Sure. As much as I can remember, anyway. It's...been a while, for me.
[He rubs his chin for a second as he gathers his thoughts, then shrugs.]
Okay. So, it's supposed to celebrate this miraculous victory we had over the Greeks a couple thousand years ago. The usual thing: They were oppressing us, we wanted religious freedom, et cetera. At the end of few years of guerrilla warfare, we won back our big Temple, but there was only enough oil left to keep the Menorah going--that's like a fancy ritual candlestick, sort of--for one day. They lit it anyway, though, and it kept going for the eight days they needed before they could get some more oil. And that's why we're supposed to light candles for eight nights during the holiday itself, to honor that miracle.
It wasn't originally a gift-giving holiday, but in America, anyway, it sort of picked up this competition with Christmas. I guess so little Jewish kids wouldn't feel left out. Eight nights of presents, and my mom would make latkes for the first night.
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[He rubs his chin for a second as he gathers his thoughts, then shrugs.]
Okay. So, it's supposed to celebrate this miraculous victory we had over the Greeks a couple thousand years ago. The usual thing: They were oppressing us, we wanted religious freedom, et cetera. At the end of few years of guerrilla warfare, we won back our big Temple, but there was only enough oil left to keep the Menorah going--that's like a fancy ritual candlestick, sort of--for one day. They lit it anyway, though, and it kept going for the eight days they needed before they could get some more oil. And that's why we're supposed to light candles for eight nights during the holiday itself, to honor that miracle.
It wasn't originally a gift-giving holiday, but in America, anyway, it sort of picked up this competition with Christmas. I guess so little Jewish kids wouldn't feel left out. Eight nights of presents, and my mom would make latkes for the first night.