The Chanukah Story
More than 2,100 years ago, the Land of Israel came under the rule of the Syrian-Greek emperor Antiochus. He set out to force Greek culture and idol worship on the Jewish people. He outlawed Torah study, Shabbos, circumcision and the observance of the mitzvos, and he defiled the Holy Temple in Jerusalem with Greek idols.
A small group of Jews, led by the elderly priest Mattisyahu and his son Yehudah the Maccabee, refused to give up their faith. Few in number and weak in weapons, they fought the mighty Greek armies, and with G‑d's help they drove them out of the land.
When the Maccabees reclaimed the Holy Temple on the 25th of Kislev, they wanted to light the Temple's menorah. But the Greeks had made almost all the oil impure. They found just one small jar of pure oil, sealed with the seal of the High Priest. It held only enough to burn for one day, and new pure oil would take eight days to prepare. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days and nights.
To remember these miracles, the victory of the few over the many and of light over darkness, and the oil that lasted eight days, the Sages established the eight days of Chanukah. Every year we light the menorah, adding one more light each night, and thank G‑d with Hallel and V'al HaNissim in our prayers.
Based on Chabad.org, "How to Light the Menorah: Why We Light the Menorah", and "How to Play Dreidel" for the decrees against Torah study.
