What is the significance of oil in Hanukkah?

According to tradition, during the rededication of the Holy Temple (the Second Temple) in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean revolt, a small quantity of oil used to light the Temple’s menorah somehow miraculously burned for eight days. Hanukkah commemorates this event.

Why is Hanukkah 8 days and not 7?

Because the nights are long, and moon is shrinking down to nothing. The oil burned for eight days. The miracle was seven days, since it was only supposed to burn for one. But it is eight days of light, so we have eight days of Chanukah.

How many days did the oil last?

eight days
The Oil that Fueled the Hanukkah Miracle Sunday evening marks the beginning of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. Jews celebrate their victory over a tyrant king and the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem. As the story goes, a small quantity of oil to light the Temple’s menorah miraculously lasted eight days.

What miracle happened on Hanukkah?

the miracle of the oil
But Hanukkah has remained an eight-day holiday where Jews celebrate their victory over an emperor who tried to destroy their identity and culture; the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem, and how a small quantity of oil for the Temple’s menorah miraculously lasted eight days; this legend is known as the miracle of …

Why do we light 9 candles on Hanukkah?

A hanukkiyah is a Hanukkah menorah used specifically to light the candles (often used today instead of oil) on Hanukkah. With nine branches, it is lit each night to celebrate the miracle of oil lasting eight days.

What is the miracle of Chanukah?

But Hanukkah has remained an eight-day holiday where Jews celebrate their victory over an emperor who tried to destroy their identity and culture; the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem, and how a small quantity of oil for the Temple’s menorah miraculously lasted eight days; this legend is known as the miracle of …

What is a menorah candle?

1. Light the Menorah. The centerpiece of the Hanukkah celebration is the hanukkiah or menorah, a candelabra that holds nine candles. Eight candles symbolize the number of days that the Temple lantern blazed; the ninth, the shamash, is a helper candle used to light the others.

What does Hay mean on a dreidel?

Hay means “halb” or “half” in Yiddish. The player gets half of the pot. (If there is an odd number of pieces in the pot, the player takes half of the total plus one.) Shin means “shtel” or “put in” in Yiddish. The player adds a game piece to the pot.

Where is the story of Chanukah in the Bible?

The story of Hanukkah does not appear in the Torah because the events that inspired the holiday occurred after it was written. It is, however, mentioned in the New Testament, in which Jesus attends a “Feast of Dedication.”

Is a Menorah a candelabra?

menorah, also spelled menora, multibranched candelabra, used in the religious rituals of Judaism, that has been an important symbol in both ancient and modern Israel. An eight-branched menorah modeled after the Temple menorah is used by Jews in rites during the eight-day festival of Hanukkah.