Jewish 101: Hanukkah

What Is Hanukkah?

Hanukkah, the Festival of Dedication, is an eight-day holiday that commemorates the rededication of the temple in Jerusalem in the second century BCE. It is not found in the Torah, but its events are recorded in the books of the Maccabees and celebrated widely in Jewish tradition.

The Revolt and the Rededication

In 167 BCE, the Seleucid king Antiochus outlawed Jewish practices and defiled the temple. A group of Jewish fighters known as the Maccabees launched a revolt and eventually reclaimed Jerusalem against all odds, through many miraculous victories against a superior power.

When they purified and rededicated the temple, tradition says that they found only one small jar of pure oil, enough to light the menorah for one day, but it miraculously burned for eight.

Customs of the Festival

Hanukkah is observed by lighting the hanukkiah, an eight-branched lamp with a helper candle, the shamash, adding one light each night. Other customs include playing dreidel, eating oil-based foods like latkes and sufganiyot, and giving small gifts or coins.

Though it is a relatively minor holiday in terms of religious obligation, it carries strong themes of resistance, identity, and dedication.

Hanukkah in the New Testament

In the New Testament, Hanukkah is mentioned in John 10:22. Yeshua is found walking in the temple during this time, showing that he participated in its observance and was present in Jerusalem during the holiday.

Hanukkah remains a powerful reminder of spiritual perseverance, the defense of faith under pressure, the fight against idolatry, and the enduring hope and anticipation of the final victory of light over darkness through Yeshua, who is the light of the world.