Misplaced Pages

Hanukkah: Difference between revisions

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Browse history interactively← Previous editNext edit →Content deleted Content addedVisualWikitext
Revision as of 21:00, 8 December 2001 editRK (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users10,561 editsNo edit summary← Previous edit Revision as of 21:02, 8 December 2001 edit undoRK (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users10,561 editsNo edit summaryNext edit →
Line 1: Line 1:
Jewish festival of lights, also spelled ], and ]. The historical story of this holiday is described in I Maccabees and II Maccabees, books of the apocrypha that Jews consider non-canonical. The small number of religious rules for this holiday are listed in the ], and to a greater degree, in various Jewish codes of law. Jewish festival of lights, also spelled ], and ]. The first evening of this holiday (Erev Chanukah) is on the 24th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev.

The story of Chanukah is preserved in the books of the First and Second Maccabees. These books are not part of the ] (Hebrew Bible, Old Testament), but are part of the ] (] historical and religious material that was not codified as part of the Bible). The miracle of Chanukah is referred to in the ], but not in the books of the Maccabees. This holiday marks the defeat of Assyrian forces who had tried to prevent Israel from practicing Judaism. Judah Maccabee and his brothers destroyed the overwhelming forces, and rededicated the Temple. The eight day festival is marked by the kindling of lights with a special Menorah, called a Chanukiah.


This holiday celebrates the victory of the Hasmoneans over the Hellenizing Greek occupying army.


See also: ], ] See also: ], ]

Revision as of 21:02, 8 December 2001

Jewish festival of lights, also spelled Hannukah, and Hanukkah. The first evening of this holiday (Erev Chanukah) is on the 24th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev.

The story of Chanukah is preserved in the books of the First and Second Maccabees. These books are not part of the Tanach (Hebrew Bible, Old Testament), but are part of the Apocrypha (Hebrew historical and religious material that was not codified as part of the Bible). The miracle of Chanukah is referred to in the Talmud, but not in the books of the Maccabees. This holiday marks the defeat of Assyrian forces who had tried to prevent Israel from practicing Judaism. Judah Maccabee and his brothers destroyed the overwhelming forces, and rededicated the Temple. The eight day festival is marked by the kindling of lights with a special Menorah, called a Chanukiah.


See also: Jewish holidays, Chanukah rituals