Hanukkah is a celebration of the Jews, celebrated on the 25th day of Kislev of the Hebrew calendar. It usually falls in November or December, usually around Christmas. This is also why people often wonder if Hanukkah is the Jewish version of Christmas. But it is not, as Christmas and Hanukkah have entirely different origins.
The celebration of Christmas commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, while Hanukkah has a totally different origin. This festival is also known as Chanukah in many different places. The whole celebration takes place over eight days and has many interesting traditions.
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Hanukkah: Origin and History
Around 164 BC, the Syrian Greeks had been occupying Israeli lands and ruling over the Jewish people. The Greeks banned Judaism and destroyed the famous Jewish temple in Jerusalem. However, in 167 B.C., the Greeks were defeated. The Jewish people finally got the victory and rebuilt the temple. This day commemorates this victory.
It is believed that the first Hanukkah started by celebrating a belated holiday that was called Sukkot. Sukkot was originally a festival that was celebrated in the autumn. However, after the rededication of the temple, people started celebrating it in the early winter. And this came to be known as Hanukkah.
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What Are The 3 Traditions Of The Festival?
People gather with their family and friends in pursuit of celebrating Hanukkah, which involves many traditions and rituals. One of the most important traditions of this festival is the lighting of the Menorah. The menorah is a nine-branched candle, and the lighting of this represents the lamp that was lit during the original Hanukkah.
Another tradition is the playing of dreidel. A dreidel is a four-sided spinning top that contains four different Hebrew letters on each side. Next, each person contributes some stuff into a central pot. This could be money, a stash of gelt, or anything. After this, a person can win some amount from the pot, according to what their dreidel turn says.
The third tradition of Hanukkah is the use of Hanukkah gelt. This refers to chocolate that is wrapped in gold or silver foil like a coin. Exchange of Hanukkah gelts over the holiday is a common practice. It is also used while playing dreidels.
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What Do The 8 Days Of Hanukkah Stand For?
During the first original Hanukkah, the lamp that was lit for the prayer in the second temple had enough oil that could last only for a day. However, miraculously, the oil continued to burn for a period of eight days, the entire time that Jewish people were celebrating Hanukkah. That is why Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days.
The Menorah has nine candles with eight candles signifying one day each of Hanukkah. The ninth candle, called the shamash, is a helper candle in the middle, that is used to light the other candles. As also mentioned in Better Homes & Gardens, the people on the eight nights recite a prayer for God.
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