doWhen is Hanukkah or Hanukkah celebrated and what is its meaning?? Popularly known as the Festival of Lights, Hanukkah is celebrated on 25th of the Jewish month of Kislev and a determined and calculated duration of eight days. In the Gregorian calendar, it usually coincides with the month of December. For the curious, this year will begin on Monday, November 29 and will last, after eight days, until Monday, December 6.
now that we know When is Hanukkah or Hanukkah celebrated? it’s time to meet what is its meaning. Logically, the first thing is to know that the word Hanukkah, as such, means inauguration. Despite coinciding in time with the christian christmas, it is not the Jewish Christmas. In this case, Hanukkah also celebrates a miracle from God but for the Jewish people, almost two centuries before the first Christmas.
Origin of Hanukkah
After 40 months of war against the Greeks, superior to the Jews in everything, they miraculously withstood the attack. It would be as if Israel, today, repelled an attack from all the powers of the world. Well they did, even though they lost his Holy Temple that completely destroyed.
It didn’t take long to get it up again and open its doors again. It was a day 25 of Kislev. But when everything was ready for the reopening and They went to light the Menorah, they had no oil for it. They only found a small vessel of pure oil, sealed by the High Priest, clearly insufficient. Or maybe not.
Divine Providence wanted there to be a miracle and the pot of oil burned for eight days, just as long as it took to produce a new batch of oil. By the way, olive. Since then, the Jewish community celebrates Hanukkah as the Festival of Luminaries. In addition, these eight days add to their Shacharit prayer, some special praises of Hallel. Of course, they also turn on the hanukiah.
The Festival of Luminaries
talk about the hanukiahis talking about the already famous 8 arms chandelier with one of them somewhat longer. The first night the candle is lit on the highest arm. After this, a new candle is lit each day, until completing the eight days with eight candles.
The candles must last, minimum, 30 minutes on. And if you can, put them next to the doorway of the house, but outside of it, better than better. In fact, in Israel, many houses have small glass boxes, so that the candles are kept burning in winter.
Lastly, tradition marks that the families and friends gather around the lit and, incidentally, exchange gifts with each other. The tradition is also maintained that the little ones play with a sevivona luck of whirligig ancestral that is still in force thanks to them.
The food is also traditional. In Hanukkah are typical the levivot, the potato pancakes or dumplings with jam. All very light, but it’s only eight days.
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