TORAH STUDIES: LINKING SCRIPTURES

FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS HANUKKAH

At the urging of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, Zerubbabel began construction of the second temple in 521 B.C. The second temple was completed around 515 B.C. It was then substantially enlarged by the Hasmonean Dynasty, and was completely refurbished and enlarged by Herod the Great beginning around 20 B.C.

Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, It is a Hebrew holiday that commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem during the Maccabean Revolt in the second century BC. It is a celebration of the miracle of the oil, where a small amount of consecrated oil for the Temple's menorah burned for eight days, even though there was only enough for one. While Hanukkah itself is not explicitly mentioned in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) or the New Testament, it is referenced in historical writings, particularly in the Apocrypha, which provides context for the origins of this holy day.

1. Historical Background

The story of Hanukkah begins in the second century BC when Judea was under the control of the Seleucid Empire. The Seleucid king, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, sought to Hellenize the Hebrew people by forbidding them their holy practices, including circumcision, Sabbaths, observance of the feast days, and by desecrating YHVH's Temple in Jerusalem by dedicating it to the Greek god Zeus. This led to a revolt by a group of Hebrew warriors known as the Maccabees, led by Judah Maccabee and his brothers.

In 165 BC, after a series of battles, the Maccabees recaptured Jerusalem and the Temple, which had been defiled by the Seleucids. They cleansed the Temple and rededicated it to the worship of YHVH the true King of Israel. The miracle of the oil occurred when, after the Temple was purified, only one small jar of consecrated olive oil was found to light the menorah. Although it was only enough for one day, the oil miraculously lasted for eight days, long enough to prepare new, consecrated oil.

2. Hanukkah in the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible)

The celebration of Hanukkah is not directly mentioned in the Old Testament. However, the events leading up to Hanukkah are important in understanding the context in which it arose:

Daniel 8:9-14:
This passage is often associated with the prophecy regarding the desecration of the Temple by a "little horn" (a symbol often interpreted as Antiochus IV Epiphanes). It describes a period of 2,300 evenings and mornings, after which the sanctuary would be cleansed. Some Hebrew traditions see this as a prophetic reference to the Maccabean revolt and the rededication of the Temple .

Daniel 8:13-14:
"Then I heard the holy one speaking, and another holy one said to him, 'How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled—the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, and the surrender of the sanctuary and the trampling underfoot of the YHVH's people?' He said to me, 'It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be consecrated.'"

This prophecy is often interpreted as predicting the cleansing of the Temple after the desecration by Antiochus.

1 Maccabees 4:36-59:
(from the Apocrypha) provides a more direct historical account of the events leading to Hanukkah. It narrates the victory of Judah Maccabee and the rededication of the Temple.3. 

Hanukkah in the Apocrypha:
The Apocryphal books, particularly 1 Maccabees and 2 Maccabees, provide a detailed historical background for Hanukkah:

1 Maccabees 4:36-59 (The Rededication of the Temple)
This passage describes the cleansing and rededication of the Temple by Judah Maccabee and his followers:

1 Maccabees 4:36-37: "Then Judah and his brothers said, 'Now that our enemies have been defeated, let us go up to cleanse the sanctuary and dedicate it.' So all the army assembled and went up to Mount Tzion."