Holiday

Looking for some insights or new rituals for an upcoming holiday? Here we post practical, easy to use guidelines for the holy days, both Jewish and American, that mark the way stations along the circle of the year.

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Lighting The Menorah

While Shabbat candles are meant to brighten the table, we place Chanukah candles by the window. Why don’t we display our Chanukah menorah on our table? One reason is pirsum hanes, to publicize the miracle of Chanukah, but another reason concerns the special nature of the lights themselves. The Chanukah lights are meant solely for enjoyment and celebration--they are not to be used for any practical task, like giving light or making a table more beautiful. We can’t look at them and say: "What use can these lights be to me?" Perhaps this tradition can teach us this: to appreciate, calmly and joyously, things for just what they are.

Meditation:

May these Chanukah lights help us to appreciate the miracles that we overlook.

Ritual:

Sing the blessings first, and then light your menorah.

Here’s how it is done: Place one candle on the right of the menorah, adding one more candle each subsequent night. After lighting the shames, kindle the newest light, moving from left to right.

Blessing:

Barukh atah Adonai eloheinu melech ha’olam, asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav, vitzivanu l’hadlik ner shel chanukah.

Blessed is the Holy One who instructs us to light the Chanukah candles.

Barukh atah Adonai eloheinu melech ha’olam, she’ashah nisim l’avoteinu, bayamim ha’heim, bazman hazeh.

Blessed is the Holy One who made miracles for our ancestors and makes miracles for us.

Teachings:

On the twenty-fifth of Kislev begin the eight days of Chanukah…For when the Greeks entered the Temple, they defiled all the oils therein, and when the Hasmonean dynasty prevailed against and defeated them, they made a search and found only one cruse of oil which lay with the seal of the high Priest, but which contained sufficient for one day’s lighting only; yet a miracle was wrought and they were able to light the lamp for eight days. (TB: Shabbat 21B)

Light is sown for the righteous, and rejoicing for those who are upright in heart (Psalms 96:11)

(CLAL Faculty) 

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