Hanukkah
Aaron Martin
Anita Rubio
John Nobles
Jaswinder Singh
Porche Perry
REL/134
April 30, 2012
Gary D. Christiansen, M.DIV., M. Ed.

Hanukkah

Hanukkah is an early winter festival recalling the rededication of the “Second Temple” with the lighting of candles for eight days. In 167 BCE the Seleucid ruler, Antiochus IV took over the temple, apparently with the intention of introducing the worship of Greek God Zeus to the site. He deliberately placed on the altar a dish of pork; a forbidden meat. He also forbade circumcision; a religious practice. His acts caused so much hatred among the Jews that they rebelled. Led by the Jewish family of five brothers, the Maccabees; the Jews took back the rule of their country, and the temple was rededicated to the worship of Israel’s one God. This winter festival widely kept today is a joyous memorial that recalls the rededication of the “Second Temple”, which is observed for eight days and eight nights starting on the 25th day of Kislev (according to the Hebrew calendar), which may occur any time from late November to late December in the Gregorian calendar. The festival is observed by the kindling of the lights of a unique candelabrum, the nine-branched Menorah or Hanukiah, one additional light on each night of the holiday, progressing to eight on the final night. The typical Menorah consists of eight branches with an additional raised branch. The extra light is called a Shamash and is given a distinct location, usually above or below the rest of the candles. The purpose of the Shamash is to have a light available for use, as using the Hanukkah lights themselves is forbidden. Hanukkah is often equated to Christmas because the holidays happen at the same time of year.
In addition to the storyline, Judea was part of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt until 200 BCE when King Antiochus III the Great defeated King Ptolemy V Epiphanes of Egypt at the battle of Panium. Nevertheless, in 175 BCE, Antiochus IV Epiphines son of Antiochus III invaded Judea, ostensibly at the request of the sons of Tobias. The Tobiads, who led the Hellenizing Jewish faction in Jerusalem, were expelled in Syria around 170BCE when the high priest Onias and his pro-Egyptian faction wrested control from them.

The history of Hanukkah has two stories. Hanukkah commemorates a post-biblical event: the victory of the Maccabees over the Syrian-Greek rulers of Jerusalem and the subsequent rededication of the Temple in 164 BCE. It also celebrates a miracle that accompanied this event: When the temple was rededicated, God miraculously made the one day's worth of oil burn brightly for eight days. By the time of the Talmud (c. 500 CE), the political situation had changed and the tale of the Maccabees was no longer as popular. It seems the victorious Maccabees had become almost as oppressive as the previous regime and even worse, their descendants allied themselves with the Romans. So in their discussion of Hanukkah the rabbis focused more on the legend of the miraculous oil than on the victory of the Maccabees.
For most of its history, Hanukkah has been a rather minor holiday but in the late 19th century it began to gain popularity and presently it is one of the most celebrated Jewish holidays next to “Passover.” This change seems to be due in part to the increasing popularity of Christmas gift-giving in the late 19th century, and the corresponding wish to offer an alternative, especially for children, which maintains Jewish identity and avoids assimilation. In addition, the Zionist movement, which arose in the late 19th century, found inspiration in the story of the Maccabees.
Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days beginning on the 25th of Kislev (mid- to late-December). Beacause Hanukkah falls four days before the new moon (the darkest night of the month) and close to the winter solstice (the longest night of the year), it seems only natural that a key element of this holiday is light. In fact, one of its other names is the "Feast of Lights" (along with "Feast of Dedication" and "Feast of the Maccabees").
Hanukkah is one of the few Jewish holidays not instituted in the Torah, so the religious practices associated with it are minimal compared to others. The only essential ritual of Hanukkah is the lighting of candles. The candles used for the ritual are held in the Chanukah a candelabra that holds nine-branched candles. One candle is lit on the first night of Hanukkah, the next day two are lit on the second, and so on until all eight are lit on the eighth night. The ninth candle called the “Shamash” is used to light the eight candles. During this Jewish holiday Jews typically recite blessings during the ritual. They also display the menorah in the window as a reminder of this miracle that inspired the holiday. They also have traditional foods used for the Hanukkah miracle. During these days the traditional foods are potato pancakes also known as “Latkes” and jam filled donuts also known as “Sufganiyot” are popular in many Jewish homes. Traditional Hanukkah foods are usually fried in oil. Other practices that go along with this tradition are playing with a four sided spinning top called dreidels and the exchanging of gifts. Hanukkah is still not a major holiday and does not place restrictions on schools, work, and other activities.
There are many cultural and theological differences in the observances of Hanukkah. Jewish people have made many separations from their original beliefs and have separated into several groups. Most of these groups are trying to maintain their beliefs or are trying to figure out how to function in today’s society in a religious manner. One approach is “The Reform Approach.” This group takes a liberal view to the interpretation of the Jewish laws, maintaining that they are no longer obligated and should be changed to meet the wants of the modern Jewish people. Nested in a deep ethical attempt, the practices associated with the Reform movement vary from place to place, depending on the particular rabbi and synagogue. Many traditional observances were eliminated or changed to keep the Reform beliefs. In recent years, some Reform Jews have attempted to resurrect certain traditions in many areas.
Another approach is the “Conservative Approach.” This group is often described as a middle ground between the Reform and Orthodox Judaism groups; they accept the authority of the Written and Oral Law of the Torah and the Talmud and believe that adherence to these laws strengthens the Jewish community in both spiritually and socially areas. The movement also maintains that modern day realities requires modifications in the laws as long as the decisions are made by authorized rabbis and supported by Halakhic arguments. Some of the changes in recent years have been granting equal status to women as members of a Minyan and in the practice of rituals. This Permits Jews to drive a car on the Sabbath or holidays to attend services. It allows men and women to sit together in synagogue and alters the text of the prayer-book. The “Reconstruction Approach” is another approach taken towards Hanukkah. This group is the smallest and newest branch. It defines Judaism as a changing religious civilization whose essential unity comes from its people and not from its laws and theology. This group was founded by Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan, who was a professor at the Conservative movement's Jewish Theological Seminary before he established the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. And finally the “Orthodox Approach” in which Orthodox Jews believe that the Torah was given by God, they maintain strict adherence to the laws of the Torah. These were interpreted by the rabbis in the Talmud and in other works of Jewish law. Written and Oral Law is immutable in the Orthodox view. Many Orthodox Jews disagree with the practices of all other branches of Judaism, viewing them as violations of the Torah that God revealed to the Jewish people. Under Orthodox Judaism, the only acceptable reason for a person to convert is personal conviction. The vast majority of those who seek Orthodox conversions are serious people who genuinely want to commit themselves to a traditional Jewish life. These cultural and theological differences affect the way the Jewish people observe Hanukkah. Also the country and what part of the country affect how a group observes any of the many Jewish holidays.
In conclusion, Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday celebrated by Jewish people all over the world. Even the president of our country and the White House pay tribute to Hanukkah and even though it is not listed as major holiday, and everyone still has to go to work, it is still respected and “well known.” This paper has described what Hanukkah is and when it is celebrated, the history of this Jewish holiday; the religious practices associated with it, and explained a few of the theological and cultural differences that have led to various ways to observe the holiday. After reviewing the information presented in this paper, it is expected that the reader has a clearer understanding of what Hanukkah is and what the holiday means to others.

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