{"id":703,"date":"2012-12-10T17:35:34","date_gmt":"2012-12-10T22:35:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/hebrew\/?p=703"},"modified":"2012-12-10T17:35:34","modified_gmt":"2012-12-10T22:35:34","slug":"celebrating-hanukkah","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/hebrew\/celebrating-hanukkah\/","title":{"rendered":"Celebrating Hanukkah"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u05d7\u05b2\u05e0\u05bb\u05db\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4<\/span>, the Jewish festival of rededication, also known as the festival of lights, is an eight day festival beginning on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev.<\/p>\n

Vocabulary<\/h3>\n

\u05d7\u05b2\u05e0\u05bb\u05db\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4<\/span> – Hanukkah
\n\u05d7\u05b2\u05e0\u05bb\u05db\u05b4\u05bc\u05d9\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4<\/span> – Hanukkah menorah
\n\u05e1\u05b0\u05d1\u05b4\u05d9\u05d1\u05d5\u05b9\u05df<\/span> – dreidel
\n\u05dc\u05b0\u05d1\u05b4\u05d9\u05d1\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea<\/span> – Latkes (potato pancakes)
\n\u05db\u05b4\u05bc\u05e1\u05b0\u05dc\u05b5\u05d5<\/span> – Kislev (9th month)
\n\u05e9\u05b7\u05c1\u05de\u05b8\u05e9\u05c1<\/span> – shamash candle
\n\u05d9\u05b0\u05e8\u05d5\u05bc\u05e9\u05b8\u05c1\u05dc\u05b7\u05d9\u05b4\u05dd<\/span> – Jerusalem<\/p>\n

\n

Introduction<\/h3>\n

\u05d7\u05b2\u05e0\u05bb\u05db\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4<\/span> is probably one of the best known Jewish holidays because of its proximity to Christmas. Many non-Jews and assimilated Jews think of this holiday as the Jewish version of Christmas and use some Christmas customs, such as gift-giving and decorating. In reality, this holiday is in
\nremembrance of a revolution against assimilation and the suppression of Jewish religion. The story is related in the book of Maccabees, which Jews do not accept as scripture.<\/p>\n

Blessings<\/h3>\n

The only religious observance related to the holiday is the lighting of candles. The candles are placed in a menorah that holds nine candles: one for each night, plus a \u05e9\u05b7\u05c1\u05de\u05b8\u05e9\u05c1<\/span> at a different height. On the first night, one candle is placed at the far right. The \u05e9\u05b7\u05c1\u05de\u05b8\u05e9\u05c1<\/span> is lit and three berakhot (blessings) are recited: <\/p>\n

    \n
  1. A general prayer over candles
    \u05d1\u05e8\u05d5\u05da \u05d0\u05ea\u05d4 \u05d4’ \u05d0\u2011\u05dc\u05d5\u05d4\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5 \u05de\u05dc\u05da \u05d4\u05e2\u05d5\u05dc\u05dd, \u05d0\u05e9\u05e8 \u05e7\u05d3\u05e9\u05e0\u05d5 \u05d1\u05de\u05e6\u05d5\u05ea\u05d9\u05d5 \u05d5\u05e6\u05d5\u05e0\u05d5 \u05dc\u05d4\u05d3\u05dc\u05d9\u05e7 \u05e0\u05e8 \u05e9\u05dc \u05d7\u05e0\u05d5\u05db\u05d4.\u200f<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. A prayer thanking God for performing miracles for the Jewish people at this time
    \u05d1\u05e8\u05d5\u05da \u05d0\u05ea\u05d4 \u05d4’ \u05d0\u2011\u05dc\u05d5\u05d4\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5 \u05de\u05dc\u05da \u05d4\u05e2\u05d5\u05dc\u05dd, \u05e9\u05e2\u05e9\u05d4 \u05e0\u05e1\u05d9\u05dd \u05dc\u05d0\u05d1\u05d5\u05ea\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5 \u05d1\u05d9\u05de\u05d9\u05dd \u05d4\u05d4\u05dd \u05d1\u05d6\u05de\u05df \u05d4\u05d6\u05d4.\u200f<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. A general prayer thanking God for allowing us to reach this time of year
    \u05d1\u05e8\u05d5\u05da \u05d0\u05ea\u05d4 \u05d4’ \u05d0\u2011\u05dc\u05d5\u05d4\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5 \u05de\u05dc\u05da \u05d4\u05e2\u05d5\u05dc\u05dd, \u05e9\u05d4\u05d7\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5 \u05d5\u05e7\u05d9\u05de\u05e0\u05d5 \u05d5\u05d4\u05d2\u05e2\u05e0\u05d5 \u05dc\u05d6\u05de\u05df \u05d4\u05d6\u05d4.\u200f<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    All three blessings are recited on the first night of \u05d7\u05b2\u05e0\u05bb\u05db\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4<\/span>. On all the other nights, they recite only the first two. The blessings are said before or after the candles are lit (depending on tradition). <\/p>\n

    Lighting the candles<\/h3>\n

    After reciting the blessings, the first candle is then lit using the \u05e9\u05b7\u05c1\u05de\u05b8\u05e9\u05c1<\/span>, which is placed back in its holder. Candles can be lit any time after dark but before midnight. The candles are normally allowed to burn out on their own after a minimum of a half hour, but if necessary they can be blown out at any time after that half hour. On Shabbat, the \u05d7\u05b2\u05e0\u05bb\u05db\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4<\/span> candles are normally lit before the Shabbat candles, but may be lit any time before candle lighting time (18 minutes before sunset). Candles cannot<\/em> be blown out on Shabbat. Because the \u05d7\u05b2\u05e0\u05bb\u05db\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4<\/span> candles must remain burning until a minimum of a half hour after dark, some \u05d7\u05b2\u05e0\u05bb\u05db\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4<\/span> candles won’t get the job done. On one of the earlier nights, you might want to make sure your candles last long enough. If they don’t, you might want to use something else for \u05d7\u05b2\u05e0\u05bb\u05db\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4<\/span> on Shabbat, such as tea lights or even Shabbat candles.<\/p>\n

    Each night, another candle is added from right to left. Candles are lit from left to right, paying honor to the newer candle first. On the eighth night, all nine candles (the 8 \u05d7\u05b2\u05e0\u05bb\u05db\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4<\/span> candles and the \u05e9\u05b7\u05c1\u05de\u05b8\u05e9\u05c1<\/span>) are lit. On nights after the first, only the first two blessings are recited; the third blessing is only recited on the first night of holidays.<\/p>\n

    Why is there a \u05e9\u05b7\u05c1\u05de\u05b8\u05e9\u05c1<\/span>? The \u05d7\u05b2\u05e0\u05bb\u05db\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4<\/span> candles are for pleasure only; they are not used for any other purpose. The \u05e9\u05b7\u05c1\u05de\u05b8\u05e9\u05c1<\/span> is kept if we need to do something requiring a candle. The \u05e9\u05b7\u05c1\u05de\u05b8\u05e9\u05c1<\/span> is at a different height so that it is easily identified.<\/p>\n

    Are yo hungry on \u05d7\u05b2\u05e0\u05bb\u05db\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4<\/span>?<\/h3>\n

    It is traditional to eat fried foods on \u05d7\u05b2\u05e0\u05bb\u05db\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4<\/span> because of the significance of oil to the holiday. Among Ashkenazic Jews, this usually includes latkes and nice, fat jelly donuts. See the recipe below for making latkes.<\/p>\n

    Gift Giving<\/h3>\n

    Gift-giving is not a traditional part of the holiday, but has been added in places where Jews have a lot of contact with Christians, as a way of dealing with jealousy of Christian friends. It is extremely unusual for Jews to give \u05d7\u05b2\u05e0\u05bb\u05db\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4<\/span> gifts to anyone other than their own young children. The only traditional gift of the holiday is “gelt,” small amounts of money.<\/p>\n

    Spinning the \u05e1\u05b0\u05d1\u05b4\u05d9\u05d1\u05d5\u05b9\u05df<\/span><\/h3>\n

    The dreidel, or \u05e1\u05b0\u05d1\u05b4\u05d9\u05d1\u05d5\u05b9\u05df<\/span> in Hebrew, is a four-sided spinning top that children play with on Hanukkah. Each side is imprinted with a Hebrew letter. These letters are an acronym for the Hebrew words \u05e0\u05e1 \u05d2\u05d3\u05d5\u05dc \u05d4\u05d9\u05d4 \u05e9\u05dd (N<\/strong>es G<\/strong>adol H<\/strong>aya S<\/strong>ham, “A great miracle happened there”), referring to the miracle of the oil that took place in the Beit Hamikdash. <\/p>\n

    The letters also stand for the Yiddish words nit<\/strong> (nothing<\/em>), gantz<\/strong> (all<\/em>),
    \nhalb<\/strong> (half<\/em>) and
    \nshtell<\/strong> (put<\/em>), which are the rules of the game! There are some variations in the way people play the game. The way it’s traditionally played, everyone starts by putting one coin or candy in the pot (pennies, M&Ms or chocolate coins are the popular choices). A person spins the \u05e1\u05b0\u05d1\u05b4\u05d9\u05d1\u05d5\u05b9\u05df<\/span> and what happens when the \u05e1\u05b0\u05d1\u05b4\u05d9\u05d1\u05d5\u05b9\u05df<\/span> stops spinning and the letter facing up tells you what to do:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
    \"\"<\/a><\/td>\nYou get everything in the pot<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \"\"<\/a><\/td>\nYou take half the pot<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \"\"<\/a><\/td>\nPut in one coin (or candy)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \"\"<\/a><\/td>\nNothing happens, next person takes a spin<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

    When the pot is empty, everybody puts one in. Keep playing until one person has everything. Then redivide it, because nobody likes a poor winner.<\/p>\n

    \n

    Recipe for Latkes<\/h2>\n

    Makes approximately 12 latkes<\/p>\n