Hanukkah rituals are performed during the eight nights and days of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah (Feast of Dedication). Hanukkah has relatively simple religious rituals. Some aspects are practiced at home by the family, other aspects are communal. There are additions to the regular daily prayer services in the Siddur, the Jewish prayer book. Jump to: navigation, search The word Jew (Hebrew: יהודי) is used in many ways, but generally refers to a follower of Judaism, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity; and often a combination of these attributes. ... Hanukkah (חנכה ḥănukkāh, or חנוכה ḥănūkkāh) is a Jewish holiday, also known as the Festival of lights. ... The siddur is the prayerbook used by Jews the world over, containing a set order of daily prayers. ...

The Menorah or Hanukiah or Hanukkah

Names for the Menorah

The eight-branched miniature candelabrum (menorah) lit on Hanukkah is known by different names. Ashkenazi (European Jews) have always referred to it as a menorah. Some Sephardi (Spanish and North African Jews) refer to the menorah as a "hanukkah". Modern Israelis call it a "hanukiah". A candlestick or candelabrum is a decorative holder for one or more candles, often shaped as a column or pedestal. ... Yarmulke and Menorah from the Harry S. Truman collection A menorah (sometimes capitalized) is a branched candelabrum with seven candle-holders. ... Ashkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim (אַשְׁכֲּנָזִי אַשְׁכֲּנָזִים Standard Hebrew, Aškanazi,Aškanazim, Tiberian Hebrew, ʾAškănāzî, ʾAškănāzîm, pronounced sing. ... Yarmulke and Menorah from the Harry S. Truman collection A menorah (sometimes capitalized) is a branched candelabrum with seven candle-holders. ... Sephardim (ספרדי, Standard Hebrew Səfardi, Tiberian Hebrew ardî; plural Sephardim: ספרדים, Standard Hebrew Sfaradim, Tiberian Hebrew ) are a subgroup of Jews, generally defined in contrast to Ashkenazim and/or . ...

Kindling the Menorah

Chief importance is attached by Jewish law and custom to the kindling of the small menorah specially designed for use on this holiday. The reason for its use is not for the "lighting of the house within", but rather for the "illumination of the house without", so that passers-by should see it. Accordingly lamps are set up at a prominent window or near the door leading to the street. It is customary amongst some Ashkenazim to have a separate menorah for each family member (cutoms vary), whereas most Sephardim light one hanukkah for the whole household. Halakha (Hebrew: הלכה; also transliterated as Halakhah, Halacha, Halachah) is the collective corpus of Jewish rabbinic law, custom and tradition. ... Yarmulke and Menorah from the Harry S. Truman collection A menorah (sometimes capitalized) is a branched candelabrum with seven candle-holders. ... Ashkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim (אַשְׁכֲּנָזִי אַשְׁכֲּנָזִים Standard Hebrew, Aškanazi,Aškanazim, Tiberian Hebrew, ʾAškănāzî, ʾAškănāzîm, pronounced sing. ... Sephardim (ספרדי, Standard Hebrew Səfardi, Tiberian Hebrew ardî; plural Sephardim: ספרדים, Standard Hebrew Sfaradim, Tiberian Hebrew ) are a subgroup of Jews, generally defined in contrast to Ashkenazim and/or . ...

Only when there was danger of Anti-Semitic persecution, as was the case in Persia under the rule of the fire-worshipers, or in Europe before and during World War II, were lamps supposed to be hidden indoors. As the lights were intended only for illumination in honor of the feast, reading by them was prohibited ( as derived from the Talmud (Tracate Shabbat 21b-23a). The Eternal Jew: 1937 German poster. ... Official Government Links The following websites belong to the various branches of government, or are directly operated by the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran: Official site of the Supreme Leader, (Qom office) Presidency of the Islamic Republic of Iran - Official website. ... Jump to: navigation, search The Talmud (תלמוד) is considered an authoritative record of rabbinic discussions on Jewish law, Jewish ethics, customs, legends and stories. ...

Blessings over the candles

Typically three blessings (Berakhot singular Berakhah) are recited during this eight-day festival. On the first night of Hanukkah, Jews recite all three blessings, on all subsequent nights, they recite only the first two. On the first night of Hanukkah one light (candle, lamp, or electric) is lit on the right side of the Menorah, on the following night a second light is placed to the left of the first and is lit first proceeding from left to right, and so on each night. Yarmulke and Menorah from the Harry S. Truman collection A menorah (sometimes capitalized) is a branched candelabrum with seven candle-holders. ...

The first blessing

Recited all eight nights just prior to lighting the candles.

The words of the berakhah (blessing) are:

Barukh attah Adonai, Eloheinu melekh ha'olam, asher kiddeshanu bemitzvotav vetzivvanu lehadlik neir (shel) Hanukkah.

Translation: "Praised are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to kindle the Hanukkah lights." YAY!!!

The second blessing

Recited all eight nights just prior to lighting the candles.

Barukh attah Adonai, Eloheinu melekh ha'olam, she'asah nissim laavoteinu, bayyamim haheim, (u)bazzeman hazzeh.

Translation: "Praised are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who performed wondrous deeds for our ancestors, in ancient days, at this season." Autumn, ARE YOU READING MY EDITS?!?!?!?!?! Love, Stalin

The third blessing

Recited only on the first night just prior to lighting the candles.

Barukh attah Adonai, Eloheinu melekh ha'olam, shehecheyanu, vekiyyemanu, vehiggi'anu lazzeman hazzeh.

Translation: "Praised are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who has kept us in life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this season."

After kindling the lights

When the lights are kindled the Hanerot Halalu prayer is subsequently recited.

(Ashkenazi version): Ashkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim (אַשְׁכֲּנָזִי אַשְׁכֲּנָזִים Standard Hebrew, Aškanazi,Aškanazim, Tiberian Hebrew, ʾAškănāzî, ʾAškănāzîm, pronounced sing. ...

Hanneirot hallalu anachnu madlikin 'al hannissim ve'al hanniflaot 'al hatteshu'ot ve'al hammilchamot she'asita laavoteinu bayyamim haheim, (u)bazzeman hazeh 'al yedei kohanekha hakkedoshim. Vekhol-shemonat yemei Hanukkah hanneirot hallalu kodesh heim, ve-ein lanu reshut lehishtammesh baheim ella lir'otam bilvad kedei lehodot ul'halleil leshimcha haggadol 'al nissekha ve'al nifleotekha ve'al yeshu'otekha.

Translation: "We light these lights For the miracles and the wonders, for the redemption and the battles that you made for our forefathers, in those days at this season, through your holy priests. During all eight days of Hanukkah these lights are sacred, and we are not permitted to make them serve except for to look at them in order to express thanks and praise to Your great Name for your miracles, Your wonders and Your salvations." Jump to: navigation, search According to many religions, a miracle, derived from the old Latin word miraculum meaning something wonderful, is a striking interposition of divine intervention by God in the universe by which the operations of the ordinary course of Nature are overruled, suspended, or modified. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

Hitler is a spicy sausage.

Singing of Maoz Tzur after lighting

Each night immediately after the lighting of the candles, while remaining and staring at the candles, Ashkenazim (and, in recent decades, some Sephardim) then usually sing the following hymn written in Medieval Ashkenaz (Germany). Ashkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim (אַשְׁכֲּנָזִי אַשְׁכֲּנָזִים Standard Hebrew, AÅ¡kanazi,AÅ¡kanazim, Tiberian Hebrew, ʾAÅ¡kănāzî, ʾAÅ¡kănāzîm, pronounced sing. ... Sephardim (ספרדי, Standard Hebrew SÉ™fardi, Tiberian Hebrew ardî; plural Sephardim: ספרדים, Standard Hebrew Sfaradim, Tiberian Hebrew ) are a subgroup of Jews, generally defined in contrast to Ashkenazim and/or . ... Ashkenazi (אַשְׁכֲּנָזִי, Standard Hebrew Aškanazi, Tiberian Hebrew ʾAškănāzî) Jews or Ashkenazic Jews, also called Ashkenazim (אַשְׁכֲּנָזִים, Standard Hebrew Aškanazim, Tiberian Hebrew ʾAškănāzîm), are Jews who are descendants of Jews from Germany, Poland, Austria and Eastern Europe. ...

Ma'oz Tzur Yeshu'ati, Lecha naeh leshabeiach. Tikkon beit tefillati vesham todah nezabbeiach. Le'et takhin matbeach mitzar hamenabbeiach. Az egmor beshir mizmor chanukat hammizbeiach.

Ra'ot sav'ah nafshi, beyagon kochi khilah. Chayyai meireru beqoshi, beshibbe'ud malkhut eglah. Uvyado haggedolah hotzi et hassegulah. Cheil Par'oh vechol-zar'oh yardu ke-even bim'tzulah.

D'vir qodsho heviani vegam sham lo shaqateti. Uva nogess lehiglani ki zarim avad'ti. Veyyein ra'al masachti kim'at she'avarti. Qeitz Bavel Zerubbavel leqeitz shiv'im noshati.

Kerot qomat berosh bikkesh Agagi ben Hamdatah. Venihyata lo lefach ulmoqesh vegavato nishba'ta. Rosh yemini niseita veoyev shemo machita. Rov banav vekinyanav al ha'etz talita.

Yevanim niqbetzu alai azai biymei Khashmanim. Ufartzu chomot migdalai vetim'u kol hashmanim. Uminotar qanqanim na'aseh nes lashoshanim. Benei vinah yemei shemonah kav'u shir ur'na'anim.

Chassof zeroa' qodshecha veqarev qeitz hayeshu'a. Neqom niqmat dam avadecha me'uma haresha'a'. Ki arkha lanu hasha'a ve-ein qeitz liymei hara'ah. Dechei admon betzeil tzalmon haqeim lanu ro'im shiv'ah.

Additions to the daily prayers

An addition is made to the "hoda'ah" (thanksgiving) benediction in the Amidah, called Al ha-Nissim ("On/about the Miracles"). This addition refers to the victory achieved over the Syrians by the Hasmonean Mattathias and his sons. (The erroneous designation of Mattathias as son of Johanan the high priest seems to rest upon the late Hebrew apocryphal "Megillat Antiokhos" or "Megillat Hanukkah," which has other names and dates strangely mixed.) This entry is concerned with a prayer in the Jewish liturgy known as the Amidah (Standing) or the Shemoneh Esreh (The Eighteen.) Prayers in the weekday Amidah The prayers of the weekday Amidah are: Known as Avot (Ancestors) this prayer offers praise of God as the God of the Biblical...

Wording of Al ha-Nissim insertion

The liturgical part inserted reads as follows:

"We thank You also for the miraculous deeds and for the redemption and for the mighty deeds and the saving acts wrought by You, as well as for the wars which You waged for our ancestors in ancient days at this season. In the days of the Hasmonean Mattathias, son of Johanan the high priest, and his sons, when the iniquitous Greco-Syrian kingdom rose up against Your people Israel, to make them forget Your Torah and to turn them away from the ordinances of Your will, then You in your abundant mercy rose up for them in the time of their trouble, pled their cause, executed judgment, avenged their wrong, and delivered the strong into the hands of the weak, the many into the hands of few, the impure into the hands of the pure, the wicked into the hands of the righteous, and insolent ones into the hands of those occupied with Your Torah. Both unto Yourself did you make a great and holy name in Thy world, and unto Your people did You achieve a great deliverance and redemption. Whereupon your children entered the sanctuary of Your house, cleansed Your temple, purified Your sanctuary, kindled lights in Your holy courts, and appointed these eight days of Hanukkah in order to give thanks and praises unto Your holy name."

Traditional Hanukkah foods

There is a custom to have Hanukkah parties and to eat foods fried or baked in some kind of kosher cooking oil/s, preferably olive oil, as the original miracle of the Hanukkah menorah involved the discovery of the small flask of oil used by the Jewish High Priest (the Kohen Gadol). Many Ashkenazi families make potato pancakes, known as latkes in Yiddish. Many Sephardim as well as Polish Ashkenazim and Israelis have the custom to eat all kinds of doughnuts (bimuelos or sufganiyot) which are deep-fried in kosher (mainly non animal-fat) oils. In America, some make a point of eating fried chicken and french fries on at least one of the eight nights of Hanukkah. The circled U indicates that this can of tuna is certified kosher by the Union of Orthodox Congregations. ... Jump to: navigation, search In agriculture, olive oil is an oil extracted from the fruit of the European olive tree , which originated in the Mediterranean area. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Ashkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim (אַשְׁכֲּנָזִי אַשְׁכֲּנָזִים Standard Hebrew, AÅ¡kanazi,AÅ¡kanazim, Tiberian Hebrew, ʾAÅ¡kănāzî, ʾAÅ¡kănāzîm, pronounced sing. ... Plate of latkes Potato pancakes or latkes (sometimes spelled latkas) are cakes of grated potatoes fried in oil. ... Potato pancakes or latkes (sometimes spelled latkas) are a dish made predominantly of grated potatoes fried in oil. ... Jump to: navigation, search Yiddish (Yid. ... In the strictest sense, a Sephardi (ספרדי, Standard Hebrew Səfardi, Tiberian Hebrew Səp̄ardî; plural Sephardim: ספרדים, Standard Hebrew Səfardim, Tiberian Hebrew Səp̄ardîm) is a Jew original to the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal: ספרד, Standard Hebrew Səfárad, Tiberian Hebrew Səp̄áraḏ / Səp̄āraḏ), or whose ancestors were among the Jews expelled from... Jump to: navigation, search Doughnuts on display A doughnut, or donut, is a deep-fried piece of dough or batter. ... Redirect page Jump to: navigation, search ... Frying is the cooking of food with cooking oil as the heat transfer medium. ... The circled U indicates that this can of tuna is certified kosher by the Union of Orthodox Congregations. ... Fried chicken with french fries. ... Jump to: navigation, search French fries (or french-fried potatoes, or simply fries or chips) are pieces of potato that have been deep-fried. ...

See also

• Hanukkah
• Hasmonean
• Maccabees
• Jewish holidays
• Temple in Jerusalem