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During the Second Temple era, the Syrian-Greeks banned Torah study and mitzva observance. They broke into the Temple and desecrated it. The Hasmoneans defeated the Greeks and purified the Temple. (For more details, see sections 2 and 3 below.) Following this, they wanted to light the Menora. Unfortunately, they were able to find only one small container of pure olive oil (closed with the High Priest's seal), with enough oil to only last for one day. However, a miracle took place and the oil lasted for eight days. The following year, the Sages established those eight days as the holiday of Ĥanuka, designated for praising and thanking God for the two miracles – the great military victory and the miraculous oil that lasted for eight days.
There were many other holidays the Sages established to thank God for saving us during that era, including: Nicanor Day on the thirteenth of Adar (when the Jews defeated a large Greek army and killed its commander, Nicanor), and the twenty-fifth of Ĥeshvan (when the Jews conquered Samaria and began to settle it). However, following the destruction of the Second Temple, all these holidays were abolished. Only Ĥanuka remained, thanks to its inspiring mitzva of candle lighting (sections 5 and 6 below).
