The Maccabees were a Jewish family and rebel movement who led a successful uprising against the Seleucid (Syrian-Greek) Empire in the 2nd century BCE, defending Jewish religious practice from forced Hellenization. They are remembered during Hanukkah because their victory led to the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem and the origin of the festivalā€™s core themes of light, dedication, and religious freedom.

Who the Maccabees Were

  • The Maccabees were members of a priestly family later known as the Hasmoneans, starting with an elder priest named Mattathias and his sons, especially Judah Maccabee.
  • They lived in Judea under Seleucid rule, when King Antiochus IV Epiphanes outlawed core Jewish practices like circumcision, Shabbat, and Temple worship, and imposed Greek religious rites.

The Revolt They Led

  • When Antiochusā€™ officials demanded sacrifices to Greek gods, Mattathias refused, killed a collaborating Jew and the royal officer, and fled to the hills with his sons to begin a guerrilla resistance.
  • After Mattathias died, Judah Maccabee took command, winning a series of battles against better-equipped Seleucid forces and eventually recapturing Jerusalem and the Temple.

The Temple And Hanukkah

  • Once they regained the Temple, the Maccabees cleared out idols, rebuilt or repaired the defiled altar, and rededicated the sanctuary to the worship of the God of Israel, an act reflected in the Hebrew name ā€œHanukkah,ā€ meaning dedication.
  • The classical rabbinic story relates that they found only one small jug of ritually pure oil for the Temple menorah, enough for one day, but it miraculously burned for eight days, the time needed to obtain new pure oil.

Why Hanukkah Is Eight Days

  • Historical sources like 1 and 2 Maccabees describe an eight-day celebration after the Templeā€™s purification, modeled in part on Sukkot, which the people had been unable to celebrate properly while hiding in the hills.
  • Rabbinic tradition emphasizes the eight days as the span of the oil miracle, and this is why Hanukkah is observed for eight nights with candle lighting, songs, and thanksgiving.

Why They Are Remembered Today

  • The Maccabees are remembered as freedom fighters who resisted religious persecution and preserved Jewish identity in the face of intense pressure to assimilate into dominant Greek culture.
  • Modern discussions often highlight multiple angles: some see them as heroes of religious liberty, others note that their descendants, the Hasmonean rulers, later became more politically complicated, but Hanukkah continues to center on the values of courage, rededication, and spiritual light that their story represents.

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