How did Judas Maccabeus restore the Temple after it was reclaimed?

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After reclaiming Jerusalem from the Seleucids in 164 BCE, Judas Maccabeus took specific steps to restore the Temple of Jerusalem following its defilement by Antiochus IV Epiphanes.12

His process of restoration included:

  • Cleansing: Judas directed "blameless priests" to cleanse the Holy Place, which had been desecrated by the installation of an altar to Zeus.13
  • Reconstruction: The priests erected a new altar made of unhewn stones to replace the one used for pagan sacrifices.13
  • Rededication: The sanctuary was officially reconsecrated on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev.13

This act of dedication is the origin of Hanukkah, which means "dedication" in Hebrew. Judas proclaimed that this event should be commemorated annually with an eight-day festival. While the primary historical focus was the return to proper Jewish religious practice, later traditions—such as those found in the Babylonian Talmud—emphasized the miracle of the oil that lasted for eight days during this period of rededication.132