usedconfusion: (All smiles)
usedconfusion ([personal profile] usedconfusion) wrote 2012-12-07 04:03 am (UTC)

Okay, so like, nearly 2000 years ago the Greeks had taken over Judea, which was part of the Jewish homeland. They outlawed the practice of Judaism, and put statues to their gods pretty much everywhere. Including the big Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Not exactly something you do with you wanna stay on people's good sides. A bunch of Jewish people who called themselves the Maccabees led a revolt, and beat the Greeks.

So then the Maccabees went to clear out all the stuff the Greeks had left behind in the Temple and rededicate it. But, there was a problem. See, at the temple there was this lamp called a menorah that was supposed to be kept lit at all times. The problem was that it needed oil, and the Maccabees only had enough of the oil to last for one day. They lit the lamp anyways. The next day, though, a miracle happened. The lamp was still lit, and stayed that way for eight days, which was just enough time to get new oil for the lamp.

So, in celebration of the miracle, we have Hanukkah. Games, presents, dancing, latkes. Whole eight day celebration. And at night we light a new candle on a menorah, one for each of eight nights the menorah at the temple stayed lit.

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