חַנֻכָּה

1. חַנֻכָּה

2. חַנֻכָּה • חַנֻכָּה falls on כ"ה כִּסְלֵו (the 25th of Kislev) • The story of חַנֻכָּה is not in the תוֹרָה or תנ"ך • The story of חַנֻכָּה is written in the Apocrypha • “Apocrypha” means “hidden writings” • The Apocrypha includes writings not found in the Bible • חַנֻכָּהis also mentioned in theתַלְמוּד • חַנֻכָּה recalls the Jewish struggle for religious freedom • חַנֻכָּהcommemorates the victory of the Jews over the Syrians in 165 B.C.E.

3. The Word חַנֻכָּה • The word “חַנֻכָּה ” means dedication • This refers to the rededication of the בֵּית הַמִקְדָש after it had been desecrated (treated without respect for its holiness)

4. History • Alexander the Great was the ruler of Greece • Alexander the Great gave the Jews religious freedom • Hellenism means anything having to do with the Greek culture • Positive aspects of Hellenism included: athletics, theater, philosophy, art • Negative aspects of Hellenism included: infanticide, adultery, idol worship • Jews adopted many of the good aspects of Hellenism • Many Jews struggled to hold onto their religion and resist Hellenism

5. Before the War • After the death of Alexander the Great, Antiochus came into power • Antiochus forced the Jews to adopt all aspects of Greek • He forbid: • Torah study • Shabbat • Eating kosher food • The Asyrian Greek army came to Modin • They built a pagan altar (place to worship idols

6. The War • The Assyrian Greeks ordered a cohen named מַתִתְיָהוּ to sacrifice to an idol • מַתִתְיָהוּrefused • Another Jew offered to make the sacrifice • מַתִתְיָהוּ got mad and killed the other man • מַתִתְיָהוּ attacked the soldiers who had come to Modin • Other Jews joined in the attack

7. The War • מַתִתְיָהוּ had a son named יְהוּדָה • יְהוּדָה led the a small group called the Maccabees • מַכָּבִּי means hammer • מַכָּבִּי is an accronym for • מי כמוך באלים ה" • Who is like God? • The מַכָּבִּים won the war in 165 B.C.E. • On the 25th of Kislev, they reclaimed the בֵּית הַמִקְדָש

8. בֵּית הַמִקְדָש • The תַלְמוּד says that when the Jewish army went to rededicate the בֵּית הַמִקְדָש, they were unable to find enough oil to light the מְנוֹרָה • A miracle happened: • The oil that should only have lasted one day • Instead, it lasted for eight days • The miracle of the oil is not described in the Apocrypha

9. Religious Meaning • Victory of the few over the many • It is a miracle that we have won our battles • It is heroic that we even dared to fight • A “light to the nations” • Jews are to be a “shining” example to all people in the world • We must seek justice, be active in social causes, and support human rights

10. Laws and Customs • The חֲנוּכִּיָה is in memory of the מְנוֹרָה which was used in the בֵּית הַמִקְדָש in Jerusalem • The מְנוֹרָה had seven branches, one for each day of the week • Each branch had a container of oil on top that fueled the flames • The מְנוֹרָה was lit daily by a כּוֹהֵן • A חֲנוּכִּיָה has 8 branches and is lit on חַנֻכָּה

11. חֲנוּכִּיָה • A “kosher” חֲנוּכִּיָה • Must have eight spaces for candles in a straight row, the sameheight • A ninth, extra space must be raised above the eight other candles • Theֹשָמָֹשlights the other candles • Theֹשָמָֹש is the only “usable” candle on the חֲנוּכִּיָה • The eight other candles are only to look at, but not to be used for any other purpose • If a candle were needed for something else you would have to use the ֹשָמָֹש • In order to fulfill the mitzvah of lighting the חֲנוּכִּיָה, we are told to publicize the miracle (פִּרְסוּם הַנֵס) of חַנֻכָּהby placing our חֲנוּכִּיָה in a window • This is so people who see the חֲנוּכִּיָה and its burning candles will remember and talk about the great miracle of חַנֻכָּה

12. How to light the חֲנוּכִּיָה • Candles or oil and wick may be used • Oil and wick is more authentic • Place the candles in the חֲנוּכִּיָה from right to left • Light the candles from left to right. • On שָבָּת you first light the חֲנוּכִּיָה, then the שָבָּת candles • On Saturday night, first do הַבְדָלָה and then light the חֲנוּכִּיָה

13. Rabbi Hillel and Rabbi Shammai • A famous debate took place in Talmudic times • Rabbi Shammai said to light all eight candles on the first night, and go down to one on the last night • Rabbi Hillel said to start with one candle on the first night, and go up to eight candles on the last night • Who won the debate? • Rabbi Hillel

14. Presents • There is a tradition of giving דְמֵיחַנֻכָּה (gelt) during חַנֻכָּה • Gelt means money • Some people give candy gelt • Eight nights of presents is based on the American experience and other December holidays

15. Foods • It is a custom to eat foods fried in oil • לְבִיבוֹתlatkes (potato pancakes) • סוּפְגָנִיוֹתjelly doughnuts • Bunuelos: Sephardic Hanukkah Donuts with Honey • Ejjeh batata: potato fritters served inside a pocket of Syrian flatbread (pita) with slices of tomato, cucumber, pickled cabbage, and cauliflower • Ataiyef: stuffed Syrian pancakes filled with ricotta cheese and folded into half-moons, deep-fried and soaked in shira, a thick, fragrant Aleppian and dipped in chopped pistachios • Zalabieh: fried pastry balls soaked in sugar syrup glaze

16. Games • סְבִיבוֹן (dreidel) • The סְבִיבוֹן was used to trick the enemy into thinking the Jews were gambling instead of studyingתוֹרָה • נֵס גָדוֹל הָיָה ֹשָם A Great Miracle Happened There • נֵס גָדוֹל הָיָה פֹּה A Great Miracle Happened Here

17. Prayers • The עַל הַנִיסִים is about miracles. It is recited during the silent עֲמִידָה • הַלֵל (Psalms of Praise) is recited during morning services • תוֹרָה readings from בַּמִדְבָּר which focus on the story of (re)dedication • On Shabbat morning of חַנֻכָּה , a specialהֲפְטָרָה is read from the book of זְכָּרְיָה

18. Hannah • From the Talmud and from Maccabees II • Hannah was forced to watch all seven of her sons be tortured by King Antiochus for refusing to eat pig • One by one the sons were tortured • The King urged Hannah, “Try to convince your youngest son to break the law and eat non-Kosher meat.” • Hannah would not, and her youngest son followed his older brother’s example • Special poems were written about Hannah and her sons and were recited in synagogue on חַנֻכָּהֹשָבָּת.

19. Judith • A man named Holifernes wanted to conquer Judea • In Jerusalem the townspeople were ready to surrender • A beautiful widow named Judith had a plan • Judith went to Holifernes’ camp • She convinced him that by praying to God, she could help him conquer Judea • She stayed with him for three days, leaving each night to pray • The camp guards got a false sense of security • On the fourth day, Holifernes invited Judith to a banquet • She gave him salty cheese to eat. • Holifernes got thirsty, drank a lot of wine to drink and he fell asleep • While he was sleeping, Judith took his sword and cuts off his head • When the army saw their general’s head cut off, they ran away • In honor of Judith’s bravery, women are to refrain from work on חַנֻכָּה while the candles are burning • In honor of this story, there is a tradition to eat cheese on חַנֻכָּה