What kind of holiday is Hanukkah?
Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the dedicating of the second temple in Jerusalem. When is this day celebrated? Hanukkah lasts eight days starting on the 25th day of the Hebrew month Kislev. This day can occur anytime from late November to late December.
What do the 8 nights of Hanukkah mean?
Festival of Lights
How is Hanukkah different from Christmas?
Christmas celebrates the birth of Christ, while Hanukkah is in remembrance of past miraculous event, when Jews reclaimed their temple after Syrians forced them to worship false gods. The lighting of the menorah for eight days is a part of celebrating Hanukkah.
Is it OK to say Happy Hanukkah?
What is the proper greeting for Hanukkah? To wish someone a Happy Hanukkah, say “Hanukkah Sameach!” (Happy Hanukkah) or simply “Chag Sameach!” (Happy Holiday). Or if you want to show off your Hebrew skills, say “Chag Urim Sameach!” (urim means “lights”).
Is Hanukkah like Christmas?
Hanukkah is often thought of as the Jewish Christmas because of its close proximity to the Christmas season, but it’s not the same. Jews and Christians celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas with lights, family, presents, and food, but the two holidays are not the same.
Do you give gifts for Hanukkah?
Gift-giving is a relatively new tradition during Hanukkah, so when bringing gifts, don’t go overboard. Books, jewelry, and food can be appropriate Hanukkah presents. Family gifts are always appreciated. You can personalize puzzles with family portraits or pictures of the grandkids.
What does the 7 branch menorah mean?
Since biblical times, the seven-branched menorah has symbolized Judaism. For many Jews in antiquity, the menorah’s seven branches represented the five visible planets, plus the sun and the moon, and its rounded branches suggested their trajectories across the heavens.
Why do we light the menorah?
A child lights a menorah with oil for Hanukkah. A menorah, the Hebrew word for lamp, has seven branches. It was originally used in the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem. With nine branches, it is lit each night to celebrate the miracle of oil lasting eight days.
What are the three Hanukkah prayers?
(to be said prior to lighting the candles) Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melekh ha’olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav, v’tzivanu l’hadlik ner shel Hanukkah. Blessed are you Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, who has made us holy through God’s commandments, and commanded us to light the Hanukkah candles.
Does the menorah have 7 or 9 candles?
A menorah, which has only seven candleholders, was the lamp used in the ancient holy temple in Jerusalem — now a symbol of Judaism and an emblem of Israel. A Hanukkiah, however, has nine candlesticks — one for each night of Hanukkah and an extra one to light the others.
Why is the number 7 special in Judaism?
7. The sabbath year (shmita; Hebrew: שמיטה, literally “release”), also called the sabbatical year or shǝvi’it ( שביעית, literally “seventh”), is the seventh year of the seven-year agricultural cycle mandated by the Torah for the Land of Israel and is observed in contemporary Judaism.
What is the difference between a 7 and 9 candle menorah?
A seven branch menorah must be part of every Jewish home and lit as sign of enlightenment and symbol to temple menorah. A Kosher Hanukah menorah is when 8 candle holders are in one line with a ninth Shamash, out of placed in height or position on the 9 branched menorah.
Is menorah in the Bible?
The menorah is first mentioned in the biblical book of Exodus (, according to which the design of the lamp was revealed to Moses by God on Mount Sinai.
How old is the menorah?
The original Hanukkah menorah dates to 164 B.C.E., when a band of Jews, led by Judah the Maccabee, defeated its Syrian oppressors in a hard-fought battle. As the Jews reclaimed their temple and lit its golden candelabrum, their only supply of oil, which should have run out after one day, miraculously lasted for eight.
What does mezuzah mean?
doorpost
Why is it called Chanukah?
Etymology. The name “Hanukkah” derives from the Hebrew verb “חנך”, meaning “to dedicate”. On Hanukkah, the Maccabean Jews regained control of Jerusalem and rededicated the Temple.
Why do Hasidic wives wear wigs?
Orthodox women do not show their hair in public after their wedding. With a headscarf or a wig – referred to in Yiddish as a sheitel – they signal to their surroundings that they are married and that they comply with traditional notions of propriety.
Why do Hasidim wear fur hats?
According to Rabbi Aaron Wertheim, Rabbi Pinchas of Koretz (1726–1791) stated that “[t]he acronym for Shabbos is: Shtreimel Bimkom Tefillin – the shtreimel takes the place of tefillin.” Since wearing special clothing on Shabbat is a form of sanctification, among the Hasidim of Galicia and Hungary the shtreimel is …
Why do Jews Rock when they pray?
Every time a Jew engages with the Torah, the light of his or her soul ignites, which is why he or she moves like the flame of a candle. This striking image illustrates the desire of many religious Jews to connect directly with God by learning and praying.
Why do Jews touch the door?
After the blessing, the mezuzah is attached. Whenever passing through the doorway, many people touch a finger to the mezuzah as a way of showing respect to God. Many people also kiss their finger after touching it to the mezuzah.
Why do Jews break glass?
The breaking of the glass holds multiple meanings. Some say it represents the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. Others say it demonstrates that marriage holds sorrow as well as joy and is a representation of the commitment to stand by one another even in hard times.