Tales of the First Hanukkah Trivia Quiz

Answer: King Antiochus III

In 332 BC, Judea was conquered by Alexander the Great. After his death, Alexander's generals fought for twenty-five years over control of his vast empire; eventually it was divided between the three victors. Judea became part of the Ptolemaic Kingdom, and was controlled by Alexander's general, who became King Ptolemy I Soter I.

In 200 BC, his descendant, King Ptolemy V Epiphanes, was defeated by the Syrian King Antiochus III at the Battle of Panium, and Judea became part of the Seleucid Empire, which had been formed by another of Alexander's generals, Seleucus I Nicator.

At the time, the Jews were assured that they could continue to worship and "live according to their ancestral customs", but that policy only lasted about twenty-five years until the reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanes.

Answer: Second Temple

Solomon's Temple, also called the First Temple, was destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar II after the 587 BC Siege of Jerusalem. According to Josephus, the First Temple, "was burnt four hundred and seventy years, six months, and ten days after it was built," although other sources say that it stood for 410 years.

After the Siege of Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar II took Jewish slaves back to the Chaldean Babylon to work on great building projects, such as the Ishtar Gate and the Hanging Gardens. When Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon in 539 BC, Jews were allowed to return to Canaan and rebuild their temple.

Called the Second Temple, it was ready for consecration in 516 BC. In 70 AD the Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans during the Jewish Revolt, and a pagan Roman temple was built at the site.

It is said that the building of the Colosseum was funded by looting the sacred treasures. Some Jewish teachings speak of a Third Temple that will be built in the future.

Answer: Mattathias

Mattathias lived in Modi'in, but served at the Temple in Jerusalem. When the persecutions of Antiochus IV Epiphanes began, he left Jerusalem to return home. However, he became involved in the rebellion after being asked to sacrifice to Greek gods in the temple.

He refused, and killed both the Jewish priest who said he would perform the act, as well as the government official who had made the request. It wasn't long before a warrant went out for his arrest; he took his five sons to the wilderness of Judea seeking refuge. "Let everyone who has zeal for the Torah and who stands by the covenant follow me"! The war of independence had begun; the events that occurred in this war are remembered in the Hanukkah rituals.

Answer: It has been defiled by the worship of pagan gods.

Flavius Josephus, the Jewish historian, wrote that the Seleucid king "spoiled the temple, and put a stop to the constant practice of offering a daily sacrifice of expiation for three years and six months." During the revolt, the practice of Judaism was outlawed. The altar in the Temple became an altar to Zeus, and sacrifices of pigs were made there.

Answer: The Hammer

In the early days of the rebellion, Judah was given the surname "Maccabee", which translates to "The Hammer" or "The Sledgehammer". (Wow, he must have been one tough guy!) Judah, who was a priest like his father, became the leader of the revolt after his father's death.

There are many theories as to why Judah was given this name; while some say the name was given due to his fierce fighting, others say it came from the Torah verse he used as a battle cry to rally his men, "Who among the gods is like you, O Adonai?". Judah's strategy of avoiding confrontation with the main Seleucid army, and using guerrilla warfare instead worked! After the victory Judah ordered that a new altar and holy vessels be made, and the Temple cleansed.

Answer: 8

During the eight day celebration, a candle or oil-based light is lit, with the number of lights increasing by one each night. Many times there is an extra light somewhere on the menorah, which is called a shamash, meaning "attendant" or "sexton". The shamash is also lighted each night; it is found in a different location on the menorah that the other lights. Usually it is higher, but it can also be lower or to the side of the others.

The purpose of the shamash is to make a flame available if more light is required; it is forbidden to use the Hanukkah lights for anything except thinking about the miracle of Hanukkah.

The idea is to light the candles so that passers-by can also be reminded of the miracle.

Answer: There was only a small bottle of kosher oil found.

Part of the cleaning ritual involved the burning of the menorah in the Temple all night for eight nights. The oil that was to be used in the menorah had to be pure, "unadulterated and undefiled" olive oil that had been blessed and sealed by the high priest. Only a small flask of this type of oil was found; it would take eight days to make more kosher oil. Miraculously the small flask of oil burned for eight nights. Hanukkah is the celebration of this miracle.

Answer: Festival of Lights

Although different Jewish groups have different customs, it is typical to light the Hanukkah candles (or oil) at sunset; at that time they should burn for at least a half hour. In fact, the candles that are sold especially for Hanukkah burn for just about thirty minutes. If it is not possible to light the candles at sunset, they can still be burned as long as there are people in the street.

At the time of the lighting on the first night, three blessings are said; after that, only two blessings are stated.

There is a specific procedure for the lighting of the candles each night, after which the hymn, "Hanerot Halalu" is recited.

Answer: By the Hebrew calendar.

Hanukkah begins on the 25th day of Kislev (which can have either 29 or 30 days), which is the third month of the civil year and the ninth month of the religious year. The 25th day of Kislev was the day the Temple was reopened after had been cleansed.

It ends on the 2nd or 3rd day of Tevet. While the Gregorian calendar begins each day at midnight, the Jewish day begins at sunset; Hanukkah begins at sunset of the date listed. In 2015 Hanukkah began on December 6; it will begin on December 24 in 2016.

Answer: Talmud

The story of Hanukkah is preserved in the books of First and Second Maccabees, but those books are not part of the Tanakh, the Jewish Bible or the Protestant Bible. They are found in the Catholic and Orthodox Bibles, as well as the Talmud. In addition, references to Hanukkah are made in the Mishna.