What is Chanukah?
The Gemara asks: What is Chanukah, and why are lights kindled on it? The Gemara answers: The Sages taught in Megillat Ta'anit: "On the twenty-fifth of Kislev, the days of Chanukah are eight." One may not eulogize on them and one may not fast on them [i.e. we are prohibited from celebrating as though we accomplished something great or to mourn as though we are helpless orphans]. What is the reason? When the Greeks entered the Sanctuary they defiled all the oils that were in the Sanctuary by touching them. And when the Hasmonean monarchy overcame them and emerged victorious, they searched and found only one cruse of oil that was placed with the seal of the High Priest, undisturbed by the Greeks. There was sufficient oil there to light the Chanukiah or Temple candelabrum for only a single day. Because of the strong emunah of the Hasmonean Jewish leaders however a miracle occurred and they lit the candelabrum from that single pure stock for eight days while new oil was prepared. The next year the Sages instituted those days and made them holidays with recitations of hallel and special thanksgiving in prayer and blessings. We remember and are inspired today as we confront our current and future enemies who seek to destroy us.
When is Chanukah?
The biblical Jewish calendar is lunar based. Modern secular calendars are Pagan and solar based. In order to maintain the proper seasons of our days of observance and celebration the sages, most notably Hillel HaNasi or 'the Prince' (although he did not personally finalize the task) added an occasional leap year to our calendars in order to maintain their seasonal accuracy. This change first appears in a responsum of Rabbi Hai Gaon, written circa 992 and cited by Rabbi Abraham bar Hiyya in his work from 1123 CE, known as Sefer Ha'ibbur. This important citation specifically references "670 of the Seleucid era" as the year the adjustment was implemented. This date corresponds to the modern year 358/359 CE.
Here's how it works: During a Jewish leap year, which occurs seven times in a 19-year cycle (or approximately once every three years), there is an added month called "Adar I." Adar I is inserted before the regular month of Adar (which called "Adar II" in leap years). This adjustment successfully aligns the lunar and solar yearly cycles, ensuring that the holidays fall in their proper seasons. Due to this adjustment, the twenty-fifth of Kislev, which is the first day of Chanukah, usually occurs in the month of December according to modern calendars, but varies a bit year to year. Without this change our calendar would be out of sync with the biblical and historic narrative as we find with the lunar observe of Ramadan upon the Muslims. As Rabbinic Jews we embrace the calculations of Hillel HaNasi and the insertion of the leap year.How to Kindle the Lights. Despite some historic debates standard observance methodologies have largely been accepted.
There is an established Rabbinic mitzvah (command) to light Chanukah candles all eight nights of Chanukah. The Sephardic minhag (custom) is to light one set of Chanukah candles per house. The Ashkenazi custom is that every member of the household lights his own Chanukah candles. These candles are arranged in a special Chanukah menorah known as a chanukiah, a nine-branched candelabrum. The chanukiah holds nine candles: one for each of the eight nights, plus a shammus (servant) candle at a different height which is used for lighting the others. Of this:
Rava said: One must kindle another light in addition to the Chanukah lights in order to use its light, as it is prohibited to use the light of the Chanukah lights. And if there is a bonfire, he need not light an additional light, as he can use the light of the bonfire. However, if he is an important person, who is unaccustomed to using the light of a bonfire, even though there is a bonfire, he must kindle another light.
The Sages taught in a baraita: The basic mitzvah of Chanukah is each day to have a light kindled by a person, the head of the household, for himself and his household. [Some hold to different traditions of lighting more than one Chanukiah however the lighting a single household Chanukiah is standard and acceptable].
Traditionally, on the first night, one candle is placed at the far right of the Chanukiah. The shammus candle is lit and three berakhot (blessings) are recited: These are l'hadlik neir (a general prayer over candles), she-asah nisim (a prayer thanking G-d for performing miracles for our ancestors at this time), and she-hekhianu (a general prayer thanking G-d for allowing us to reach this time of year).
After reciting the blessings, the first candle is lit using the shammus candle, then the shammus candle is placed in its holder. The candles can be lit any time after dark but before midnight as is written: "The mitzvah of kindling the Chanukah lights is from sunset until traffic in the marketplace ceases." The candles are normally allowed to burn out on their own after a minimum of 1/2 hour, but if necessary they can be extinguished at any time after that 1/2 hour. On Shabbat, Chanukah candles are normally lit before the Shabbat candles, but may be lit any time before candle lighting time (or 18 minutes before sunset Friday). Candles cannot be extinguished on Shabbat (due to the sabbath rule against igniting or extinguishing a flame). Because the Chanukah candles must remain burning until a minimum of 1/2 hour after dark (about 90 minutes total burning time on Shabbat), some Chanukah 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 Chanukah on Shabbat, such as tea lights or even Shabbat candles.Hebrew Text
1. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר חֲנֻכָּה
2. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁעָשָׂה נִסִּים לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם בִּזְּמַן הַזֶּה
3. (When lighting for the first time this year: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לִזְּמַן הַזֶּה)
Transliteration1. Bah-rookh ah-tah ah-doh-noi eh-loh-hay-noo meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm ah-sher ki-deh-shah-noo beh-mitz-voh-tahv veh-tzee-vah-noo leh-hahd-lik nayr kha-noo-kahEnglish Translation
2. Bah-rookh ah-tah ah-doh-noi eh-loh-hay-noo meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm sheh-ah-sah nee-sim lah-ah-voh-tay-noo bah-yah-mim hah-haym biz-mahn hah-zeh
3. (When lighting for the first time this year: Bah-rookh ah-tah ah-doh-noi eh-loh-hay-noo meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm sheh-heh-kheh-yah-noo veh-kee-mah-noo ve-hig-ee-yah-noo liz-mahn hah-zeh)
1. Blessed are You, Lord our G d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to kindle the Chanukah light.
2. Blessed are You, Lord our G d, King of the universe, who performed miracles for our forefathers in those days, at this time.
3. (When lighting for the first time this year: Blessed are You, Lord our G d, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion.)The Amount of Oil
When lighting Chanukah oil lights rather than candles, one should be certain to put in enough oil so that they will remain lit for at least half an hour from the initial lighting time. Similarly, if one is using wax candles, care should be taken that they should be long enough to burn for at least half an hour after the appropriate candle-lighting time which is when stars appear in the sky. There are some multi-colored candles on the market made especially for small Menorahs which do not last for half an hour; one should abstain from using such candles. Usually the box will say the candlers are guarenteed to burn either 30 minutes or 90 minutes. On Friday afternoon when Chanukah candles are lit earlier than usual, more oil is needed.
The Order of Lighting.
I will share the main difference of opinion here, however it is most common and completely appropriate to observe the lighting order of the House of Hillel (or Beit Hillel). The Beit Shammai say: On the first day one kindles eight lights and, from there on, gradually decreases the number of lights until, on the last day of Chanukah, one kindles a single light. And Beit Hillel say: On the first day one kindles one light, and from there on, gradually increases the number of lights until, on the last day, one kindles eight lights. Again, the later has become the standard in most communities and is observed by Beit Emunah. In either case, the candles are kindled in the opposite direction from how they are placed in the Chanukiah. The shammus (or servant candle) is always lit first and used to light all the other candles one by one according to the day's count. The rest are kindled from left to right, so that the newest added candle is always lit before the others.
Why this difference in opinion?
Ulla said: There were two important amora'im (or Jewish scholars) who disagreed, Rabbi Yosei bar Avin and Rabbi Yosei bar Zevida. One said that the reason for Beit Shammai's opinion is that the number of lights corresponds to the incoming days, i.e., the future. On the first day, eight days remain in Chanukah, one kindles eight lights, and on the second day seven days remain, one kindles seven, etc. The reason for Beit Hillel's opinion is that the number of lights corresponds to the outgoing days. Each day, the number of lights corresponds to the number of the days of Chanukah that were already observed. One authority noted that the reason for Beit Shammai's opinion is that the number of lights corresponds to the bulls of the festival of Sukkot: Thirteen were sacrificed on the first day and each succeeding day one fewer was sacrificed (Numbers 29:12–31). The rebuttal for Beit Hillel's opinion is that the number of lights is based on the principle: One elevates to a higher level in matters of sanctity and one does not downgrade. Therefore, if the objective is to have the number of lights correspond to the number of days, there is no alternative to increasing their number with the passing of each day. Our sages debate everything of course and there is great truth to be found in all of their opinions. What an individual Jew does is usually based on minhag or one's own tradition. This is what guides us without rejecting the other views. In other words, we agree to disagree and don't let the perfect defeat the good.
The Mitzvah is Performed by Lighting
Rabbinic Sages teach in the Gemara, in Tractate Shabbat (23a), that the mitzvah of the Chanukah candles is performed through the lighting of the candles and if the candles are unintentionally extinguished, one is not obligated to rekindle them. This means that the main Mitzvah is through lighting Chanukah lights which will innately have the ability to burn for half an hour. Therefore, if the candles were extinguished due to a cause non-existent at the time the candles were lit, for instance, if the door or window were opened suddenly and a gust of wind blew out the flames, one is exempt from rekindling the flames. Even so, it is an extra special Mitzvah to relight any candle (without a blessing) that has been extinguished if it is still within a half hour of being lit.
However, if the candle was extinguished before the halachic timespan of half an hour due to an intrinsic reason, for instance, because it was lit in a windy place or it was not filled with enough oil, one is obligated to relight the candle, albeit without a blessing.Benefitting from the Candles
One may not derive personal benefit from any of the eight Chanukah candles. Thus, one may not use the light of the candles to aid in counting money or reading a book. After the candles have been lit for half an hour, however, one may use the light for whatever one pleases. Nowadays when electricity is common, we do not usually derive any benefit from the Chanukah candles in any event.
The Main Thing: Am Y'israel Chai!
The Sages taught in a baraita: It is a mitzvah to place the Chanukah lamp at the entrance to one's house on the outside, so that all can see it. If one lives upstairs, one places it at the window adjacent to the public domain. However in times of danger, when the Gentiles issue decrees prohibiting the kindling of our lights for instance, one places the Chanukiah on a table and that is sufficient to fulfill the obligation. While the external performance of our various Traditions is important, we must be realistic as well. HaShem considers our emunah and kavanah (our active faith and intentions). In all things we are commanded to chose life -- Deuteronomy 30:19.
In Addition to the Lights
It is traditional to eat fried food during Chanukah because of the significance of oil to the story line. There are many traditional recipes available to choose from. Another recent tradition is the giving of modest gifts each of the eight nights. This tradition is largely influenced by the Christian holiday of Christmas. The only traditional gift of the holiday is "gelt," small amounts of money that may be given or earned playing dreidel. Giving gifts is fine but please, no Chanukah bushes! Likewise, while the electric menorahs may be cute decorations, they can not fulfill the requirement of kindling the Lights.
Playing dreidel is quite popular. This is a game of chance utilizing a generally square spinning top with Hebrew letter letters. Most people play for matchsticks, pennies, candies, or chocolate coins. It is that during the time of Antiochus' oppression it was illegal to study Torah. Jews would conceal their real activity by playing gambling games with a dreidel, which was both common and legal. Whenever an official or inspector was within sight they reverted to the game lest they rouse suspicion. Dreidels are marked with four Hebrew letters: Nun, Gimel, Hei and Shin. These letters stand for the Hebrew phrase "Nes Gadol Hayah Sham", a great miracle happened there, referring to the miracle of the oil. In modern Israel the phrase is, 'A Great Miracle Happened Here - Nes Gadol Haya Poh'.
The letters also stand for the Yiddish words nit (nothing), gantz (all), halb (half) and shtell (put), which are the rules of the game! There are some variations in game play, but essentially everyone puts in one coin. A person spins the dreidel. If it lands on Nun, nothing happens; on Gimel, you get the whole pot; if Hei, you get half of the pot; and if Shin, you put one in. When the pot is empty, everybody puts one in. Keep playing until one person has everything. Then, because we want only shalom, the gelt is usually redivided among everyone.
There is also a wealth of Chanukah songs ranging from the traditionally serious (such as the popular Chanukah, Oh Chanukah and Ma'oz Tzur: Rocky Fortress) to the absurd, such as Adam Sandler's Chanukah Song.They Tried To Kill Us. They Failed. Let's Eat! by Yidcore
Lyrics: Musixmatch: Four thousand years and its come to this
Four hummus-spewing idiots
Dodging airborne bottles, spit and flying fists
Which mostly missed
So don't hijack us for your politics
We're not heroes or heretics
We're just here to get some kicks
So drop the hate and raise your drinks
We're jokers in the war on prejudice
Crusades and blood libel myths
Inquisitions, Nazis, Stalinists, Neo-Nazi lunatics
We're holding out the truth to the revisionists
And laughing in the faces of conspiracists
Cause if we ran the world would we have time for this
Oh lech lehizdayen you pricks
This is not a call to arms
This is a celebration
We should be dead by now so we've exceeded expectations
We've seen so many rise and fall taken so many beatings
While you were empire building we were sitting back and eating
This is not a call to arms
This is a celebration
We should be dead by now so we've exceeded expectations
We've seen so many rise and fall taken so many beatings
While you were empire building we were sitting back and eating
We struggle just so we can eat
But we will never know defeat
Tradition in our veins runs strong
We got no children got no wives
Our parents' guilt we have survived
And so for us please do not cry
We're having the time of our lives
This is not a call to arms
This is a celebration
We should be dead by now so we've exceeded expectations
We've seen so many rise and fall taken so many beatings
While you were empire building we were sitting back and eating
This is not a call to arms
This is a celebration
We should be dead by now so we've exceeded expectations
We've seen so many rise and fall taken so many beatings
While you were empire building we were sitting back and eatingNotes:
This piece is largely based upon Shabbat 21b, Babylonian Talmud. The translation is mostly borrowed from Sefaria.org* John of AllFaith © November 29,2018 (updated December 07,2023)
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Don't let the perfect defeat the good
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