Hanukah is a Jewish festival of light

The history of the festival begins in the II century BC. At that time, Judah was under the rule of Greco-Syrian invaders, the Seleucids, who actively planted their culture. In 167 BC. a popular uprising broke out under the leadership of the Hasmoneans - Matityahu and his sons. After the death of Matityahu, the rebellion was led by his son, Yehuda Maccabee, so the uprising is known under the name Maccabean revolt.

Three years later, the rebels liberatedThe Jerusalem Temple, previously captured by the Syrian king Antiochus IV Epiphanes. The temple was desecrated, and for its sanctification it was necessary to light the temple lamp - Menoru. It needed pure olive oil. But the Maccabees managed to find only one pitcher. This oil would be enough for only one day of burning the Menorah, and the preparation of a new pure oil took eight days. But Menorah was still lit, and a miracle happened: instead of one day, oil burned eight.

It happened on the 25th of the Jewish month of Kislev, in memory of this miracle and the Hanukkah festival is celebrated, which begins 25 Kislev and lasts for eight days. In the Jewish calendar, the date of the holidayfixed, but since the Jewish lunisolar calendar does not coincide with the Gregorian solar, according to the Gregorian Hanukkah calendar, every year begins on a different date. Hanukkah in 2011 begins on the evening of December 21 (the Jews have a new day counting from the evening), and ends on the evening of December 29th.

One of the central traditions of the Hanukkah holiday is the ignition of a special lamp, Hanukkah. Sometimes it is confused with the Menorah, but in the templeThe menorah had seven branches, and there are nine of them in Hanukkah. On the first evening of the holiday one candle is lit, in the second - two, in the third - three and so on. It turns out that every evening there is more light, and on the last day of the holiday all eight candles burn. The ninth candle - shamash (servant) - service, from her lit all the other candles. It is just off the other candles and does not count. To put Chanukiah in a prominent place - on the window or at the entrance door.

Sometimes Hanukkah is called a children's holiday. The fact is that Hanukkah has many traditions,related issues. Yes, and children in Israel during this holiday go on a small vacation, while adults continue to work, because, since the holiday was established by the sages, and not mentioned in the Torah, there is no ban on working on Hanukkah days. It is undesirable to perform any work only during the time that Hanukkah is burning.

One of the "children's" traditions of Hanukkah is game in a special top (in Yiddish it is called dreidel, in Hebrew - sevivon). On the four sides of the top, the Hebrew letters "Nun", "Gimel", "Hey" and "Pei" are written. This is the abbreviation of the phrase "Nes gadol haya na" ("A great miracle was here"). Such a top is played in Israel, and in the diaspora instead of the letter "Pei" the letter of "shin" is written, and the phrase reads "Nes gadol hayya sham" ("A miracle was great there").

Usually, the dreidel is played on small coins ("Hanukkah Gelt"- money that parents give to children in honor ofthe Hanukkah Holiday; this is another Hanukkah tradition). Instead of money, you can use nuts and apples. Players make bets in the bank and take turns spinning a spinning top. If the letter "nun" is dropped, no one wins, and the stakes remain in the bank. If the letter "gimel" is dropped, the player who turns the top gains the bank, and if the letter "he" is the half of the bank. Finally, if the letter "tires" drops out, the player who starts the spinning top should place a bet in the bank.

It does not dispense Hanukkah without traditional treats. On this holiday it is customary to submit to the table fried dishes. Usually prepared potato fritters, in Yiddish they are called latkes, in Hebrew - levivot, and we know them as deruny or draniki. Besides latkes, they prepare and sufganiyot - yeast donuts. At one time Latkes was trained in Ashkenazi Jewish communities (mainly Germany and Eastern Europe, including Russia), and sufganiot - in Sephardi (Spain, the Balkans, Arab countries).

Hanukkah is a bright holiday of purification, in which Jews recall miracle, symbolizing the victory of the weak over the strong.