What is Hanukka??

Question

(NO OFFENSE,I just want to know what it is about,that's all)What is Hanukka about??Tell me EVERYTHING you know about Hanukka.Who celebrates Hanukka??What do you do on Hanukka??Today is Hanukka right??THANKS for answering!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Be careful and GOOD LUCK!!! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!! GOOD NIGHT!!

Answer 1

Chanukah -- the eight-day festival of light that begins on the eve of Kislev 25 -- celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, of purity over adulteration, of spirituality over materiality.

More than twenty-one centuries ago, the Holy Land was ruled by the Seleucids (Syrian-Greeks), who sought to forcefully Hellenize the people of Israel. Against all odds, a small band of faithful Jews defeated one of the mightiest armies on earth, drove the Greeks from the land, reclaimed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and rededicated it to the service of G-d.

When they sought to light the Temple's menorah, they found only a single cruse of olive oil that had escaped contamination by the Greeks; miraculously, the one-day supply burned for eight days, until new oil could be prepared under conditions of ritual purity.

To commemorate and publicize these miracles, the sages instituted the festival of Chanukah. At the heart of the festival is the nightly menorah lighting: a single flame on the first night, two on the second evening, and so on till the eighth night of Chanukah, when all eight lights are kindled.

On Chanukah we also recite Hallel and the Al HaNissim prayer to offer praise and thanksgiving to G-d for "delivering the strong into the hands of the weak, the many into the hands of the few... the wicked into the hands of the righteous."

Chanukah customs include eating foods fried in oil -- latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiot (doughnuts); playing with the dreidel (a spinning top on which are inscribed the Hebrew letters nun, gimmel, hei and shin, an acronym for Nes Gadol Hayah Sham, "a great miracle happened there"); and the giving of Chanukah gelt, gifts of money, to children.

Answer 2

In 200 BC, the Jews were under Seleucid rule, but they were able to retain their autonomy as a people. As time went on, things changed in the relationship between the two peoples, finally coming to a head in 175 BC when Antiochus Epiphanes IV ascended the throne. Under Antiochus, the Jews were gradually forced to violate their faith and when they rebelled, the Seleucids answered by looting the Temple, massacring the people, and effectively outlawing Judaism. The final straw, though, came in 167 when Antiochus ordered that an altar to Zeus be erected in the Temple. At that time, a Jewish priest named Mattathias and his five sons John, Simon, Eleazar, Jonathan, and Judas (later to be known as Judas Maccabeeas) led a rebellion against the occupying force. Mattathias died in 166, but his son Judas took up the mantle and continued to fight until the rebellion finally succeeded in 165. The temple was then rededicated and Judas instituted the festival of chanukkah. The Jews then knew 100 years of self-rule until the Land of Palestine was annexed by Rome.

According to the Talmud, oil was needed for the menorah in the Temple which was to burn nonstop every night, but there was only enough oil to last for one day. Miraculously, the fire burned for eight days, just the amount of time needed to prepare frest oil for the menorah, and an eight day festival was declared to remember the miracle.

Everyone who says this story is biblical is using the Catholic Bible, because the books this is found in were never considered canon by the rabbis. Nor do Protestants consider this part of the Bible, and thus name "apocryphal"/hidden. These books are in LXX, so they were considered Scripture in the 1st century.

Answer 3

its a holiday that the jewish people celebrate, for 8 days. i think tonight should be the 2cd.
it all started when they only had enough oil to light for one night, but miracously the candle oil lasted for 8 days. now they have a candle that has 9 candles. one in the middle and four to a side. each day (8) they say a prayer, and light a candle.
unfortunatly thats all i know.
happy hanukka,and have a merry christmas

Answer 4

Hannukah, is celebrated by Jewish people. We light the menorah, which is a candle holder that has one candle in the middle and 4 to each side representing the 8 days of hannukah, the middle one is to light all the other candles. Yah, Hannukah started yesterday night, and it lasts 8 days. We get presents each night, not everyone does that some just give one present. Hannukah is celebrated because the Jews in Jerusalem didn't have light or anything to keep them warm and keep them from starving and not studing the torah. So G-d gave them some oil, which they lighted and it lasted 8 days. It was a miracle

Answer 5

Anyone who responds with a version of "it is Christmas for Jews" is completely mistaken, or perhaps just ignorant. Chanukah celebrates an event that took place over a hundred years before Jesus was born. It seems like you want a true and complete answer and I am happy to comply -- I wish all non-Jews were interested in the real story.

Basically, the Jews living in the region that is now called Israel were subject to the rule of whatever empire had lately conquered the area. Some of these conquering rulers were tolerant of the Jews' religious practices, while many were less so.

In the 2nd century BCE, the ruler was the Syrian-Greek Antiochus. He hoped to assimilate Jews into Greek culture (Hellenism) and so he outlawed many Jewish religious practices (including the study of Torah) and took over the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, which was the religious center.

After increasing restrictions, a band of courageous Jewish rebels gathered against Antiochus. The group was led by Matitiyahu, and later his son Judah the Maccabee ("The Hammer"), this small band of pious Jews led gathered, first led by Mattiyahu (Matthias) and later his son Judah the Maccabee (the "hammer").

Antiochus sent thousands of soldiers to fight the rebels, but the small Jewish band were able to drive his army back. They reclaimed Jerusalem in 164 BCE. They found the Holy Temple in disarray, defiled and desecrated by foreign soldiers. They cleaned and purified the Temple and re-dedicated (Chanukah means "rededication) it on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev. When it came time to light the Menorah (the seven-branched gold oil lamp in the Temple), they could only find one small jar of the special, pure olive oil required -- enough to last one day. It would take eight days to acquire more. Miraculously, the small jar of oil burned for eight days.

In recognition of this triumph over those that wanted to end Judaism and the miracle of the oil, Jews all over the world light an eight-branched menorah (called the Chanukiah). One candle is added for each of the eight nights in addition to a candle used to light the others (called the "shammas"). Special blessings are said over the candles. Other traditions involve eating foods fried in oil, such as latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly donuts), adding special prayers during regular services in synagogue, singing special songs, and playing "dreidel" (a spinning top labeled with four Hebrew letters called nun, gimmel, hay, and shin which stand for the phrase 'nes gadol haya sham,' which means "a great miracle happened there').

Gift-giving came into tradition mostly because of Chanukah's proximity to Christmas, which itself became a gift-giving holiday relatively recently. Chanukah is actually a minor holiday within the Jewish religion (it is, of course, not mentioned in the Torah (Bible). It has gained prominence, again, because of its proximity to Christmas.

Answer 6

Hanukkah is the Jewish festival of miracles. Jews celebrate Hanukkah by lighting the menorah, the way Hanukkah came about is when the Jews won a war after the war the Jews came to their temple to light the menorah which must be constantly lit after looking around they found one jar of olive oil which could last one day but to get to the nation of Asher where the oil olive oil was made would take 7 days miraculously the oil last for 8 days instead of one

Answer 7

Khanukah (but just try to pronounce a Kh- sound) is the Hebrew celebration of the re-dedication of the temple after they were regathered to Jerusalem. They had been conquered by the Babylonians and exiled there, but the Medes and Persians conquered the Babylonians and then allowed the Israelites to return. When they rebuilt the temple, they went to dedicate it, which takes a week, but found they only had oil for one day's worth of lamp burning. Nevertheless, the lamps burned the entire seven days. Miracle, natch. John 10:22 refers to this celebration: "And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter."

Answer 8

It is the Jewish version of Christmas. Since they do not believe in Jesus, as the Christains do, they do not celebrate Christmas. The celebration lasts 7 days and represents when the Hebrews travelled with very little oil in their lamps which miraculously led them through 7 days and helped them out of their troubles. Each day you recieve a gift and light a candle on the minora. In the end of the 7 days, all 7 candles should be lit and a big celebration will be held. There is also a large celebration for the first night too. The holiday varies on the year, just like the Christian Easter fluctuates. Yesterday was the first day.

Answer 9

Hanukkah. Celebrate the miraculous Judean triumph led by the Maccabee brothers over Assyrian-Greek religious persecution, ca., 164 BCE. Light the menorah, a candleholder for nine candles (one added each night, plus one to light the rest). Play dreidel (spinning top game) and eat latkes (potatoes pancakes).
The story of Hanukkah is a story of a struggle from Assyrian-Greek religious persecution. Over two thousand years ago, the foreign rulers of the Israelites decreed that the Jews must bow down to the image of their leader, Antiochus, whose statue had been erected in the Jewish Temple. Jews, however, are forbidden by the law to bow to statues or idols. A young man named Judah Maccabee and his brothers assembled a small group of Jews to rebel against their oppressors. The Maccabees and their followers risked their lives to prevent the desecration of their sacred Temple and to live in accordance with Jewish law. Although the Maccabees won, the Temple in Jerusalem, the Jews' holy place, was destroyed in the battle. The Jews had to clean and repair the Temple, and when they were finished they rededicated it to God by rekindling the menorah, the candelabrum that symbolizes not only the eternal covenant between God and the Jewish people, but the continuity of tradition through the generations as well. There was only enough olive oil to fuel the menorah for one night, and it was going to take eight days to make more oil. Miraculously, the one-day supply of oil burned for eight days and nights until more oil could be made. There are eight days of Hanukkah corresponding to the legend of the miracle of the oil in the Temple. Foods cooked in oil, particularly potato pancakes called latkes, are traditional Hanukkah fare. Today, candles are used instead of oil to light menorahs. On each successive night, while singing the traditional prayers, the number of candles lit increases by one. Hanukkah is celebrated in the home beginning on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev. Even though it is not mentioned in the Hebrew Scriptures, Hanukkah is widely celebrated as a major holy day of the Jewish liturgical calendar. Given its proximity to Christmas, Hanukkah has taken on importance in the United States and many other countries where Christmas has been commercialized. It is traditional to exchange gifts with friends and relatives on each night of Hanukkah. The party atmosphere is enhanced with songs, games and toys such as a dreidel - a spinning top. Hanukkah is a time of joyous celebrations, of family and friends, and of freedom.

Answer 10

Who celebrates Hanukkah?? Jewish people like me

What do you do on Hanukkah?? on Hanukkah Jewish people light the Shamus (or middle candle) first and then from right to left you light the other candles according to the night it is

Other Info - Hanukkah is also spelled Chanukah's / Hanukkah is also called the festival of lights / The story of Hanukkah goes like the the Judah Maccabees go out of Egypt and eventually reach this old temple the temple only had enough oil to light the candles for one night but because of a miracle they stayed on for 8 night (hence the 8 nights of Hanukkah)/ every night of Hanukkah you say a prayer to light the candles / a traditional Hanukkah food is latkas (fried potato pancakes) with apple sauce, sour cream, or even plain/ a traditional Hanukkah game is dreidel you spin it and the various sides mean different things people usually play this with gelt (here in the us that is a coin shaped chocolate with imprints of the real Israeli money)/ a a traditional song for Hanukkah is the dreidel song it goes like this - i had a little dreidel i made out of clay and when it's dry and ready oh dreidel i shall play oh dreidel dreidel dreidel i made it out of clay and when it's dry and ready oh dreidel i shall play

Today is Hanukkah right?? yes it started the 15th and ends on the 22nd