A history of a holiday.

The Khanuka begins Kislev, 25 and lasts eight days. The events connected to an establishment of a holiday, have taken place in 2 century up to AD. At this time people of Israel was under authority of the Greek tsar Antioha of the Fourth Epiphana. Tsar aspired to that Jews have refused belief in Supreme and began to worship the Greek gods. It has issued the decrees forbidding to Jews to execute many laws of a Torah.

Once the Greek group has arrived to place Modeen. At the big congestion of people of the head of group have tried to force koehn Jochan to sacrifice to an idol. Jochan has refused, but one of Jews taking place there was caused to sacrifice. Jochan could not bear a vile show and has with one blow killed the turncoat. On protection of old koehn there were his sons and many of people. Began revolt which was headed by sons of Jochan - Johnatan, Johanan, Ieguda, Shimon and Eliezer. The slogan rising became an appeal « who for the G-d, to me ». Rising have named itself makkaby. The war which has received the name makkabian began. It last 3 years. Badly armed insurgents battled against the strong and superb trained Greek army, but Jews nevertheless have won and have released Jerusalem. The main task of winners became clarification profaned by Greeks the Temple and renewal of temple service. However appeared, that there is no opportunity to light Temple the Menorah . The matter is that Greeks have profaned the oil intended for the Menorah, having broken seal Firstpriest on all jugs. Only one has been hardly found jugs with the whole seal. It could suffice only for one day, and for manufacturing new oil it was required seven days. But Jews have decided to light nevertheless the Menorah, and there was a miracle - oil in the Menorah burned 8 days, and for this time new oil has been prepared. Since then Jews celebrate a Chanukkah that means "consecration".

Customs of a holiday

Every day Chanukkah light a special candlestick - chanukkiyah , in which 9 candles: 8 candles symbolize days of a miracle, and from the ninth, service candle ( shamay ) light all others (in the first day of a holiday one, in the second - two, etc.). Shamat establish hardly separately from the others - above, below or sideways.

In memory of the occurred miracle in Chanukkah it is accepted to fry doughnuts and potato pancakes ( latkes ) in a plenty of oil. Children play a top which refers to sevivon . On each sides of sevivon the first letter of words of a phrase " the Miracle great is written was here " (if business occurs in Israel) or " the Miracle great was there " (in diaspora).

The recipe of preparation latkes - potato pancakes.

Necessary products:

5 big cleared potatoes
1 big bulb
4 eggs
1/3 glasses of a flour from matsa
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoons of pepper
1/3 glasses of vegetable oil for to fry pancakes on a frying pan

Rub a potato and a bulb on a fine grater or "blender", having added there there is some water. Add eggs and as follows mix. Add a flour from matsa, salt, pepper and stir. Warm up oil on a frying pan and then pour on 1 dining room to the spoon of a mix on a frying pan. When pancakes will be roasted up to gold-brown color, turn it on other side.