25 Kislev – 2 Tevet · 8 Days · The Miracle of the Oil
Chanukah (חֲנֻכָּה) is an eight-day Jewish festival celebrated from the 25th of Kislev through the 2nd or 3rd of Tevet. Its name means "dedication," commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem by the Maccabees in 165 BCE. Also known as the Festival of Lights, Chanukah is observed by kindling the menorah (chanukiyah) each night, adding one light per night until all eight burn together on the final night.
While Chanukah is not one of the Biblical pilgrimage festivals, it holds tremendous spiritual significance, celebrating the victory of light over darkness, holiness over impurity, and spiritual courage over overwhelming force.
In the 2nd century BCE, the Seleucid Greek king Antiochus IV Epiphanes issued decrees forbidding Jewish practice — Shabbat, Torah study, circumcision — and desecrated the Temple, erecting an altar to Zeus and forcing Jews to sacrifice pigs. A small band of priestly warriors, the Maccabees (led by Mattathias and his son Judah), launched a revolt that defied all military odds.
After recapturing Jerusalem and the Temple, the Maccabees sought to rededicate the Menorah in the Temple. They found only one small cruse of pure olive oil, enough to burn for just one day. Miraculously, that oil burned for eight days — exactly the time needed to prepare a fresh supply of ritually pure oil. This miracle became the heart of the Chanukah celebration.
The Talmud (Tractate Shabbat 21b) records: "What is Chanukah? The sages taught: on the 25th of Kislev begin the eight days of Chanukah... when the Greeks entered the Temple, they defiled all the oils. When the Hasmoneans (Maccabees) prevailed, they searched and found only one cruse of oil sealed with the seal of the High Priest. It contained enough to burn for one day. A miracle occurred and it burned for eight days."
The menorah (chanukiyah) has nine branches: eight for the eight nights plus a ninth called the shamash (helper candle) used to light the others. Here are the main laws:
The Blessings: On the first night, three blessings are recited. On all subsequent nights, two blessings are recited:
After lighting, the HaNerot Halalu declaration and Maoz Tzur (Rock of Ages) are sung.
Chanukah is rich with beloved customs observed across Jewish communities worldwide:
Chanukah holds a special place in Chabad-Lubavitch outreach. The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, championed public menorah lightings as a powerful expression of pirsumei nissa — publicizing the miracle to the world.
Beginning in 1974, the Rebbe directed Chabad emissaries (shluchim) to erect large menorahs in public spaces — city squares, government buildings, parks, and landmarks — in cities around the globe. Today, Chabad lights over 15,000 public menorahs in more than 100 countries, making it the world's largest Chanukah celebration.
The Rebbe taught that the Jewish light must be shared publicly, not hidden: "A little light pushes away a lot of darkness." The public menorah is not merely a symbol — it is an invitation: every Jew who sees it is reminded of their heritage and identity.
At Chabad Park Hadera, we light a beautiful public menorah in the heart of the community, hold menorah lighting events with song and celebration, and distribute menorah kits so every Jewish family can fulfill this mitzvah in their own home.
Al HaNissim is a special prayer added to the Amidah and Birkat HaMazon (Grace After Meals) throughout Chanukah. It begins: "For the miracles, and for the salvation, and for the mighty deeds, and for the victories, and for the battles which You performed for our ancestors in those days, at this time..." — recounting the Chanukah story and thanking God for delivering the many into the hands of the few.
Chanukah 2025 begins at nightfall on Wednesday, December 14, 2025, and ends on Thursday, December 25, 2025 (nightfall). It always begins on the 25th of Kislev in the Hebrew calendar.
Over the eight nights, a total of 44 candles are lit (including the shamash each night): 1+1, 2+1, 3+1... 8+1 = 9 candles on the last night. Many families light one menorah per person, multiplying the light further.
Two blessings are recited every night: the blessing over the mitzvah of lighting (Lehadlik Ner Chanukah) and the blessing for the miracles (She'asah Nissim). On the first night, the Shehecheyanu blessing is added, thanking God for bringing us to this joyous season.
The Torah commands publicizing the miracle of Chanukah (pirsumei nissa). The Lubavitcher Rebbe emphasized that lighting a large public menorah in city squares and landmarks fulfills this mitzvah on the grandest scale, reminding every passerby of the enduring Jewish spirit and the victory of light over darkness.
The letters Nun, Gimel, Hey, Shin stand for Nes Gadol Hayah Sham — "A great miracle happened there" (referring to Israel). In the Land of Israel, the Shin is replaced by Peh for "po" (here): Nes Gadol Hayah Po — "A great miracle happened here."
Al HaNissim ("For the Miracles") is a paragraph added to the Amidah prayer and Birkat HaMazon (Grace After Meals) throughout Chanukah. It thanks God for the miracles He performed for our ancestors — the victory of the Maccabees and the miracle of the oil — and acknowledges that He delivered the mighty into the hands of the few.
The Rebbe taught: "When you help another Jew study Torah, it is as if you studied it yourself."
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