HANUKKAH ("Dedication"). Festival celebrated for eight days commencing on 25 Kislev, commemorating the victory of the traditionalist Maccabees over the Hellenistic Syrians who attempted to eradicate the Jewish religion as part of their plan to hellenize their entire kingdom. The main events associated with Hanukkah took place between 165 and 163 BCE, although the Maccabees continued a military struggle with the Syrians for many years until the Jews of Erets Israel had gained de facto independence. Hanukkah is thus a post-biblical festival, and the historical events it commemorates are described in the apocryphal First Book of the Maccabees. It is not a full festival and there are no restrictions on work or other activities.   

The Greeks took various steps to achieve their goal, among them the desecration of the TEMPLE in Jerusalem. I Maccabees (4.36- 59) reports that the altar had been defiled, the Syrian ruler, Antiochus Epiphanes, having commanded that sacrifices to pagan gods be offered on it. After a three-year struggle, the Maccabees under Judah Maccabee conquered Jerusalem, and demolished and rebuilt the defiled altar. They also produced new vessels for the Temple service, including a candelabrum, an altar for incense, a table, and curtains. According to a talmudic tradition, a small quantity of consecrated oil, for use in the candelabrum (MENORAH), was found within the Temple precincts (Shab. 21b). Although it was only enough to burn for one day, the oil lasted for eight days, and the festival was established for this length of time to commemorate the miracle. The Books of Maccabees do not record this tradition. In the Second Book of the Maccabees, it is noted that the eight-day festival was instituted by Judah upon his rededicating the Temple, according to the precedent of SOLOMON's eight-day dedication of the First Temple. Some scholars have advanced the theory that the festival was established for eight days owing to the Jews' inability to observe the eight- day festival of SUKKOT during the fighting. With the Maccabean victory, this omission was rectified, and a celebration was held that combined Sukkot with thanksgiving for the victory and the rededication of the Temple.   

The main observance of Hanukkah is the kindling of the festival lamp (hanukiyah) each night of the holiday. This practice gave the festival the additional name of Hag ha-Urim, "the festival of lights." The Talmud explains the lighting as publicizing the miracle (pirsume nissa; Shab. 23b) and in ancient times the lamp was put in the doorway or even in the street outside the house for this purpose. The lighting takes place immediately after dark except on Friday evenings, when it must be done before the kindling of the Sabbath lights, i.e., approximately half an hour before sunset. The CANDLES are meant to burn for at least one half hour and must be kindled in a conspicuous place. They may be lit any time during the night as long as someone other than the lighter will see them. The practice of kindling the lights appears not to have been instituted until many years after the events which it commemorates.