User:Mmstjd/Channukah

Blessings on Hanukkah (or Channukah)

The first sounds of the "Festival of Lights" or Channukah are the prayers (brachot) that accompany the lighting of the candles. The first two are recited each night, the third is recited only on the first night. Many people buy a menorah to hold the candles for this season.

The First Blessing

Praised are You, Our God, Ruler of the universe, Who made us holy through Your commandments and commanded us to kindle the Hannukah lights.

The Second Blessing

Praised are You, Our God, Ruler of the universe, Who performed wondrous deeds for our ancestors in those ancient days at this season.

The Third Blessing (First Night Only)

Praised are You, Our God, Ruler of the universe, Who has given us life and sustained us and enabled us to reach this season.

After reciting the blessings, light and use the shammus (middle candle) to light the Chanukkah candles from left to right (newest to oldest).

Candles should be left burning until they go out on their own. They must burn for more than half an hour. Standard Chanukkah candles burn for about an hour. On the first night, light one candle. On the second night, light two candles. On the third night... until you complete all eight nights.

Why Do We Kindle These Menorah Lights?

We kindle these Menorah lights because of the miracles, the wonders, the salvations, and the victories that You, Hashem, did for our ancestors in this season, through the agency of Your holy Kohanim (Priests). Throughout the eight days of Chanukah, these lights are holy, and we may not use them for anything. We may only look at them, to enrich the experience of thanking and praising Your holy and great Name for Your wonders and Your salvations.

What Are Latkes And Why Do We Eat Them?

A latke is a type of potato pancake.

One of the miracles of Chanukah occurred with olive oil. For this reason, the custom is to eat things made with oil. In America many people eat potato latkes, because that's what most Europeans were able to make. In Israel, they eat sufganiot, donuts. Maybe flour was easier for Israelis to get in the old days than potatoes.

Here's a recipe for latkes. It's pretty universal, but you can always adjust it to your own taste (especially the amount of onions and seasonings).

5 large potatoes, peeled

1 large onion

3 eggs

1/3 cup flour (some people add flour to help hold potayo together but you don't have to use it if you just want potato)

1 tsp salt (optional)

1/4 tsp pepper (or to taste)

1/2 cup oil for frying (You may need to adjust the oil to your size pan. Each side of the latke must be covered in oil when it is flipped.)

Grate potatoes and onion on the fine side of a hand grater. You can use a food processor or grinder, but that the changes the original texture of a latke. If you use a blender, many people advise adding a little water before blending.

Strain grated potatoes and onion through a colander, pressing out the excess liquid. Add eggs, flour, and seasoning. Mix batter well.

Pour oil to fill frying pan about 1 & 1/2 inches deep. Heat oil in frying pan until hot. Lower flame or temperature and place a large tablespoon of batter into the hot oil. Fry on one side for approximately 5 minutes; then turn over and fry the other side for about 2 or 3 minutes.

IMPORTANT NOTE: A higher temperature does not cook a latke sooner, it makes the latke burn on the outside, and raw on the inside. If the latke is very thin, it will burn all the way through and you'll need to add more potato or flour to your mix.

Remove latkes from pan and place on paper towels to soak up the excess oil. Serve with applesauce and sour cream on the side. Many people like to salt latkes like french fries.

What Is A Dreidel?

A dreidel is a little four-sided, spinning top. The word dreidel is Yiddish. Hebrew-speaking people often call it a svivon, which means the same thing. Every dreidel has four Hebrew letters on it: Nunn, Gimel, Heh, and Shin. In Jerusalem, the four letters are Nunn, Gimel, Heh, and Peh, but everywhere else the fourth letter is Peh.

What do these letters mean?

They stand for four words in Hebrew: "Nais Gadol Hayah Shom," A Great Miracle Happened There.

The Jerusalem dreidels (actually, the Yiddish plural form is dreidlach) say a "Great Miracle Happened Here," since the miracle happened in Jerusalem. The dreidel came about because of the Greek persecutions. At one point, the Greeks declared that it was forbidden to study Torah. The Rabbis would take their students and hide in the woods and in caves, and study Torah with them there. They took along dreidels. If a Greek soldier found them, they would pretend they were playing a gambling game with the dreidels.

To remember how G-d saved us from those terrible times, the people took on the custom of playing with dreidels. Most people play with pennies, and some people play with nuts or M&Ms; it doesn't really matter. At the beginning of the game, everyone donates two pennies to the pot in the middle.

Take turns spinning the dreidel.

If the dreidel lands on the nunn. You lose a turn. (Nunn = nothing.)

If the dreidel lands on the gimel. You get the entire pot. (Gimel = get.) Everyone donates another two cents to the pot, including you.

If the dreidel lands on the heh. You get half the pot. (Heh = half.)

If the dreidel lands on the shin. You give two cents to the pot. (Shin = share.)

You keep playing until everyone is out of money except one person, if that ever happens. The game just goes on until everyone wants to do something else, or until the latkes are ready to be eaten.

What is the Custom Regarding Chanukah Gifts?

Jewish children have over the years become more and more integrated in public schools and society in general. They used to go to see their Gentile friends showing off their Xmas presents, while they got nothing. So, some time within the last 100 years, probably in America and not in Europe, parents began giving their children Chanukah gifts.

Remember, even in Ultra-Orthodox circles, up until around the 1940's most children went to public school in the morning, and what they called "Talmud Torah" in the afternoon. It was unavoidable. Children easily become jealous, and it was important for the Jews to make a Jewish child happy with Judaism. Even though Judaism forbids the copying Gentile customs, it was important to make children happy with their religion, so the Chanukah gift tradition was started.

In reality, there is no such custom in the Jewish religion. It is usually decided by the type and location of the Temple and by those who study and pray there. The Rabi tends to set such standards by approving or disapproving of such traditions.