1. The olive presses were located in northern Israel (in the portion of the Tribe of Asher). It is a four day journey from Jerusalem to northern Israel, thus the eight day delay -- four days to travel and four days to return.¹

2. All Jews were assumed to be impure at the time. They had been in contact with dead bodies because they had just emerged from battle. It takes seven days to be purified from "capital" impurity and on the eighth day they produced a new batch of pure oil.²