Chanukahחֲנוּכָּה

Chanukah (Hebrew: חֲנֻכָּה; also spelled Hanukkah), also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple (the Second Temple) in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BCE. Chanukah is observed for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, which may occur at any time from late November to late December in the Gregorian calendar. Chanukah's enduring themes are religious freedom, the resilience of the few against the many, and the triumph of light over darkness. Rabbinic tradition emphasizes the miracle of the oil: a single cruse of consecrated oil, enough for one day, kept the Temple menorah burning for eight days. Because Chanukah is a rabbinic (post-biblical) festival rather than one mandated in the Torah, it carries no work prohibition on its weekdays. Its central religious gesture is pirsumei nisa, "publicizing the miracle," which shapes nearly every custom of the holiday.

Chanukah begins on the 25th of Kislev and runs eight days, ending on the 2nd or 3rd of Tevet depending on whether Kislev that year has 29 or 30 days. On the Gregorian calendar it falls anytime from late November to late December. As with all Jewish days, observance begins at sundown the evening before, with the first candle lit on the eve of 25 Kislev. Unlike the pilgrimage festivals, Chanukah is eight days everywhere, with no difference between Israel and the Diaspora.

The Torah is read on all eight days (three people called up), drawn from the gifts of the twelve tribal princes (the nesi'im) in Parashat Nasso, Numbers 7 continuing into 8:4, apportioned across the days by prince. On the 6th day, which is Rosh Chodesh Tevet, the Rosh Chodesh reading from Numbers 28 is added, and on the 7th day too in years when Kislev has 30 days, since Rosh Chodesh Tevet is then two days. There is no weekday Haftarah. On a Shabbat that falls during Chanukah, two scrolls are taken out: the weekly parashah from the first, and the day's Chanukah reading as maftir from the second. When that Shabbat is also Rosh Chodesh Tevet, three are used: the weekly parashah in six aliyot from the first, the Rosh Chodesh reading, Numbers 28:9-15, as the seventh aliyah from the second, and the Chanukah maftir from the third. The Haftarah is Zechariah 2:14-4:7, chosen for its vision of the golden Temple menorah ("Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit"); in the years with a second Shabbat during Chanukah, the second Shabbat's Haftarah is I Kings 7:40-50. Chanukah has no Megillah of its own. It uses the standard Torah and Haftarah cantillation, with no special holiday trope melody (unlike Eicha on Tisha B'Av, Esther on Purim, or the High Holiday trope). The exact verse-by-verse split of Numbers 7 across the eight days varies slightly by rite (Ashkenazi vs. Sephardi), so consult your community's chumash or siddur for the precise apportionment.

The signature custom is lighting the nine-branched chanukiah each night, adding one flame nightly from one up to eight, plus the shamash ("helper") used to kindle the others, traditionally placed in a window or doorway to publicize the miracle. Blessings are recited over the candles. Liturgically, full Hallel is recited all eight mornings, Al HaNissim ("for the miracles") is added to the Amidah and Birkat HaMazon, and Tachanun is omitted. Foods fried in oil recall the oil miracle: latkes (potato pancakes, Ashkenazi) and sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts, Israeli and Sephardi). Children play dreidel (sevivon), a four-sided spinning top, and receive Chanukah gelt (coins, now often chocolate) and gifts.