For several of these pages we learn about the details of the 18 instances in which the law followed the opinion of the house of Shammai instead of the house of Hillel. The last of the 18 concerns work that can be started on Friday afternoon.
Chapter of this tractate begins with a question as to what material can be used as a wick and what material can be used as fuel for the shabbat lights. Many of us may be familiar with this section because it is read every Friday evening, in traditional synagogues, between the kabbalat shabbat and evening services. The upshot is that the wick has to be of material that burns true (that won't have to be adjusted or played with) and the fuel has to be efficient as well.
That discussion of shabbat lights leads the rabbis to talk about the other lights commonly used for ritual purposes - Hanukkah. This section is the only place in the Talmud in which Hanukkah is discussed. There isn't a separate section for Hanukkah like there is for every other Jewish holiday. While discussing the lights, the rabbis then ask, "what is Hanukkah"? They answer with what we are familar - viz., the Temple had become a pagan house of worship, the Maccabees revolted and won, only one jar of pure olive oil was found whose light miraculously lasted for 8 days.
How do we light the candles? Shammai says 8 the first night down to 1 on the 8th night and Hillel says 1 the first night leading up to 8 on the 8th night? Why? Because we always raise in holiness and we don't lower.
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