Editing Olive (section)

===Judaism and Israel===
{{See also|Olives and olive trees in Israel and Judaism}}
[[File:Menorah 0307.jpg|thumb|Replica of the [[Temple menorah|Temple Menorah]], which according to the [[Hebrew Bible]], was made of [[Gold#Religion|pure gold]] and could be fueled only by consecrated [[Olive oil#Judaism|fresh olive oil]]. ]]
Olives were one of the main elements in [[Ancient Israelite cuisine#Olives and olive oil|ancient Israelite cuisine]]. Olive oil was used not only culinarily, but also for lighting, sacrificial offerings, [[Topical medication|ointment]], and [[Anointment#Hebrew Bible|anointing]] religious and political officials.<ref name=MD23>Macdonald, Nathan (2008). ''[[What Did the Ancient Israelites Eat?]]''. William B. Eerdmans. pp. 23–24. {{ISBN|978-0-8028-6298-3}}.</ref> The word ''[[Messiah in Judaism|moshiach]]''—Hebrew for Messiah—means "anointed one"; in [[Jewish eschatology]], the Messiah is a future Jewish [[Monarch|king]] from the [[Davidic line]], who is expected to be anointed with [[Holy anointing oil|holy oil]] partially derived from olive oil. The olive tree is one of the first plants mentioned in the [[Hebrew Bible]], and one of the most significant; an olive branch (or leaf, depending on translation) was brought back to [[Noah]] by a dove to demonstrate that the flood was over ([[Book of Genesis|Genesis]] 8:11).<ref>{{cite web |title=Genesis Chapter 8 KJV |url=https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Genesis-Chapter-8/#11 |quote=And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.}}</ref>  

The olive's importance in Israel is expressed in the parable of Jotham in [[Judges 1|Judges]] 9:8–9: "One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king.’ But the olive tree answered, ‘Should I give up my oil, by which both gods and humans are honored, to hold sway over the trees?'" The olive tree is also analogized to a righteous man (Psalm 52:8; Hosea 14:6) whose "children will be like vigorous young olive trees" (Psalm 128:3).

[[Book of Deuteronomy|Deuteronomy]] characterizes the "[[Promised Land]]" of the [[Hebrews]] as containing olive groves (6:11) and subsequently lists olives as one of the [[Seven Species|seven species]] that are special products of the [[Land of Israel]] (8:8).<ref>{{cite book|title=Eat and Be Satisfied: A Social History of Jewish Food|last1=Cooper|first1=John|year=1993|publisher=Jason Aronson Inc.|location=New Jersey|isbn=978-0-87668-316-3|pages=4–9}}.</ref> According to the [[Halakha]], the Jewish law mandatory for all [[Jews]], the olive is one of the seven species that require the recitation of ''me'eyn shalosh,'' a blessing of gratitude, after they are consumed. Olive oil is also the most recommended and best possible oil for lighting [[Shabbat candles]].<ref>[[Mishnah]], [[Shabbat (Talmud)|Tractate Shabbat]], Chapter 2.</ref> 

Olive oil features prominently in the [[Jewish holidays|Jewish festival]] of [[Hanukkah]], which commemorates the recovery of [[Jerusalem]] and subsequent rededication of the [[Second Temple]] during the [[Maccabean Revolt]] against the [[Seleucid Empire]] in the 2nd century BCE. According to the [[Talmud]], the central text of [[Rabbinic Judaism|Rabbinical Judaism]], after Seleucid forces had been driven from the Temple, the Maccabees discovered that almost all the ritual olive oil for the [[Temple menorah]] had been profaned. They found only single container with just enough [[Kohen Gadol|pure oil]] to keep the menorah lit for a single day; however, it burned for eight days—the time needed for new oil to have been prepared—a [[Miracle of the cruse of oil|miracle that forms]] a major part of Hanukkah celebrations. Subsequently, the olive tree and its oil have come to represent the strength and persistence of the [[Jews|Jewish people]].<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |date=2008-12-11 |title=Olive oil: the miracle ingredient |url=https://www.thejc.com/life/food/olive-oil-the-miracle-ingredient-joytmf41 |access-date=2025-04-22 |website=The Jewish Chronicle |language=en}}</ref> In common with other Mediterranean cultures, the Jewish people used it for many practical and ritualistic purposes, from fuel and medicine to cosmetics and even currency; as in Greek and Roman societies, athletes were cleansed by covering their skin with oil then scraping it to remove the dirt. Jews who settled in foreign lands often became olive merchants.<ref name=":7" />

Due to its importance in the Hebrew Bible, the olive has significant national meaning in modern [[Culture of Israel|Israeli culture]]. Two olive branches appear as part of [[Emblem of Israel|Israel's emblem]], which may have been inspired by the vision of biblical Hebrew prophet [[Zechariah (Hebrew prophet)|Zechariah]], who describes seeing a menorah flanked by an olive tree on each side;<ref name="sacks">Mishory, Alec. ''The Israeli Emblem''. Jewish Virtual Library. [https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/emblem.html]. American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise. Accessed 9 Jul. 2012.</ref> the trees represent [[Zerubbabel]] and [[Joshua]], the governor and high priest, respectively. The olive tree was declared the unofficial national tree of Israel in 2021 by a survey of Israelis;<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/olive-voted-as-national-tree-to-mark-tu-bishvat/ | title=Olive voted as national tree to mark Tu Bishvat | website=[[The Times of Israel]] }}</ref> it is often planted during [[Tu BiShvat]] and its fruit is a customary part of the [[Tu BiShvat seder|accompanying seder]].