Why Hanukkah?
After years of torment,
persecution and forced conversion
to Helenism under the Assyiran
Emperor Antiochus Epiphanes,
Judaism and monotheism in the
2nd Century BCE was like a
flickering flame - about to go out.
Most of those faithful to Jewish
traditional fled Jerusalem and
kept Judaism alive in the
countryside. In 167 BCE,
Antiochus desecrated the Temple
in Jerusalem and sent his troops
to forcibly convert, or kill, those
few who remained faithful to
Judaism. Soldiers of Antiochus
came to Modi'in, a village
northwest of Jerusalem, and
ordered all the inhabitants to
offer sacrifices to Zeus. The
Hasmonean's, a priestly family
headed by Mattathias refused,
attacked and killed the soldiers.
And thus the revolt began. In 164
BCE, the Maccabees, the followers
of Mattathias and his son Judah,
cleansed, purified, and
rededicated the Temple to Jewish
worship. The Maccabees
instituted an 8 day holiday to
commemorate their victory.
Hanukkah Blessings:
The candles are placed in the Hanukkiyah from
right to left and kindled from left to right. Light the
shamas candle first then recite this blessing:
‫בָּרוְּך אַ תָּ ה יְיָ אֱ ֹלהֵינוּ ֶמלְֶך הָעוֹלָם אֲ שֶׁ ר‬
‫קִדְּ שָׁ נוּ ְבּ ִמצְוֹתָ יו ְו ִצוָּנוּ ְלהַדְ לִיק נֵר שֶׁ ל ֲחנֻכָּה‬
ABOUT
HANUKKAH
Barukh atah Adonai eloheinu melekh ha'olam,
asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu lehadlik ner
shel hanukkah.
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the
universe, who calls us to holiness through mitzvot
and encourages us to light the lights of Hanukkah.
Continue with this blessing:
‫בָּרוְּך אַ תָּ ה יְיָ אֱ ֹלהֵינוּ ֶמלְֶך הָעוֹלָם שֶׁ עָשָׂ ה‬
‫נִסִּים לַאֲ בוֹתֵ ינוּ ַבּיָּמִים ָההֶם ַבּזְּמַן ַהזֶּה‬
Barukh atah Adonai eloheinu melekh ha'olam,
she'asa nisim la'avoteinu v'imoteinu bayamim
haheim baz'man hazeh.
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Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the
universe, who performed miracles for our ancestors
in their days during this season.
On the first night only, recite this blessing:
,‫בָּרוְּך אַ תָּ ה יְיָ אֱ ֹלהֵינוּ ֶמלְֶך הָעוֹלָם שֶׁ ֶה ֱחיָנוּ‬
‫ְו ִקיְּמָנוּ ְו ִהגִּיעָנוּ ַלזְּמַן ַהזֶּה‬
Barukh atah, Adonai Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam,
shehechiyanu, vekiyemanu, vehigiyanu lazman
hazeh.
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the
universe, who gave us life, sustained us, and
enabled us to reach this season.
NAIC:
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Paramus, NJ 07652
844-330-NAJC
www.najc.org
[email protected]
Neshamah: Association
of Jewish Chaplains
Doing G!d’s Work With Our Own Hands
What is the reason of Hanukkah? For our
Rabbis taught: On the twenty-fifth of
Kislev commence the days of Hanukkah,
which are eight, on which a lamentation
for the dead and fasting are forbidden.
For when the Greeks entered the Temple,
they defiled all the oils therein, and
when the Hasmonean dynasty prevailed
against and defeated them, they made
search and found only one flask which
lay untouched with the seal of the High
Priest, but did not have enough oil except
to light for one day only; yet a miracle
was wrought through it and they lit from
it for eight days. The following year,
these days were appointed a Festival
with (the recital of) Hallel and
thanksgiving.
Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 21b
According to the Talmud passage above,
the Maccabees, after cleaning and restoring
the Temple to Jewish worship, found only
one small crucible of oil - enough to burn for
one day. However, according to our Rabbis,
“a great miracle happened there” and the oil
burned for eight days.
However, when one reads the Books of
Maccabees, one is in for a big surprise. The
Maccabees describe the condition of the
Temple and the extensive work done to
clean up and rededicate the Temple to
Jewish ritual practices. Nowhere in the
Book of Maccabees, is there any mention of
the miracle of oil.
So, why the eight-day celebration?
According to the Book of Maccabees,
during the time the Temple lay desecrated
and occupied by Antiochus and his troops,
Jews were unable to observe Sukkot. Upon
successfully defeating Antiochus’ troops
and rededicating the Temple to Jewish
worship, the Maccabees instituted a winter
thanksgiving holiday in order to observe the
eight day festival of Sukkot and as gratitude
to the Holy One for helping them in their
victory over Antiochus and his troops.
Why the shift from a winter Sukkot to a
miracle about oil? Troubled by the military
implications of the story of the Maccabees,
and applying the principles and processes
of commentary and midrash, the Rabbis
explain that the reason for the eight day
celebration is because of the miracle of the
small crucible of oil that burned for eight
days.
In the days of the Talmud, there were
four different ways of observing Hanukkah.
For some, it was a simple as lighting only
one light on each night of Hanukkah. Others
lit one light for every adult member of the
household on each night of Hanukkah. Still
others lit eight lights on the first night, seven
lights on the second night, six lights on the
third, and so on. Finally, others lit one light
on the first night, two on the second, three
on the third, and so on.
HANUKKIYAH, ‫חנוכיה‬
Is the special 9 branched Hanukkah menorah.
Menorah is a Hebrew word which means
candelabrum. In the book of Exodus (25:31-37;
37:17-23) we read how the great artist Bezalel
was instructed by God to construct a seven
branched Menorah. This Menorah was to be
kept lit at all times. The Arch of Titus in Rome
depicts the Roman Legion returning from
Israel, after destroying the Temple, carrying the
Menorah.
DREIDLE, ‫סביבון‬
A Dreidle (drey-dul), s’vivon in Hebrew, is a
game of chance played with a four-sided
spinning top. Each side of the top has a
Hebrew letter on it corresponding to the
phrase: "‫ נֵס גָדֹול הָיָה ׁשָם‬- A Great Miracle
Happened There (Nes Gadol Hayah Sham).” In
Israel, the dreidle has the Hebrew letters
corresponding to the phrase: "A Great Miracle
Happened Here - ‫ נֵס גָדֹול הָיָה ּפֹה‬Nes Gadol
Hayah Po.” Players begin by "anteing" a set
number of coins or candy. Each player in turn
would spin the dreidle and depending on the
letter would do one of the following: ‫ נ‬nuntake nothing; ‫ ג‬gimel-take all; ‫ ה‬hei-take half; ‫ש‬
shin-put one in.
SUFGANIYOT, ‫סופגניות‬
Jelly filled donuts. These are especially tasty in
Israel, as they are only available during the
holiday of Hanukkah and often sold piping hot,
fresh from the fryer.
LATKE, ‫לביבות‬
In Hebrew, l’vivot, is a fried pancake usually
made from potatoes. Latkes can also be made
from sweet potatoes, zucchini, or other root
vegetables.