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December 15, 2006

Time to light Hanukkah's first candle

Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, begins at sundown today, which is at 4:15 p.m. in Providence.

The eight-day festival marks the Jewish people’s victory over their Syrian-Greek oppressors in 165 B.C. and the re-establishment of their political and religious freedom. It is customarily celebrated by the lighting of the menorah, an eight-branched candelabrum (with an additional server candle) with one candle for each of the eight nights.

According to the ancient story, when the Jews re-dedicated the Holy Temple, there was only enough oil remaining to light the Temple menorah for one day. Miraculously, as the story goes, the oil lasted eight days, thus the holiday’s duration now.

The method for using one additional candle in the menorah on each consecutive night of Hanukkah dates back to a compromise made by two first-century scholars, Rabbi Hillel and Rabbi Shammai, according to Rabbi Sarah Mack, associate rabbi at Temple Beth-El in Providence.

Hillel argued that the Jewish people should use one candle on the first night of the holiday and use an additional candle each consecutive night. Shammai argued that the Jewish people should light eight candles on the first night and use one less candle on each consecutive night. "And Hillel wins," Mack said.

-- projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

Posted by Kate Bramson  at 4:15 PM | Permalink

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