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Hanukkah
The festival of lights, as it is often called, is a celebration of both Jewish spiritual values and the triumph of the Jews over the armies of Antiochus IV.
984 Questions
What is the symbolism of the Hanukkah 'dreidel'?
The letters on the dreidel (Nun, Gimel, Hay, Shin) each stand for a word in Hebrew, writing out "Nes gadol hayah sham," or "A great miracle happened there." In Israel, the final letter (Shin) is replaced with a Pei, and the last word becomes "Po," translating as "A great miracle happened here." The miracle in question, of course, is that the oil in the Temple Menorah lasted for 8 days instead of 1, after the victory of the Maccabee army against the Seleucid king Antiochus.
What letter of Dreidel means you have won the game?
There is no letter that means you won the game. You keep playing until one person has all the candies (or pennies).
What does the 9 stick menorah means?
The 9 branched menorah is called a Chanukiah (or Hanukkah-menorah), and it is lit during the holiday of Hanukkah.
There are 9 candles that are lit on Hanukkah. One is the helper candle ("shamash") used to light the other 8, which symbolize the 8 days of Hanukkah.
A story in the Talmud (300 years after the Maccabean War) tells of a legendary miracle. After the war, When the Jews returned to rededicate the Ancient Temple, they found that there was only enough oil to keep the eternal lamp burning for 1 day. It would take 8 days to make more of this special oil. So they lit the lamp, and it miraculously burned for 8 days, giving them plenty of time to make more oil to keep the lamp burning.
Although this is just a legend, in modern times, we light candles to symbolize the miracle of the oil lasting 8 days.
Answer:The above answer is non-traditional. Our tradition is that the miracle of the oil did indeed occur and isn't just a legend. If it wasn't for the clear tradition of our Sages, Hanukkah would have been forgotten long ago.The Seleucids (Syrian-Greeks) under Antiochus Epiphanes (2nd century BCE), at the instigation of the Hellenizers, had forbidden various Torah-practices such as Sabbath-observance, and pressed the Jews to offer up idolatrous sacrifices. The Hasmoneans (a family of religious Jews) fought to retake the Holy Temple, which had been seized by the Seleucids, and to enable the people to once again observe the Torah.
When they reached the Temple grounds and prepared to light the Temple's menorah (Exodus ch.25), they found only one day's supply of unsullied olive oil. Miraculously, the menorah stayed lit for eight days (Talmud, Shabbat 21b), allowing enough time for new oil to be prepared and brought.
The significance of the miracle is that it demonstrated that God's presence still dwelt in the Holy Temple. This is what Hanukkah represents: the closeness to God; and the avoidance of Hellenization (assimilation).
The Torah Sages instituted the festival of Hanukkah at that time (Talmud, Shabbat 21b), to publicize the miracle (Rashi commentary, ibid). The eight-day rededication of the Temple is also mentioned in the book of Maccabees (I, 4:36; and II, 1:18); and Josephus mentions the eight-day festival in Antiquities ch.12.
The Al-Hanisim prayer which we recite during Hanukkah centers around the Hasmoneans' victory, while the candle-lighting commemorates the miracle of the oil.
It should also be noted that the main goal for which the Maccabees fought was not political independence. They fought to enable the people to observe the Torah's commandments; as we say in the Al Hanisim prayer: "the Greeks sought to cause us to forget Your Torah and leave Your statutes."
What are Hanukkah candles symbols of?
There are 9 candles that are lit on Hanukkah. One is the helper candle ("shamash") used to light the other 8, which symbolize the 8 days of Hanukkah.
A story in the Talmud (500 years after the Maccabean War) tells of a legendary miracle. After the war, When the Jews returned to rededicate the Ancient Temple, they found that there was only enough oil to keep the eternal lamp burning for 1 day. It would take 8 days to make more of this special oil. So they lit the lamp, and it miraculously burned for 8 days, giving them plenty of time to make more oil to keep the lamp burning.
Although this is just a legend, in modern times, we light candles to symbolize the miracle of the oil lasting 8 days.
The above answer is non-traditional. Our tradition is that the miracle of the oil did indeed occur and isn't just a legend. If it wasn't for the clear tradition of our Sages, Hanukkah would have been forgotten long ago. The Seleucids (Syrian-Greeks) under Antiochus Epiphanes (2nd century BCE), at the instigation of the Hellenizers, had forbidden various Torah-practices in Judea, such as Sabbath-observance and circumcision, rededicated the Temple to a Greek idol, and pressed the Jews to offer up idolatrous sacrifices. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the Hasmoneans (a family of religious Jews) fought to retake the Holy Temple, which had been seized by the Seleucids, and to enable the people to once again observe the Torah. The Hasmoneans (also called Maccabees) were miraculously victorious. When they reached the Temple grounds, they immediately reconsecrated it to God. As part of this action, they relit the Menorah (Exodus ch.25), which was fueled with olive oil. However, it soon became apparent that there was only sufficient oil to keep the candelabra burning for one single day - and it would take eight days to make and bring some more.
Miraculously, the menorah stayed lit for eight days (Talmud, Shabbat 21b), allowing enough time for new oil to be prepared and brought.
The significance of the miracle is that it demonstrated that God's presence still dwelt in the Holy Temple. This is what Hanukkah represents: the closeness to God; and the avoidance of Hellenization (assimilation).
The Torah Sages instituted the festival of Hanukkah at that time (Talmud, Shabbat 21b), to publicize the miracle (Rashi commentary, ibid). This is why we light our Hanukkah-menorahs.
(The Hanukkah-menorah, or hanukkiyah, is a special form of the original seven-branched menorah. Our Hanukkah-menorahs have eight spaces for oil, or candles, to mark each of the eight days for which the oil lasted and a ninth to hold the shamash, a candle used to light the others.) The Al-Hanisim prayer which we recite during Hanukkah centers around the Hasmoneans' victory and rededication of the Temple, while the candle-lighting commemorates the miracle of the oil. Though the military victory is prominently mentioned in the prayers, it wouldn't have been celebrated if not for the miracle of the oil. It should also be noted that the main goal for which the Maccabees fought was not political independence. They fought to enable the people to observe the Torah's commandments; as we say in the Al Hanisim prayer: "the Greeks sought to cause us to forget Your Torah and leave Your statutes."
What are the traditions that are incorporated into Hanukkah today?
Lighting the menorah, saying certain prayers and blessings, singing the traditional songs, eating the customary foods, giving hanukkah gelt, playing with the dreidel.
How can you compare and contrast Christmas and Hanukkah?
Christmas and Hanukkah take place around the same time of year. That is the only real similarity.
Most other similarities are the result of Christmas influencing Hanukkah, such as gift giving and decorations.
Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus, hence the nativity scene featuring baby Jesus that has been popularized. Christmas is a Christian holiday. People who believe in the New Testament and that Jesus died for their sins and was resurrected practice this holiday. Modern Christmas celebrations include getting and decorating a Christmas tree, singing Christmas or Christian carols and hymns, hanging stockings by the fire, telling stories about Santa Claus and his reindeer, and wearing red and green.
Christmas also contains numerous Pagan customs, as it is a hybrid of Pagan and Christian traditions.
Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday celebrating a post-biblical story in which the Greco-Syrian king forbade the Jewish people from practicing their monotheistic religion. The Maccabees (meaning 'hammer') were a small group of rebels, led by Judah 'Maccabee' and his sons, that defeated the Greco-Syrian army that had overtaken the the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. After the Jewish people won back their Temple, they held a delayed celebration of the 8-day harvest festival of Sukkot, which is the reason Hanukkah is 8 days long.
A story in the Talmud (500 years later) says that the Jewish people won back their temple and wanted to light their menorah to praise their God. But because the Greco-Syrians had trashed their temple, there was only enough oil for one day--the miracle is that it lasted for eight days. So Jewish people light an eight- (plus one [the 'Shamash' candle] which lights the others) branched Hanukkiyah (a candelabra) to celebrate this miracle. This is considered to be a legend with the purpose of adding a spiritual level to the holiday.
Is a dreidel a religious artifact?
It's a four-sided top used by Jewish children to play games during Hanukkah.
What special dish is served on Hanukkah?
traditional foods include potato pancakes (latkes) and jelly donuts (sufganiot)
What are 3 facts about Hanukkah?
- It is a minor Jewish holiday
- Traditional foods are potato pancakes and jelly donuts
- It always falls on the same date every year on the Hebrew calendar, but different dates on the western calendar.
1) On Hanukkah the chief celebration is not for the military victory; it's for the miracle of the oil (Talmud, Shabbat 21b).
2) Antiochus Epiphanes (2nd century BCE), at the instigation of the Hellenizers, had forbidden various Torah-practices in Judea, such as Sabbath-observance and circumcision. The Maccabees fought in order to enable the people to observe the Torah's commandments; as we say in the Al Hanisim prayer: "the Greeks sought to cause us to forget Your Torah and leave Your statutes."
3) The Hasmoneans (also called Maccabees) were miraculously victorious. When they reached the Temple grounds, they immediately reconsecrated it to God. As part of this action, they relit the Menorah (Exodus ch.25), which was fueled with olive oil. However, it soon became apparent that there was only sufficient oil to keep the candelabra burning for one single day - and it would take eight days to make and bring some more.
Miraculously, the menorah stayed lit for eight days (Talmud, Shabbat 21b), allowing enough time for new oil to be prepared and brought.
The significance of the miracle is that it demonstrated that God's presence still dwelt in the Holy Temple. This is what Hanukkah represents: the closeness to God; and the avoidance of Hellenization (assimilation).
What does the star on a Hanukkah manor mean?
I think you're saying "Hanukkah menorah" if so, there is no star on a menorah, except perhaps a Jewish star, which is just a style design.
The Jewish star symbolizes the Jewish people, but it has nothing to do with Hanukkah.
What does the ancient blessing they sing in Hanukkah sound like?
When you light the candles you say:
"Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-he-nu Me-lech ha-olam a-sher ki-de-sha-nu be-mitz-vo-tav ve-tzi-va-nu le-had-lik ner Shel Cha-nu-kah." (Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the universe, who has sanctified us with Your commandments, and commanded us to kindle the Chanukah light.)
You also recite:
"Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-he-nu Me-lech Ha-olam she-a-sa ni-sim la-avo-te-nu ba-ya-mim ha-hem bi-zman ha-zeh." (Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the universe, who performed miracles for our forefathers in those days, at this time.)
And on the first night only, you recite the prayer for a special occasion:
"Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-he-nu Me-lech Ha-olam she-heche-ya-nu ve-ki-yi-ma-nu ve-higi-a-nu Liz-man ha-zeh." (Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion.)
Answer:
The above answer doesn't address the original question. For an audio recording of the Hanukkah candle-lighting blessings, see the attached Related Link.
The hanukkiah, also called Hanukkah-menorah, is a candelabra that holds 9 candles and is used for the holiday of Hanukkah.
Why does a menorah in a syngogue only have seven candles?
The menorah that stood in the Temple had seven branches and the ones you see in synagogues today are replicas of that.
If you're wondering why they have 7 branches instead of 9 like the candelabra that is used during Channukah, that's because the channukiah (name of the candelabra) isn't a direct replica of the menorah. Instead, it was modified to honour the miracle of the oil buring for 8 days in the rededicated Temple.
What group of people celebrated Hanukkah?
- The Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah
- Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, Feast of Dedication or Jewish Christmas
- It is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple (the Second Temple) in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire of the 2nd century BCE.
- Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, which may occur at any time from late November to late December in the Gregorian calendar.
A dreidel used in a game where the player wins Chocolate foil covered coins, usually gold in color.
Can you have a wedding during Hanukkah?
Yes. Hanukkah is not considered a religious holiday. It is more of a historical commemoration.
Answer:The above is only partially correct. Hanukkah is a religious holiday, with Torah-reading, added blessings and prayers, and the candle-lighting. Weddings are permitted in Hanukkah because it is one of a category of Jewish religious holidays in which weddings are not forbidden.What is the translataion in English for Hanukkah?
Hanukkah (×—× ×•×›×”) = dedication, or rededication
There are thousands of different Hanukkah songs. Anyone can sing them. the most well-known song for Hanukkah is Maoz Tzur, and it is traditionally sung by each family after lighting the candles.
Can you wish merry Christmas and happy Hanukkah at the same time?
Yes, but only if you are talking to a group of people where some are Jewish and some are Christian.
How is Hanukkah celebrated in France?
It is celebrated only by French Jews. They light candles each of the 8 nights, and play the dreidel game. They also sing songs and some families exchange presents, though this is a new custom for France.
What is the number of lights in Hanukkah?
There are a total of 9. One for each day, and an extra "helper" candle, called the shamash.
What day do you get presents on Hanukkah?
for my family and me its every day
Answer:
The only traditional gift during Hanukkah is the gelt (coins) given to one's children.
What do elephants have to do with Chanukah?
According to the Book of Maccabees, the ancient Greek armies came against Israel with armored elephants.
