What does Hanukkah commemorate in Jewish history?

Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem in 164 BCE. This event followed the successful rebellion led by the Maccabees against the Seleucid ruler Antiochus IV, who had previously desecrated the site.123

The holiday’s significance has evolved over time:

• Historical Rededication: Originally, the eight-day celebration focused on the return to Jewish religious practice within the reclaimed Temple.1
• The Miracle of the Oil: Later interpretations, notably recorded in the Babylonian Talmud, emphasize a divine miracle. According to this account, only one day’s worth of uncontaminated oil was found to light the Temple lamp, yet it miraculously burned for eight days until more could be consecrated.14
• Festival of Lights: Often called the Festival of Lights, the holiday is observed by lighting candles in a menorah to publicize this miracle. While some early scholars, such as Flavius Josephus, viewed the lights as a metaphor for religious freedom, the practice of lighting candles became the central tradition of the festival.14