Why are we celebrating Chanukah?

 

In the period of Second Temple, Greece conquered many lands, and control there their culture. Culture of Greece was a culture of strength, the strong survive, and of course idolatry.
 
Antiochus was the king of Greece at that time he decided to occupy the land of Israel and impose the culture of Greece on the Jews. The whole aim was to overthrow the people of Israel, and therefore fought the Jewish faith, that of Jews did not do on the Jewish faith, they also did not conform to the rest of the commandments of the Torah and Judaism would disappear from the world. So Antiochus decreed that the Jews did not learn Torah, do not keep the Sabbath, and do not circumcise.
 
Culture of freedom and liberalism spread in Israel and many Jews were after the Greeks and their culture, and they acted like Greeks. But there were Jews who did not surrender and they were the majority among the people, and they kept the commandments in secret. The children were hiding in caves and learn Torah, and when they heard that the soldiers of Greece, approaching them in their quest for "outlaws" They were hidden their scrolls from which the learned and took from their pockets dreidels they played it out.
 
Greeks have increased to as occupied Jerusalem, they went to the temple and defiled it, and put a idol in the temple. This situation of course was suspended worship in the temple until the storm passed.
 
In those days; stood the old man - Mattathias and his five sons, the Maccabees. They fought bravely against the wicked Greeks. The number of Maccabees was small indeed with great Greek camp, armed with the best of the ammunition of the time. But here was a miracle!
 
G-d, most merciful showed signs and wonders, and the little Maccabees camp beat and defeated many Greeks and drove them from the Holy Land. The people of Israel could again serve G-d and to observe the commandments of peace and rest in the Holy Land.
 
On 25 Kislev stopped fighting and Maccabees came to the Temple in order to assess the damage and repair them. They purged the Temple's vessels, and shattered the idol the Greeks put, and wanted to resume service in the Temple.
 
 The Maccabees looked for olive oil to light the menorah, but the Greeks shattered and spilled that entire oil reservoir. Suddenly ... They found a small cruse of pure olive oil, the high priest - Matityahu hurried to light the Menorah of the Temple. Immediately he sent emissaries over the country to crush olives for oil for lighting.
The jug of oil was found, barely was enough for one day, but God did another miracle for the Jews, and the oil was enough and was lighted for eight days until they could prepare and bring to Jerusalem olive oil.
 
Since then, every year we celebrate the joyous festival of Hanukkah, eight days, starting from Twenty-five of Kislev. Every night of the eight nights of the holiday we light candles. On the first night one candle, two candles the second night and so on. Until the eighth night we light eight candles together.
 
Chanukah teaches us to trust in G-d, and devote the Holy Torah and the commandments, and fighting for our Judaism, as long as the soul with us.