��ה �כ ח�נ

��ה �כ ח�נ• ��ה �כ ל�ו falls on ח�נ ��ס (the 25th of Kislev) כ"ה כ• The story of ה�� �כ תנ"ך or תו�ר�ה is not in the ח�נ• The story of ה�� �כ is written in the Apocrypha ח�נ

– “Apocrypha” means “hidden writings” – The Apocrypha includes writings not found in the

Bible

��ה– �כ �ד is also mentioned in the ח�נ ת�ל מו• ��ה �כ recalls the Jewish struggle for religious ח�נ

freedom • ��ה �כ commemorates the victory of the Jews ח�נ

over the Syrians in 165 B.C.E.

The Word ה�� �כ ח�נ• The word “ה�� �כ means dedication ” ח�נ

• This refers to the rededication of the after it had been desecrated ב��ית ה�מ�ק ד�ש(treated without respect for its holiness)

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

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

The War• The Assyrian Greeks ordered a cohen

named � �הו to sacrifice to an idol מ�ת�ת י

• � �הו refused מ�ת�ת י• Another Jew offered to make the sacrifice

• � �הו got mad and killed the other man מ�ת�ת י

• � �הו attacked the soldiers who had מ�ת�ת יcome to Modin

• Other Jews joined in the attack

The War• � �הו �ד�ה had a son named מ�ת�ת י הו י• �ד�ה הו led the a small group called the י

Maccabees

• ��י ��ב כ means hammer מ�

• ��י ��ב כ is an accronym for מ�– "מי כמוך באלים ה – Who is like God?

• The ב��ים�� כ .won the war in 165 B.C.E מ�• On the 25th of Kislev, they reclaimed the

ב��ית ה�מ�ק ד�ש

��ית ה�מ ק�ד�ש ב• The ד� says that when the ת�ל מו

Jewish army went to rededicate the they were unable to ,ב��ית ה�מ�ק ד�שfind enough oil to light the נו�ר�ה מ

• 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

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

Laws and Customs• The ה� ��י �כ נו�ר�ה is in memory of the ח�נו מ

which was used in the ד�ש in ב��ית ה�מ�קJerusalem

• The נו�ר�ה had seven branches, one for מeach day of the week

• Each branch had a container of oil on top that fueled the flames

• The נו�ר�ה �ו�ה�ן was lit daily by a מ כ• A ה� ��י �כ ��ה has 8 branches and is lit on ח�נו �כ ח�נ

�ה י� �כ ח�נו• A “kosher” ה� ��י �כ ח�נו

– Must have eight spaces for candles in a straight row, the same height

– A ninth, extra space must be raised above the eight other candles

• The מ��ש� lights the other candles ש�– The מ��ש� �ה is the only “usable” candle on the ש� ��י �כ ח�נו– 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

מ��ש� ש�

• In order to fulfill the mitzvah of lighting the ה� ��י �כ we are ,ח�נוtold to publicize the miracle (ס� �ם ה�נ �ר סו ��ה of (פ� �כ by ח�נplacing our ה� ��י �כ in a window ח�נו

• This is so people who see the ה� ��י �כ and its burning ח�נוcandles will remember and talk about the great miracle of ��ה �כ ח�נ

How to light the ה� י� �כ ח�נו

• Candles or oil and wick may be used• Oil and wick is more authentic

• Place the candles in the ה� ��י �כ from right to ח�נוleft

• Light the candles from left to right.

• On ב��ת �ה you first light the ש� ��י �כ then the ,ח�נוב��ת candles ש�

• On Saturday night, first do ד�ל�ה and then ה�בlight the ה� ��י �כ ח�נו

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

Presents

• There is a tradition of giving י ��ה ד מ� �כ ח�נ

(gelt) during ה�� �כ ח�נ– Gelt means money– Some people give candy gelt

• Eight nights of presents is based on the American experience and other December holidays

Foods • It is a custom to eat foods fried in oil

– latkes (potato pancakes)ל ב�יבו�ת

– �יו�ת �נ �פ ג jelly doughnutsסו

– 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

Games

• ב�יבו�ן (dreidel) ס

• The ב�יבו�ן was used to trick the enemy סinto thinking the Jews were gambling

instead of studying תו�ר�ה

• �ה �ש�ם �ס ג�דו�ל ה�י נ

A Great Miracle Happened There

• �ה �ה פ� �ס ג�דו�ל ה�י נ

A Great Miracle Happened Here

Prayers

• The יס�ים� is about miracles. It is ע�ל ה�נ

recited during the silent יד�ה ע�מ�

• is recited during (Psalms of Praise) ה�ל�לmorning services

• which focus ב��מ�ד ב��ר readings from תו�ר�הon the story of (re)dedication

• On Shabbat morning of ה�� �כ a special , ח�נ

�ה is read from the book of ה�פ ט�ר�ה ��ר י כ ז

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

��ה �כ ב��ת ח�נ ש� .

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 ה�� �כ while the candles are burning ח�נ

• In honor of this story, there is a tradition to eat cheese on ��ה �כ ח�נ