1. In the time of the Second Temple, during the reign of the Greeks, they imposed decrees on the Jews and would not let them engage in the Torah andmitzvos. They seized [the Jews’] money and daughters; they entered the Sanctuary, breached it and defiled the pure items [there]. So the Jews suffered from them and were greatly oppressed by them until the God of our Fathers had mercy on us and rescued us from their hands. It was then that the HasmoneanKohanim(priests) overpowered [the Greeks] and killed them. Once the Jews were saved from their hands, they installed a king from amongst thekohanim. Thus the kingdom returned to Israel for more than two-hundred years, until the second Destruction.(Rambam)
2. And when Israel overcame their enemies and destroyed them, it was on the 25thof Kislev. They entered the Hall and found no pure oil in the Sanctuary except for one flask, which was only enough for one day – yet miraculously they lit the lamps of the Candelabrum from it for eight days, until they were able to press olives and produce pure, undefiled oil. Because of this [miracle] the Sages of that generation ordained that these eight days [beginning with the 25thof Kislev] be days of joy and praise; lights are lit in the evenings of every night at the entrances of the houses to show and publicize the miracle. These days are called “Chanukkah” and are restricted from delivering eulogies or from fasting (similar to Purim). Kindling the lights is a mitzvah rabbinically enacted, similar to the reading of the Megillah [on Purim].(ibid.)
