Hannukah
Although it is a minor festival on the Jewish calendar, Chanukah gets a lot
of attention because it takes place around Christmas. This eight-day holiday
commemorates an ancient event, a battle victory of the Israelites over the
Syrians more than 2000 years ago. In particular it is a celebration of the
miracle in the Temple, when oil meant to last for one day burned for eight.
Chanukah is celebrated by lighting candles in a chanukiah (a nine-branched
candelabrum), eating latkes (potato pancakes), playing with dreidels (spinning
tops) and giving money or gifts.
Chanukah is also known as the Festival of Lights. In reality, it
is among the minor holidays, but its proximity to Christmas has
turned it into a high-profile, major celebration. Its origins go
back to the rule of Alexander the Great, in 180 B.C. Alexander
conquered big chunks of territory, including Syria, Egypt, and Palestine,
but let the locals keep their local religions. However, the rulers
who followed him weren't so tolerant. One of his successors, Antiochus
IV, took over the region but was far more oppressive, forbidding
the practice of Judaism, massacring Jews, and desecrating the Temple.
Two groups of Jews joined in a rebellion against Antiochus and won,
stopping the oppression and regaining the temple. When they relit
the temple lamp, however, there was only enough holy oil for 1 day,
and it was expected to be a week before more could be made. Legend
tells us that the lamp continued to burn for eight days, time enough
to make a fresh supply and keep the flame burning. From that time
on, Jews remembered these events with the festival of Chanukah.
It could be said that there are actually two miracles of Chanukah.
One is the victory of the oppressed few over the many, and the other
is the oil lasting for so long. The second miracle is the one that
is emphasized in the holiday so as not to glorify war. However,
some of the traditional
songs of the holiday do talk about the battle.
The only religious part of the holiday is the lighting
of the menorah candles accompanied by blessings.
Chanukah is also observed with games
of dreidel and the eating of festive
foods. These are traditionally fried in oil to commemorate
the miraculous oil in the Temple. In America and much of Europe,
the traditional food is latkes (potato
pancakes). However, in Israel, jelly
doughnuts are popular, and Sephardic Jews, who didn’t
have access to potatoes until recent centuries, traditionally
eat other fried foods like zelebi (a deep-fried dessert shaped
like a snail).
Chanukah Links
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views of the Congregation Sha'arey Yeshua, and we are not responsible
for the contents of those sites.
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