [[Italki|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]].<ref name = "pvgsyw"/>
=== ''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 [[Kabbalah]] and [[Hasidic Judaism|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 Hasidic 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 Hasidic and Kabbalistic literature that this day is particularly auspicious for the fulfillment of prayers.
==Judith and Holofernes==
[[Image:Cristofano Allori 002.jpg|thumb|left|''Judith with the head of Holofernes'' by Cristofano Allori]]
Eating dairy foods, especially cheese, on Hanukkah is a minor custom that has its roots in the story of Judith, as related in the book of [[Judith]] (''Yehudit'' or ''Yehudis'' in Hebrew). [[Holofernes]], an Assyrian general, had surrounded 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 became desperate. Judith, a pious widow, told the city leaders that she had a plan to save the city. Judith went to the Assyrian camps and pretended to surrender. She met Holofernes, who was smitten by her beauty. She went back to his tent with him, where she plied him with cheese and wine. When he fell into a drunken sleep, Judith beheaded him and escaped from the camp, taking the severed head with her. When Holofernes' soldiers found his corpse, they were overcome with fear; the Jews, on the other hand, were emboldened, and launched a successful counterattack. The town was saved, and the Assyrians defeated.
Many argue {{who}} that Holofernes was actually Greek, placing the events in the general time-frame of Hanukkah. The longstanding tradition that Judith was the daughter of Yochanan the High Priest, and consequently a sister of Mattathias the Hasmonean and an aunt of Judah the Maccabee, is how this story came to be associated with Hanukkah. There are many depictions of Judith and Holofernes in painting.
==Interaction with modernity and with other traditions==
The classical rabbis downplayed the military and nationalistic dimensions of Hanukkah, and some even interpreted the emphasis upon the story of the miracle oil as a diversion away from the struggle with empires that had led to the disastrous downfall of Jerusalem to the Romans. With the advent of Zionism and the state of Israel, these themes were rapidly reconsidered. In modern Israel, Hanukkah was transformed into a celebration of military strength, a kind of antidote to what was perceived as the idea of the powerless [[Jewish diaspora|Diaspora Jew]] that the Zionists felt that the Jews in the State of Israel needed to psychologically overcome.
In North America especially, Hanukkah gained increased importance with many Jewish families in the latter half of the twentieth century, including large numbers of [[Secular Jewish culture|secular Jews]], who wanted a Jewish alternative to the [[Christmas]] celebrations that often overlap with Hanukkah. 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.
While Hanukkah traditionally speaking is only a minor Jewish holiday, as indicated by the lack of restrictions on work other than a few minutes after lighting the candles, Hanukkah has taken a place equal to Passover as a symbol of Jewish identity. Both the Israeli and North American versions of Hanukkah emphasize resistance, focusing on some combination of national liberation and religious freedom as the defining meaning of the holiday.
===Green Hannukah===
Some Jews in North America and Israel have taken up environmental concerns in relation to Hanukkah's "miracle of the oil", emphasizing reflection on energy conservation and energy independence. An example of this is the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life's renewable energy campaign.<ref>[http://www.shalomctr.org/node/1315 Shalom Center on Hannukah and the environment]</ref> <ref>[http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1195546797524&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull Jerusalem Post: Green Hanukkia' campaign sparks ire]</ref> <ref>[http://www.coejl.org/climatechange/CFLceremony.php Coalition on Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL): Green Hannukah ceremony]</ref>
==Hanukkah music==
{{main|Hanukkah music}}
There are several songs associated with the festival of Hanukkah. The most well known in English-speaking countries include "Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel" and "Chanukah, Oh Chanukah." In Israel, Hanukkah has become something of a national holiday. 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"), "''S'vivon Sov Sov Sov''" ("Hanukka Top, Spin and Spin"), "''Mi Yimalel''" (Who can Retell") and "''Ner Li, Ner Li''" ("I have a Candle").
==Hanukkah foods==
[[Image:sufganiyah.jpeg|thumb|right|Sufganiyot with jelly]]
[[Potato pancakes]], known as [[latke]]s in [[Yiddish language|Yiddish]], are traditionally associated with Hanukkah, especially among Ashkenazi families. There is a custom of eating 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]]. This small batch of olive oil was only supposed to last one day, and instead it lasted eight.
Many Sephardic families as well as [[History of Jews in Poland|Polish]] Ashkenazim and [[Israel]] have the custom of eating all kinds of fruit-filled [[doughnut]]s ({{lang-yi|פאנטשקעס ''pontshkes''}}), ([[bimuelos]], or [[sufganiyah|sufganiyot]]) which are [[Frying|deep-fried]] in oil, and of course all Kosher foods.
==Hanukkah games==
===Dreidel===
{{main|Dreidel}}
[[Image:Dreidel 001.jpg|thumb|right|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, '''''N'''es '''G'''adol '''H'''aya '''S'''ham''—"A great miracle happened there" (referring to the miracle of the oil that took place in the [[Temple in Jerusalem|Beit Hamikdash]]).
*נ ''([[Nun (letter)|Nun]])''
*ג ''([[Gimel (letter)|Gimel]])''
*ה ''([[He (letter)|Hey]])''
*ש ''([[Shin (letter)|Shin]])''
In the state of [[Israel]], the fourth side of most dreidels is inscribed with the letter פ ''([[Pe (letter)|Pe]])'', rendering the acronym, נס גדול היה פה, '''''N'''es '''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 Judaism|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.<ref>[http://www.ohr.org.il/yhiy/article.php/1309 Ohr Somayach :: Chanukah :: The Secret of the Dreidel<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
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 Language|Yiddish]] version of the game) is as follows:
*Nun - ''nisht'' - "nothing" - nothing happens and the next player spins
*Gimel - ''gants'' - "all" - the player takes the entire pot
*Hey - ''halb'' - "half" - the player takes half of the pot, rounding up if there is an odd number
*Shin - ''shtel ayn'' - "put in" - the player puts one marker in the pot
Another version differs:
*Nun - ''nim'' - "take" - the player takes one from the pot
*Gimel - ''gib'' - "give" - the player puts one in the pot
*Hey - ''halb'' - "half" - the player takes half of the pot, rounding up if there is an odd number
*Shin - ''shtil'' - "still" (as in "stillness") - nothing happens and the next player spins
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 [[Torah study|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 language|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 Hasidic [[Rebbe]]s distribute coins to those who visit them during Hanukkah. Hasidic Jews consider this to be an auspicious blessing from the Rebbe, and a ''[[segulah]]'' for success.
Twentieth-century [[United States|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.
==Alternative spellings based on transliterating Hebrew letters==
In [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]], the word Hanukkah is written '''{{lang|he|חנֻכה}}''' or '''{{lang|he|חנוכה}}'''. It is most commonly transliterated to English as ''Chanukah'' or ''Hanukkah'', the latter because the sound represented by "CH" ([{{IPA|/x/}}], as in the [[Scots language|Scottish]] pronunciation of "[[loch]]") essentially does not exist in the modern English language. Furthermore, the letter "[[heth]]" ('''{{lang|he|ח}}'''), 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:
[[Image:Hanukkah.png|right|thumb|Spelling variations are due to transliteration of Hebrew ''Chet Nun Vav Kaf Hey'']]
===Most commonly used spellings===
* Hanukkah (in North America, Australia - also very common in UK)
* Chanukkah (in the UK, also common in North America)
===Common variants===
* Hannukah
* Hannukkah
* Chanukah
* Channukkah
===YIVO variant===
* Khanike ([[YIVO]] standard [[transliteration]] from the Yiddish and/or Ashkenazic [[pronunciation]] of the Hebrew)
== Background ==
===Chronology===
<!-- Commented out because image was deleted: [[Image:Hasmonean-map.jpg|thumb|right|The Hasmonean Kingdom {{deletable image-caption|1=Saturday, 29 December 2007}}]] -->
*198 BCE: Armies of the Seleucid King [[Antiochus III]] (Antiochus the Great) oust [[Ptolemy V Epiphanes|Ptolemy V]] from Judea and Samaria.
*175 BCE: [[Antiochus IV]] (Epiphanes) ascends the Seleucid throne.
*168 BCE: Under the reign of Antiochus IV, the Temple is looted, Jews are massacred, and [[Judaism]] is outlawed.
*167 BCE: Antiochus orders an altar to [[Zeus]] erected in the Temple. Mattathias, and his five sons John, Simon, Eleazar, Jonathan, and Judah lead a rebellion against Antiochus. Judah becomes known as Judah Maccabe (Judah The Hammer).
*166 BCE: Mattathias dies, and Judah takes his place as leader. The [[Hasmonean]] Jewish Kingdom begins; It lasts until 63 BCE
*165 BCE: The Jewish revolt against the [[Seleucid]] monarchy is successful. The Temple is liberated and rededicated (Hanukkah).
*142 BCE: Establishment of the Second Jewish Commonwealth. The Seleucids recognize Jewish autonomy. The Seleucid kings have a formal overlordship, which the Hasmoneans acknowledged. This inaugurates a period of great geographical expansion, population growth, and religious, cultural and social development.
*139 BCE: The [[Roman Senate]] recognizes Jewish autonomy.
*130 BCE: Antiochus VII besieges [[Jerusalem]], but withdraws.
*131 BCE: Antiochus VII dies. The [[Hasmonean]] Jewish Kingdom throws off Syrian rule completely
*96 BCE: An eight year civil war begins.
*83 BCE: Consolidation of the Kingdom in territory east of the [[Jordan River]].
*63 BCE: The Hasmonean Jewish Kingdom comes to an end due to rivalry between the brothers [[Aristobulus II]] and [[Hyrcanus II]], both of whom appeal to the [[Roman Republic]] to intervene and settle the power struggle on their behalf. The Roman general [[Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus]] (Pompey the Great) is dispatched to the area. Twelve thousand Jews are massacred as Romans enter Jerusalem. The Priests of the Temple are struck down at the Altar. Rome annexes Judea.
===Battles of the Maccabean revolt===
{{main|Maccabees}}
There were a number of key battles between the Maccabees and the Seleucid Syrian-Greeks:
:''Listed alphabetically'':
*[[Battle of Adasa]] ([[Judas Maccabeus]] leads the Jews to victory against the forces of Nicanor.)
*[[Battle of Beth Horon]] (Judas Maccabeus defeats the forces of Seron.)
*[[Battle of Beth-zechariah]] (Elazar the Maccabee is killed in battle. Lysias has success in battle against the Maccabess, but allows them temporary freedom of worship.)
*[[Battle of Beth Zur]] (Judas Maccabeus defeats the army of [[Lysias (Syrian chancellor)|Lysias]], recapturing Jerusalem.)
*[[Dathema]] (A Jewish fortress saved by Judas Maccabeus.)
*[[Battle of Elasa]] (Judas Maccabeus dies in battle against the army of [[Demetrius I Soter|King Demetrius]] and [[Bacchides]]. He is succeeded by [[Jonathan Maccabaeus]] and [[Simon Maccabaeus]] who continue to lead the Jews in battle.)
*[[Battle of Emmaus]] (Judas Maccabeus fights the forces of [[Lysias (Syrian chancellor)|Lysias]] and [[Gorgias (Syrian general)|Georgias]]).
*[[Battle of Wadi Haramia]].
==When Hanukkah occurs==
{{further|[[Jewish holidays 2000-2050]]}}
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.
{{col-begin}}
{{col-3}}
*[[December 22]], [[2000]]
*[[December 10]], [[2001]]
*[[November 30]], [[2002]]
*[[December 20]], [[2003]]
*[[December 8]], [[2004]]
*[[December 26]], [[2005]]
*[[December 16]], [[2006]]
{{col-3}}
*[[December 5]], [[2007]]
*[[December 22]], [[2008]]
*[[December 12]], [[2009]]
*[[December 2]], [[2010]]
*[[December 21]], [[2011]]
*[[December 9]], [[2012]]
*[[November 28]], [[2013]]
{{col-3}}
*[[December 17]], [[2014]]
*[[December 7]], [[2015]]
*[[December 25]], [[2016]]
*[[December 13]], [[2017]]
*[[December 3]], [[2018]]
*[[December 23]], [[2019]]
{{col-end}}
==See also==
{{portalpar|Judaism|Menora.svg}}
*[[Hasmonean]]
*[[Maccabees]]
*[[Jewish holiday]]s
*[[Temple in Jerusalem]]
*''[[County of Allegheny v. ACLU]]'' on the constitutionality of Hanukkah displays on public property in the U.S.
*[[Short-lived recurring characters on Saturday Night Live#Hanukkah Harry|Hanukkah Harry]]
*[[Hanukkah bush]]
*''[[Hanukkah Rocks]]'' - 2005 album by [[The LeeVees]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
{{linkfarm|date=November 2007}}
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{{commonscat|Hanukkah}}
=== General ===
* [http://www.desiretoshare.com/hanuka.htm Hanukah - desiretoshare.com - Insights & Laws according to Sephardim & Kabbalah]
* [http://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/default.asp Complete Hanukkah Guide, with how-to's, songs, stories and children's activities on chabad.org]
* [http://www.aish.com/holidays/chanukah/ Chanukah - Aish.com - how to light, stories, children's activities]
* [http://www.613.org/chanuka.html Chanuka classes and songs of 613.org Torah audio]
* [http://www.midrash.org/halakha/hanukkah.html Midrash Hanukkah with Sephardic traditions and history]
* [http://www.coejl.org/Hanukkah COEJL's "Let there be renewable light" campaign]
=== Songs ===
* [http://judaism.about.com/od/chanukah/a/hanukahanerot.htm Hanerot Hallalu ("These Candles")]
* [http://judaism.about.com/od/chanukah/a/hanukamaoztzur.htm Maoz Tzur ("Rock of Ages")]
* [http://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/article.asp?AID=332451 Hanukkah songs on chabad.org]
* [http://liturgy.exc.com/Songsheets/Hanukah.cgi Hanukkah songsheets]
* [http://www.hebrewsongs.com/chanukah.htm Hanukkah songs]
* [http://torahjudaismandisrael2.blogspot.com/2007/11/holydays-chanukah-5768-e-card.html The Celebrating Chanukkah, its Essence and Laws]
=== Recipes ===
* [http://www.rd.com/content/cherished-hanukkah-recipes-to-share/ Traditional Hanukkah recipes]
* [http://kosherfood.about.com/od/hanukkah/Hanukkah_Recipes_Kosher_Jewish_Holiday_Food.htm About Kosher Hanukkah recipes]
* [http://www.wiki-recipe.org/index.php?title=Category:Hanukkah Wiki-Recipe.org Hanukkah recipes]
* [http://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/article.asp?AID=102819 Chanukah recipes on chabad.org]
=== Video ===
* [http://www.aish.com/pathways/externallinks/videolink_chanukah.asp Video: Lighting Hanukkah Menorah How-To]
* [http://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/article.asp?AID=332450 Lubavitch Hanukkah videos]
** [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3174713748168758247&q=satmar The Grand Rabbi of Satmar lighting the Hanukkah Menorah]
** [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5575698843335939574&q=hannukkah The Grand Rabbi of Bobov lighting the Hanukkah Menorah]
** [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6632688275970858151&q=hanukkah The Grand Rabbi of Bobov leading his Hassidim in the singing of a Hanukkah hymn composed by his father after the Holocaust]
** [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3703256978822489433&q=hanukah The Grand Rabbi of Klausenberg from America lighting the Hannukkah Menorah]
** [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6750102222090781896&q=hannukah The Grand Rabbi of Pittsburgh from Ashdod, E. Israel, leading his followers in the celebration of Hannukkah]
** [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4852503510504559495&q=hanukah The Grand Rabbi of Nadvorna from Safed, E. Israel, leading his followers in the celebration of Hannukah]
<br/>
{{Hanukkah Footer}}
{{Jewish and Israeli holidays}}
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[[Category:Hanukkah| ]]
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[[ar:حانوكا]]
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[[es:Jánuca]]
[[eo:Ĥanuka]]
[[fa:حنوکا]]
[[fr:Hanoucca]]
[[ko:하누카]]
[[hi:हनुका]]
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[[id:Hari raya Pentahbisan]]
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