the story is that when the maccabees gathered to re-dedicate the temple, which had been desecrated by the greeks, they only had a little oil, but that small amount of oil miraculously burned for the eight nights necessary for the re-dedication. the rabbis emphasized the importance of this miracle because they didn't like military aspect of the holiday so much. imo, both sides of the hanukkah story (the miracle and the military struggle against assimilation) both have value.
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