Hanukkah, Jewish festival of lights begins today

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CJ: Stephan K

Fri, Dec 11, 2009 21:51:30 IST

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Festival News :

HANUKKAH, THE the Jewish festival of light, is an eight day occasion, marking the rededicatin of the Holy Jewish temple in Jerusalam during the Maccanbean revolt in second century BCE. Also known as Chanukkah, Hanukkah celebrations begn on the twenty fifth day of Kislev, as per the old Hebrew calendar and can fall either in late November or early December each year. The celebrations begin on Friday, December 11.

Those of Hebrew faith celebrate Hannukah with lighting candles on a special candelabrum, the nine-branched Menorah or Hanukiah, with one extra light on each night of the holiday, progressing to eight on the final night. An extra light called a shamash (meaning guard or servant) is also lit with these, usually above or below the eight. The shamash symbolically supplies light that may be used for some secular purpose.

It marks a time long ago, when the Jews were ruled by the Greek. While earlier, the Greeks had allowed them to practice their religious beliefs. This changed after the Seleuid dynasty king Antiochus IV took over. He issued a series of decrees essentially curtailing their beliefs and banning them under penalty of death.

The Jews rose in revolt against these practices, led by Judah Maccabee. The Jewish revolutionaries won and reopened the Jewish temple, that had beenlooted and closed down by Antiochus. Judah Maccabee and his brothers were the ones who marked that day to celebrate their victory and opening of the temple. thus starting the tradition of Hanukkah or Chanukkah.

A miraculous tale is also attached to the festival. According to this, after the temple was reopened, Judah Maccabee ordered that it should be cleansed. This was done by building a new alter as well as new holy vessels. The Talmud says, that the olive oil needed for the menorah in the temple was low in supply and a lot was needed to light the menorah every night. Yet, the oil burnt for eight days, the time needed to create a fresher stock. Jewish sages declared this a miracle and chose to celebrate the day as a festival from then.

Hanukkah is celebrated through certain religious practices that are carried out over the eight day period. The primary activity is the lighting of the Menorah, followed by daily prayers and blessing a section of the food. Children gorge themselves on special foods like dairy products, jam filled donuts and potato pancakes, playing with the Dreidel, a four sided wooden spinning top. They can also demand special Hanukkah allowances for gifts.

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