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Hanukkah is the celebration of a miracle that occurred in the holy Temple in Jerusalem in 165 BCE. The miracle was that a one day supply of oil kept the eternal flame of the Temple menorah alight for eight days.

Each year Hanukkah is celebrated by Jews all around the world by kindling flames in the menorah (or Hanukkia) every night for the eight nights of the festival. On the first night, a single flame is lit. On the second night two flames culminating with eight flames on the last night.

The Hanukkah menorah is placed in a doorway or near a public window for passers by to see.

The Hanukkah menorah commemorates the miracle of the oil in the Temple. It is interesting that in the additional prayers that have been instituted for Hanukkah, there is no mention of the miracle of the victory of a small band of Maccabees over a 40,000 strong army. The Hebrew word Hanukkah means dedication referring to the rededication of the Temple after the liberation of Jerusalem and the Temple from the armies of Antiochus. The rededication is not only to the physical Temple, but to the freedom of the Jews to study Torah, and to spread the light of the Torah around the world.

Each night the number of lights on the menorah increases. One light is burned on the first night. Each night an additional light is burned. The symbolism here is that the miracle increases with each day. The one day supply of oil continued to burn for a second day. That was already a miracle. On the third day the oil is still burning. The miracle has intensified. As each day passes and the oil continues to burn, so the miracle grows greater. So the increasing lights on each day of the festival reflect the growing stature of the miracle.

Hanukkah does not celebrate the military victory that was achieved by the Maccabees over the forces of Antiochus. It is the spiritual victory allowing G-d's light to shine on the world that is central. It symbolises the light of the Torah, the light of practicing Judaic law once again.

The minimum requirements for the observance of Hanukkah are that one light be kindled each night over the period of the eight days. Yet even those Jews that are not observant of the laws of Judaism follow the most stringent practice of kindling lights in ever increasing quantities over the eight days.

The Hanukkah menorah symbolises the eternal light of Judaism. The song Maoz Tsur (Rock of ages) is sung after kindling the flames each night. Written in the thirteenth century CE, the words of the song describe the various empires and world forces that have come and gone. But Judaism, guided by the light of the Torah continues eternally. The lights of the menorah symbolise this eternal light.

Learn more about this author, Barry Marcus.
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