Could you please briefly explain what Hanukkah is celebrated for, in the history of Israel?
When Ezra the scribe returned to Israel, he found that many of the Jews had taken foreign wives, so that their sons did not speak Hebrew, but spoke other languages. This greatly angered Ezra, and he turned to the assembly to have the Jews drive out the foreign wives together with their sons.
For this, the Jews began an investigation, and the first meeting of this investigation about foreign wives took place on the 1st day of the 10th month of Tevet (Ezra 10:16).
And the fact that on this day the Jews began to let go of their illegal wives led to the fact that at the same time, on the same day, 1 Tevet, Esther was taken to bed with King Artaxerxes, and on 2 Tevet King Artaxerxes placed the royal crown on Esther.
Later, during the time of the Maccabees, on the 25th of Kislev, the Temple was cleansed of the pagan abomination installed there by Aniokh Epiphanes. And according to legend, the Jews did not have pure, kosher olive oil to use in the menorah. There was only one jug, sealed with the seal of the high priest. One jug of oil was enough for one day, and a new portion of oil was prepared during the week. But God performed a miracle, and one jug of oil was enough for a week, until the Jews were able to prepare new oil. The 7th day of Hanukkah is 1 Tevet.
In the Book of Maccabees, Hanukkah is described as the later tabernacles, the feast of tabernacles and fire.
The custom of lighting a Hanukkah candle, which appeared in the Middle Ages, symbolizes the Awakening of the Jewish people, when in a critical situation every true Jew will find a drop of pure oil, undefiled by paganism, in his heart, and the entire Jewish people will awaken to God.
Please note that I have described Hanukkah to you from the position of an outside observer, because I myself have never lit candles on Hanukkah, I do not observe any holidays at all, neither Jewish nor Christian.
