Hanukkah (חֲנוּכָּה) is a Jewish festival commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire. It is also known as the Festival of Lights. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, which occurs from the 22nd to the 30th of December in 2019 in the Gregorian calendar.
The miracle of the one-day supply of oil miraculously lasting eight days is first described in the Talmud, which says that after the forces of Antiochus IV had been driven from the Temple, the Maccabees discovered that almost all of the ritual olive oil had been profaned. They found only a single container that was still sealed by the High Priest, with enough oil to keep the menorah in the Temple lit for a single day. They used this, yet it burned for eight days (the time it took to have new oil pressed and made ready).
The festival of Hanukkah is observed by lighting the candles of a candelabrum with nine branches, called a menorah (or hanukkiah). One branch is typically placed above or below the others and its candle is used to light the other eight candles. Other Hanukkah festivities include playing the game of dreidel and eating oil-based foods.
這幾天猶太人預備慶祝八天的光明節（Ḥănukkāh，又稱修殿節、獻殿節、燭光節、哈努卡節、馬加比節），今年是在公曆12/22-30日。該節日是紀念猶太人在馬加比家族的領導下，從敘利亞塞琉古王朝手中奪回耶路撒冷，並重新將第二聖殿獻給神。
公元前168年，統治巴勒斯坦地區的塞琉古王朝安條克四世，為了強制推行「希臘化」，在耶路撒冷聖殿裡豎起希臘神祇宙斯的祭壇，用猶太人視為不潔的豬進行獻祭，並強迫猶太人食用豬肉，不從者格殺勿論。猶太人起義反抗，三年後，以馬加比為首的起義取得了勝利，收復耶路撒冷，潔淨聖殿並重建祭壇。
光明節有一神蹟傳說。祭司潔淨聖殿後，點燃聖殿中的燈臺時，找到的燈油卻只足夠燃用一天。猶太律法規定聖殿的燈油須從橄欖提煉，並經過大祭司潔淨儀式後才能使用，這需要八天時間。然而，奇蹟發生了，這一小罐原本只夠用一天的燈油竟然一直燃燒了八天，直到聖殿燈油預備好為止。因此，光明節期延續八天，慶祝方式包括點燃大型九枝燈臺、食用油炸馬鈴薯絲餅、兒童玩光明節陀螺遊戲等。
Source: https://www.facebook.com/kokiahouse/posts/2428662574054902
