Hanukkah (Chanukkah) festival lasts eight days, starting from the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev. This holiday is associated with the name of Yehuda Hashmonai, also known as Maccabi or Maccabee, and his adherents. It is dedicated to the purification of the Jerusalem Temple after its liberation from the Greeks in 164 BC.

During the Hasmonean rebellion against King Antiochus, who forbade the Jews to obey the precepts of their faith (circumcision and sacrifice in the Temple), Yehuda defeated Lilias, the leader of the army of Antiochus, and entered Jerusalem, which was in the hands of the Greeks. The Hashmones cleansed the Temple of idolatry, restored the remaining utensils, and replaced the defective and stolen items with a new one. After that, they resumed the order of Temple’s work and sacrifice. The cleansing of the altar was celebrated for eight days and was accompanied by grateful chants and sacrifices. The primary commandment of this holiday is the lighting of Hanukkah candles. On the first night of the holiday, one candle is lit, one more candle is added to each subsequent one. Thus, on the eighth night, eight candles burn.