Temple Beth IsraelTemple Beth Israel

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Chanukah 2009 at TBI

The Maccabee Cup Click here for information

Friday 18 December 2009, 4:30 pm, Alma Park

Making Chanukah at Home  Click here to download a do-it-yourself brochure

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Chanukah, the festival of lights and sanctification

Chanukah means ‘dedication’. During this festival we celebrate the victory of the underdog Maccabees over the Syrian Greeks, who attempted to impose Hellenistic culture and religion on the Jews during the 2nd century BCE.

Legend has it that in cleaning the Temple in Jerusalem after its desecration by the Greeks, the Maccabees found a single cruse of oil which was sufficient for one day. Miraculously the oil lasted eight days, during which time it was possible to obtain more to keep the flame in the Temple alight.

For this reason, Chanukah is celebrated with a ceremony in which we light candles in a special eight-branched Chanukah menorah or chanukiah over eight days.

The candles are placed in the chanukiyah from right to left, one on the first night, two on the second, etc. until all eight candles are placed, plus the shamash or ‘servant’ candle. The shamash candle is lit first and is used to light the others, starting from the ‘newest’ candle (from the left).

Though the lights of the chanukiyah are lit after dark, there is no specific time given for the ceremony, so we can wait for all the family to be together. On Erev Shabbat the lighting of the Chanukah candles precedes the lighting of the Sabbath candles. On Saturday night, the lighting of the Chanukah candles follows Havdalah, after it is fully dark outside.

Because the candles are lit to publicise God’s miraculous saving of the Jewish people and our religion, it is traditional to display the lighted chanukiah in a window facing the street.

Before lighting the candles the following blessings are said:

Baruch atah Adonai Eloheynu melech ha’olam asher kid’shanu bemitzvotav v’tzivanu l’hadlik ner shel Chanukah.

‘Blessed are You, Adonai our God, sovereign of the universe, who makes us holy by giving us divine commands, and commands us to kindle the lights of Chanukah.’

Baruch atah Adonai Eloheynu melech ha’olam she-asa nisim la’avoteynu ba’yamim ha-hem baz’man hazeh.

‘Blessed are You, Adonai our God, sovereign of the universe, who did wonders for our ancestors in those days at this season.’

On the first night only, add the ‘Shehecheyanu’ blessing:

Baruch ata Adonai Eloheynu melech ha’olam shehecheyanu v’kiyemanu, v’higiyanu laz’man hazeh.

‘Blessed are You, Adonai our God, sovereign of the universe, who has kept us alive and supported us and brought us to this season.’

After the candles are lit, we recite the following paragraph:

Haneirot halalu anu madlikim al hanisim v’al hagevurot v’al ha-teshu’ot v’al hanifla’ot v’al hanechamot she’asita la’avoteinu bayamim hahem baz’man hazeh al y’dey kohanecha hakedoshim. V’chol shemonat y’mey Chanukah haneirot halalu kodesh v’ein lanu reshut l’hishtamesh bahem, ela lir’otam bilvad, k’dey l’hodot l’shimcha al nisecha v’al y’shu’atecha v’al niflotecha.

‘We kindle these lights to commemorate the wonders, the heroic acts, the victories and the marvellous and consoling deeds which You performed for our ancestors through Your holy priests in those days at this season. During the eight days of Chanukah these lights are holy and we are not permitted to make use of them, but only to look on them in order to thank Your name for the wonders, the victories and marvellous deeds.’

We then sing Ma’oz Tzur. The first verse is as follows:

Ma’oz tzur y’shu’ati. Lecha na’eh l’shabey’ach.
Tikon beyt tefilati. V’sham todah n’zabey’ach.
L’eyt tachin matbey’ach mitzar ham’nabey’ach.
Az egmor. B’shir mizmor. Chanukat hamizbey’ach.
Az egmor. B’shir mizmor. Chanukat hamizbey’ach.

‘O mighty stronghold of my salvation,
to praise You is a delight.
Restore my House of Prayer
and there we will bring a thanksgiving offering.
When You will have prepared the slaughter
for the blaspheming foe,
Then I shall complete with a song of hymn
the dedication of the altar.’

After the candle lighting, it is time for a party! Everyone gathers around to enjoy the lights and to recall the story of the Maccabees and the miraculous oil. If there are young children in the family, it is nice for the adults or older children to tell them the story. As the children grow older, they may wish to act it out themselves.

In earlier times, Chanukah gelt or money was given to the children, but in some homes nowadays a small present is given to the children on each evening after the candle lighting.

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The Dreydl game

There are lots of songs to sing for Chanukah, and it is also customary to play games, especially dreidl. The dreidl is a four-sided spinning top. Each face displays a Hebrew letter; נ ג ה ש. These are the initials of the expression Nes gadol haya sham – ‘A great miracle happened there.’ Sometimes the letter פ is found in place of the ש; this stands for the Hebrew word poh ‘here’ (for dreidls make in Israel!) Each player puts two coins (or nuts) into a ‘pot’ before each turn. The players take turns spinning the dreidl, and the result depends on the letter that comes up. The נ wins nothing (nichts), the ג takes all (ganz), the ה half (halb) and the ש put another in the pot (shtell). There are lots of other games that can be played with the dreidl. The simplest is to see how long each player can keep the dreidl spinning.

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Latkes, ponchkes and other fried delicacies

There are two foods associated with Chanukah: latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (doughnuts). As these foods are both fried, their common association is probably oil, which is so central to the Chanukah story. Though Chanukah is a minor festival in the Jewish calendar, it has developed into a great celebration especially for the young–an opportunity for a real simcha, a time of delight.

Chag Chanukah same’ach! Have a happy Chanukah!

Prepared by Rabbi Fred Morgan