The history of Hannukah can be traced back to the rededication of the holy temple of Jerusalem by the Jews, by emerging victorious over the Hellenist Syrians in 165 BC. The Greek god of Syria, Antiochus, ordered the Jews to worship the Greek god and prohibited Jews from practicing their rituals. Even their holy temple was seized in 168 BC and was dedicated to Zeus. Not much time later, the angry Jews decided to fight back and restore the dignity of their holy temple. The fighting began in a village close to Jerusalem, known as Modiin. 

The seeds for Jewish revolt were planted when Jews asked by a Greek officer to bow to an idol and eat a pigs flesh, which is forbidden by the Jewish religion. This enraged one of the Jews who killed the officer and went into hiding with his family. There, he was joined by the rest of the Jews, who were willing to fight against the Greeks. This group of Jewish warriors ambushed the Greeks whenever they sensed opportunity. Soon, Judah Maccabee, the third son of Jewish priest Mattathias and the leader of the Jewish revolt; went to the holy temple with his soldiers.

In the temple, Judah found many things broken or missing. The temple was cleaned and repaired by Maccabee and his soldiers and then, a big dedication ceremony was held there. The Maccabees also wanted to light the golden menorah in the temple, but they could only find a small flask containing oil, which was enough to light the menorah for a day. However, the oil lasted in the menorah for eight days, quite miraculously. Later, this led to the tradition of lighting menorah on Hanukkah, for eight days.

公元前168年，统治巴勒斯坦的塞琉古王朝为了强制推行"希腊化"，宣布犹太教非法，在耶路撒冷犹太人圣殿里竖起希腊神祗奥林匹亚宙斯的祭坛，并用犹太人视为不洁的猪进行献祭，强迫犹太人食用猪肉。这一仇视的做法激起犹太人极度的不满。在马加比家族领导之下起而反抗，在势孤力单的情况下，竟击退了希腊人，建立了马加比王国，这也是犹太人第二次建立自己的国家。

当他们收复圣殿，准备恢复献祭的时候，才发觉希腊人弄污了圣殿中的圣橄榄油，只留下一瓶圣油完封不动，上面仍有大祭司的印记。犹太人用那瓶圣油燃亮圣所中的金灯台，但担心金灯台很快便会熄灭，因为一瓶圣油通常只够燃一天，而预备新的圣油需要八天时间。然而神迹出现了，金灯台不单在第二天没有熄灭，并且一连八天都大放光明，直至新油备妥。犹太人认为这是神迹出现，是神悦纳他们新建国度。此后，犹太人都在冬天守节，定名为修殿节，也就是今天的光明节。

光明节除了祈祷，唱赞美诗，诵读圣经，还要家家户户及犹太会堂点亮九支烛台，这是光明节最重要的特征，以表明对光明的向往和对马加比反抗者的怀念。