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Does the bible say to celebrate hanukkah?

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No, the Bible does not specifically mention the celebration of Hanukkah. The festival is historically and culturally significant to Judaism but is not explicitly prescribed in the biblical text.

Does the Bible say to celebrate Hanukkah

An expanded response to your question

No, the Bible does not specifically mention the celebration of Hanukkah. The festival is historically and culturally significant to Judaism but is not explicitly prescribed in the biblical text. Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday that commemorates the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and the miracle of the oil lamp that burned for eight days.

While the origins and historical events surrounding Hanukkah are described in the Jewish text of the First and Second Books of Maccabees, these books are not part of the biblical canon recognized by all branches of Judaism or by Christianity.

It is important to note that the Hebrew Bible, or the Old Testament, does mention the Feast of Dedication or the Festival of Lights, which is likely a reference to Hanukkah. In the New Testament, John 10:22-23 states, “Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.” This passage indicates that Jesus was present during the Festival of Dedication, which is likely an allusion to Hanukkah.

While the Bible does not explicitly command the celebration of Hanukkah, it holds great cultural and religious significance to Jewish communities around the world. The holiday is a time of remembrance, joy, and family gathering. It is often celebrated by lighting the menorah, playing the dreidel game, enjoying traditional foods such as latkes and sufganiyot, and exchanging gifts.

Here are some interesting facts about Hanukkah:

  1. Hanukkah celebrates the victory of the Maccabees, a Jewish rebel group, over the Greek-Syrian forces in the second century BCE.
  2. The rededication of the Holy Temple involved the lighting of the menorah, a seven-branched candelabrum. The miracle of the oil lasting for eight days is central to Hanukkah.
  3. The lighting of the menorah during Hanukkah involves adding one candle each night until all eight are lit.
  4. The dreidel, a spinning top with Hebrew letters on its sides, is a traditional Hanukkah game.
  5. Traditional Hanukkah foods include potato latkes (pancakes) and jelly-filled doughnuts known as sufganiyot.
  6. Giving and receiving gifts, especially to children, is a common tradition during Hanukkah.
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In summary, while the Bible does not explicitly mention Hanukkah, the festival holds deep cultural and religious significance to Judaism. It is an occasion of remembrance, celebration, and joy, symbolized by the lighting of the menorah and various traditions that have been embraced by Jewish communities for centuries.

“There is only one way to light the Hanukkah candles, and that is to light one, and then add another, giving light each night where none was the night before. To bring light where there is none is the essential task of the leader.” – Harold S. Kushner

Check out the other answers I found

There is no mention of the holiday of Hanukkah, nor of the historical events that led to its establishment, in the Bible. The Hanukkah story is not recorded in the canon of Scripture. However, the Apocrypha, a collection of Jewish writings included in some Bibles, does have the story of the Maccabean revolt leading up to the rededication of the Temple and the altar. Chanukah is not specifically mentioned in the Torah.

Video answer to “Does the Bible say to celebrate Hanukkah?”

The video discusses the significance of Hanukkah in the New Testament and how it relates to the message of salvation. The festival of dedication, or Hanukkah, is found in the New Testament in John 10:22, marking its early written record. Yeshua’s (Jesus) presence at the festival signifies its importance, not as a revolt against Roman oppression, but as a defeat of the bondage of sin. The video emphasizes the advancing kingdom of God and the restoration of the relationship with God through Yeshua. This message encourages self-reflection and dedication during the feast of dedication, seeking cleansing from idols in the heart and a dedication to the kingdom of heaven. The speaker anticipates Yeshua’s return as the conquering king with an everlasting kingdom, and encourages individuals to invite Yeshua to rule and reign in their hearts in the present.

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More intriguing questions on the topic

Does Hanukkah appear in the Bible?
Answer to this: The story of Hanukkah is told in the books of the First and Second Maccabees, which describe in detail the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem and the lighting of the menorah.
Where in Scripture did Jesus celebrate Hanukkah?
Answer: Jesus made sure he was in Jerusalem during Hanukkah, The Feast of Dedication, in John chapter 10. He did not ignore it, or any of the prescribed feasts.
What is the biblical connection of Hanukkah?
Answer to this: The story of Hanukkah does not appear in the Torah because the events that inspired the holiday occurred after it was written. It is, however, mentioned in the New Testament, in which Jesus attends a "Feast of Dedication."
What does Hanukkah mean in Christianity?
Answer to this: October 14, 2016 by Jessica Wolstenholm. Hanukkah is an eight-day celebration that honors the miracle that occurred as the Maccabees worked to clean the temple and rededicate it to God after the army of the king Antiochus IV Epiphanes had desecrated it.
What does the Bible say about Hanukkah?
Many are surprised that the only Bible verse mentioning Hanukkah is found in the New Testament. That is simply because the holiday commemorates an event that occurred during the inter-Testamental period, approximately 165 BC. A Syrian King named Antiochus invaded the Jewish nation and demanded that my people abandon the God of Israel and His ways.
Why is Hanukkah referred to as the Festival of Lights?
Answer will be: Answer: Hanukkah (which in Hebrew means ‘to dedicate’) is also referred to as the Festival of Lights or the Feast of Dedication. It is a holiday, lasting eight days, that celebrates the rededication of Jerusalem’s temple in 164 B.C. after it was defiled by a pagan ruler.
What events led to the celebration of Hanukkah?
The events that led up to the celebration of Hanukkah are as follows. In 175 B.C., Antiochus Epiphanes becomes ruler of the Seleucid Empire. His goal is to unite the Greek-related elements of his empire and to force those who do not live based on the Greek culture (e.g. Judea) to do so.
How long does Hanukkah last?
Response will be: Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that takes place usually in November or December and lasts for eight nights. But many people might not know the rich history and traditions that go along with the annual observance known as the "Festival of Lights."
What does the Bible say about Hanukkah?
Many are surprised that the only Bible verse mentioning Hanukkah is found in the New Testament. That is simply because the holiday commemorates an event that occurred during the inter-Testamental period, approximately 165 BC. A Syrian King named Antiochus invaded the Jewish nation and demanded that my people abandon the God of Israel and His ways.
Why is Hanukkah referred to as the Festival of Lights?
Answer: Answer: Hanukkah (which in Hebrew means ‘to dedicate’) is also referred to as the Festival of Lights or the Feast of Dedication. It is a holiday, lasting eight days, that celebrates the rededication of Jerusalem’s temple in 164 B.C. after it was defiled by a pagan ruler.
What events led to the celebration of Hanukkah?
The events that led up to the celebration of Hanukkah are as follows. In 175 B.C., Antiochus Epiphanes becomes ruler of the Seleucid Empire. His goal is to unite the Greek-related elements of his empire and to force those who do not live based on the Greek culture (e.g. Judea) to do so.
How long does Hanukkah last?
Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that takes place usually in November or December and lasts for eight nights. But many people might not know the rich history and traditions that go along with the annual observance known as the "Festival of Lights."

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