Traditions

  • Known as the Festival of Lights, the celebration of Hanukah uses candles and lights to symbolize the dominance of wisdom, understanding, right and justice over darkness, ignorance, injustice, and intolerance.
  • The Hanukah menorah is a candelabra with eight equal branches, and a taller central Shamesh (servile candle), which is used to light the other candles while prayers are said.  The menorah is considered a symbol of God’s Shekhina (presence), which was demonstrated by the miracle of the oil that burned for eight days during the original celebration of Hanukah.
  • The menorah is lit each night during the celebration of Hanukah. On the first day, only the Shamesh, or central candle, plus one (in the farthest right-hand position), are lit. On the second night, a second candle is added just left of the first candle. Both candles are lit, beginning with the newly added candle. By the final night of the festival, all eight candles are lit in this order.
  • It is customary that no work be done once the Hanukah candles have been lit.  It is also forbidden to use the light of the Hanukah candles for reading or working, they are solely for the celebration of Hanukah.
  • Because the Jews were forbidden to study the Torah during the rule of the Syrian-Greeks, the students devised ways to disguise their study in the form of games.  One of these games, dreidel, is played with a spinning top with nun, gimmel, he, and, resh marked on each of its four sides.  The first letter of each side generate an acronym for nes gadol hayah sham, ‘there was a great miracle.’
  • Since Hanukah is a celebration of thanksgiving, it is also a time for charity and selfless giving to those in need. The added importance of education and study led to the tradition of pupils giving gifts of Hanukkah gelt (money) to their Hebrew teachers during the holiday.
  • Today, the theme of study is recognized by the giving of Hanukah gelt (either chocolate or real money) to children as a reward and motivation for their study of the Torah.
  • In Yemen, Jewish mothers would often give their children a small coin on each day of Hanukah, with which they could purchase the ingredients for their special “Hanukkah wine,” a sweet beverage made of sugar powder and red coloring.
  • Today it is commonplace for children to receive gifts of all kinds on each night of Hanukah, in addition to the gift of Hanukah gelt.
  • Unlike many other Jewish holidays, Hanukah does not include a feast, or many special foods. The only traditional Hanukah food is fried latkas (potato pancakes), which are fried in oil, to remind one of the miraculous jar of oil that burned for 8 days straight.

Information summarized from:

  • Holidays, History, and Halakhah, Eliezer Segal, Jason Aronson Inc, NJ, 2000
  • The Jewish Festivals in Ancient, Medieval, and Modern Sources, by Gloria Wiederkehr-Pollack, Sepher-Hermon Press, Inc. Brooklyn, NY 1997
  • Jewish Holidays and Festivals, Ben M. Edidin, republished by Omnigraphics, Detroit, 1993
  • A Treasury of Jewish Holidays: History, Legends, Traditions, Hyman E. Goldin, Twayne Publishers, NY, 1952