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Hanukkah is one of the few Jewish
holidays not mentioned in the Bible. The story of how Hanukkah
came to be is contained in the books of 1 and 2 Maccabees, which
are not part of the Jewish canon of the Hebrew Bible.
These books tell the story of the Maccabees, a small band of
Jewish fighters who liberated the Land of Israel from the Syrian
Greeks who occupied it. Under the reign of Antiochus IV
Epiphanes, the Syrian Greeks sought to impose their Hellenistic
culture, which many Jews found attractive. By 167 BCE, Antiochus
intensified his campaign by defiling the Temple in Jerusalem and
banning Jewish practice. The Maccabees--led by the five sons of
the priest Mattathias, especially Judah--waged a three-year
campaign that culminated in the cleaning and rededication of the
Temple.
Since they were unable to celebrate the holiday of Sukkot at its
proper time in early autumn, the victorious Maccabees decided
that Sukkot should be celebrated once they rededicated the
Temple, which they did on the 25th of the month of Kislev in the
year 164 BCE. Since Sukkot lasts eight days, this became the
timeframe adopted for Hanukkah.
About 250 years after these events, the first-century Jewish
historian Flavius Josephus wrote his account of the origins of
the holiday. Josephus referred to the holiday as the Festival of
Lights and not as Hanukkah. Josephus seems to be connecting the
newfound liberty that resulted from the events with the image of
light, and the holiday is still often referred to by the title
Josephus gave it.
By the early rabbinic period about a century later--at the time
that the Mishnah (the first compilation of oral rabbinic law
included in the Talmud) was redacted--the holiday had become
known by the name of Hanukkah (“Dedication”). However, the
Mishnah does not give us any details concerning the rules and
customs associated with the holiday.
It is in the Gemara (a commentary on the Mishnah) of the
Babylonian Talmud that we are given more details and can clearly
see the development of both the holiday and the stories
associated with it. The discussion of Hanukkah is mentioned in
Tractate Shabbat. Only three lines are devoted to the events of
Hanukkah while three pages detail when, where, and how the
Hanukkah lights should be lit.
Completed approximately 600 years after the events of the
Maccabees, the Talmud contains the extant version of the famous
story of the miraculous jar of oil that burned for eight days.
The Talmud relates this stories in the context of a discussion
about the fact that fasting and grieving are not allowed on
Hanukkah. In order to understand why the observance of Hanukkah
is so important, the Rabbis recount the story of the miraculous
jar of oil.
Perhaps the Amoraim--the sages of the Talmud--were retelling an
old oral legend in order to associate the holiday with what they
believed to be a blatant, supernatural miracle. Although the
seemingly miraculous victory of the Maccabees over the Syrian
Greeks was certainly part of the holiday narrative, this event
still lies within the natural human realm. The Rabbis may have
felt this to be insufficient justification for the holiday’s
gaining the legal stature that would prohibit fasting and
include the saying of certain festival prayers. Therefore the
story of a supernatural event centering on the oil--a
miracle--would unquestionably answer any concerns about the
legitimacy of celebrating the holiday.
Hanukkah gained new meaning with the rise of Zionism. As the
early pioneers in Israel found themselves fighting to defend
against attacks, they began to connect with the ancient Jewish
fighters who stood their ground in the same place. The holiday
of Hanukkah, with its positive portrayal of the Jewish fighter,
spoke to the reality of the early Zionists who felt particularly
connected to the message of freedom and liberty.
Hanukkah began to find new expression in the years leading up to
the founding of the modern state of Israel. In the
post-Holocaust world, Jews are acutely aware of the issues
raised by Hanukkah: oppression, identity, religious freedom and
expression, and the need to fight for national independence.
Hanukkah has developed into a holiday rich with historical
significance, physical and supernatural miracle narratives, and
a dialogue with Jewish history.
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