Chanukkah
Chanukkah
The Message
We are a very fortunate people. Our holidays reflect some of the most significant yearnings of humanity, and are particularly pertinent to our modern condition. They remind us of our identity with a people and our responsibility to all human beings.
Chanukkah, once a minor holiday for our people, can be a major celebration for us. It can provide the opportunity for rediscovering some of our people’s highest aspirations. Its rituals can move us to rekindle these ideals in our actions.
The Meaning
The flickering candles of Chanukkah remind us of our people’s ancient quest for freedom and human dignity — for their right, as Jews, to live Jewish lives. They symbolize all the values for which they struggled.
In universal terms, the Maccabean revolution is not over… It is the pursuit of equal rights for all people and the realization of a society of genuine democracy. It is striving after a world where the oppressive forces of hunger, sickness, ignorance, and prejudice no longer tyrannize or torture the visions of human beings.
Chanukkah is a holiday of “rededication.” It summons us to work for the noble dream of liberty, friendship, and peace among all peoples of the earth.
The Mitzvah of Chanukkah
It is a mitzvah…
• For each home to have its own Chanukkiah;
• To kindle the Chanukkah lights on each evening during the eight days of the festival;
• For parents to relate the story of Chanukkah to their children;
• For the whole family to participate in, and bear witness to, the lighting of the Chanukkiah;
• To share the lighting of the Chanukkiah and the meaning of Chanukkah with our friends and neighbors;
• To give charity during the eight days of Chanukkah.
In What Order Do We Light the Chanukkah Candles?
Many people question the order in which the Chanukkah candles should be lit. The correct way to light a Chanukkiah is while standing facing the front of your Chanukkiah, insert the candles into the holder from the right to left, not counting the shamash. On the first night, insert one candle; on the second night, insert two, etc. Always work from right to left. When lighting the candles, use the shamash to light the candles from left to right. In this way the candle representing the new night is always lit first.
Lighting the Chanukkiah
Every night of the eight nights of Chanukkah, at nightfall, the Chanukkah lights must be kindled.
On the first night of Chanukkah, one light is kindled. On the following night, two. Third, three, etc., so on the eighth night, eight lights are kindled. (The shamash is not counted.)
On the first night, before kindling the light, three blessings are said. On the following nights, only the first two blessings are said.
The Chanukkah light must burn at least half an hour each night. Before kindling the lights, make sure that the candles are big enough to last half an hour.
The Chanukkiah must be placed on the window sill or on a table so that its light can be seen from the street… that we “publicize the miracle.”
No use should be made of the light shed by the Chanukkiah, such as reading or working by their light.
When Shabbat and Chanukkah coincide, the Chanukkah candles are lit prior to the lighting of the Shabbat candles on Friday evening and after Havdalah on Saturday night.
The Chanukkah lights must be kindled in the Synagogue but this does not free anyone, not even the one who kindled them, from kindling them at home.
Blessings for the Chanukkah Light
On the first night all three blessings are recited, and on succeeding nights only the first two.
1. Baruch Atta Adonai, Elohenu Melech Ha’Olam, Asher Kiddishanu B’Mitsvotav V’Tzivanu L’Hadlik Ner Shel Chanukkah.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר חֲנֻכָּה
Blessed are Thou, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with Thy commandments and has commanded us to kindle the Chanukkah light.
2. Baruch Atta Adonai, Elohenu Melech Ha’Olam, She’asah Nissim La’Avotenu Bayamim Ha’Hem Ba’Zeman Ha’Zeh.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁעָשָׂה נִסִּים לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם בִּזְּמַן הַזֶּה
Blessed are Thou, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who didst perform miracles for our ancestors in those days at this season.
The following blessing is chanted only the first night:
3. Baruch Atta Adonai, Elohenu Melech Ha’Olam, Sheh’Hecheyanu V’Kimanyu, V’Hig Giyanu La’Zeman Ha’Zeh.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לִזְּמַן הַזֶּה
Blessed are Thou, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has granted us life and sustained us, and brought us to this season.
The Dreidel Game
There is a long tradition of playing games of chance during the evenings of this holiday. The dreidel is a four-sided top printed with the Hebrew letters: nun, gimmel, heh, shin.
These letters represent the words “nes gadol hayah sham” and translate into “A great miracle happened there.” Everyone in the game starts with 10-15 tokens (nuts, raisins, matchsticks or pennies). Each player puts one token into the middle (called the pot). The dreidel is spun by one player at a time. Whether he or she wins or loses depends on which face of the dreidel is up when it falls.
• נ Nun – nisht or “nothing.” Player does nothing.
• ג Gimmel – “all.” Player takes everything in the pot.
• ה Heh – halb or “half.” Player takes half.
• ש Shin – shtel or “put in.” Add two pieces to the pot.
When only one piece or none is left in the pot, every player adds one. When an odd number of objects are in the pot, the player rolling heh, “half” takes half the total plus one. When one person has won everything, the game is over.
Let’s celebrate Chanukkah TOGETHER!
The evening will begin with the Chanukkiah candle lighting to illuminate our celebration, followed by a delicious Chinese food buffet and Le Cave’s donuts for dessert. After dinner, enjoy singing Chanukkah songs together and get creative with dreidel origami-style paper folding. It’s a perfect blend of tradition, food & fun for everyone to celebrate together!
Click to RSVP by Tuesday, December 24.