Opuscula Interesting Odds & ends About Hanuka

Hanuka — or Chanukah or any variation thereof, still is חנוכה — is different than most “popular” Jewish holidays in many ways.

It is not from the Torah; akin to Purim, it is “post-Torah.”

The full Hallel is recited after the morning Ahmedah.¹ On Pesach (Passover) the full Hallel is recited only on the first day. Shavuot, however, is similar to Hanuka in that full Hallel is recited all eight days.²

Hanuka also shares another trait with Shavuot. Both holidays are celebrated with dairy meals. My Moroccan Mother-in-Law recalls making a dairy cus-cus.
שלחו ערוך השלם מנקד (של הרה''ג מרדכי אליהו) הנוכה ,,,בת יוחנן כהן גדול (ע"מ 466))

As with everything Jewish, there are variations on a theme.

?מה עוד חדש

None of the above hanukiot are kosher; cute but not kosher for Hanuka

EVERYTHING “HANUKA” IS RABBINICAL.

Everyone knows that the main difference between the menorah in the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem — built long before Mohamed was born and therefore preceding Islam and the so-called “Palestinians” — and the Hanukia is the number of wicks.

The Temple in Jerusalem had seven wicks — the shamash in the middle flanked by three on either side.

Was the shamash in the middle and higher or as some insist, in front of the other wicks?

Why “wicks?” Rather than write “candles or wicks in oil,” “wicks” covers both. Candles have wicks. Oil hanukiot also use wicks.

Some homes have a hanukia for each person — it makes a pretty sight and we are allowed only to enjoy the light — in other homes, there is one hanukia for the entire household. In multi-hanukia households, everyone who lights the wicks says the blessings. In a single-hanukia household, whoever lights the wicks says the blessing. The single-hanukia source is the Babylonian Talmud.³

Everyone says amen to the blessings:

להדליק ניר של חנכה

בימים ההם בזמן הזה

שהחינו

The last of the three blessings is “first night only.”

Everyone sings the songs, including:

הנרות הללו אנו מדליקים

מעור צור ישועתי

.

To help assure that everyone enjoys the light of the hanukia, work is prohibited while the wicks burn.

The commandment is to LIGHT the wicks. If the fire goes out, it is not necessary to re-light the wick.

The REASON the wicks are lit is to publicize the miracle of Hanuka.

While the only thing we can do with the light is to enjoy it, in order to publicize it we put the hanukia where it can be seen by passers-by.

On most nights the wicks must burn, at a minimum, 30 minutes. On Shabat, when the wicks are lit before the Shabat candles, the “no work” period is longer. (On the other hand, all work is permitted during Hanuka (except, of course, on Shabat Hanuka).⁴ Shabat is the only night when the wicks are lit before dark (since they must be lit before the Shabat candles).

The problem with the hanukiot in the image above is that the candles are at different levels. The only exception is the shamash. All eight candles must be at the same level.⁵

During prayers and at meals

In the morning prayers, both daily and Shabat, Moroccans add “A psalm, a song of dedication of the House of David, a/k/a the Temple, before “From your heights”

מזמור שיר-חנת הבית לדוד before ארוממך " כי דליתני⁶

In the Hanuka Ahmedah, we add “For the miracles” (על הנסים) and the paragraph beginning “In the days of Matatya” ( בימי מתתיה בן יוחנן) ⁷

In Berekat HaMazon (prayer following a meal with bread), the words we add “Because of the miracles” (על הנסים).⁸ All of the above apply to those who pray at home as well.

Many Moroccans also add “נר-לרגלי ואור לנתיבתי” just before “בריך שמיה” except on Rosh Hodesh when “יהי רצון” precedes “בריך שמיה”.

Hanuka song book

* Adam Sandler: http://tinyurl.com/y8j6ql56
* Songs for Teaching: http://tinyurl.com/y8h6ymod
* Chanukah Songs from Chabad: http://tinyurl.com/y8fllhjm
* Maoz Tzur & Oh Hanukkah: http://tinyurl.com/yafkh6e9
* Hanukkah Song and Music Guide: http://tinyurl.com/y7dkqc3a
* Hanukkah Songs and lyrics: http://tinyurl.com/y8rol623
* Hebrew songs (English lyrics): http://tinyurl.com/3esc7http://tinyurl.com/3esc7

Hanuka elsewhere on this blog

Hanukkah quiz http://tinyurl.com/ybuoggqw
A little bit of water keeps oil cups clean http://tinyurl.com/y9yscayu
Phrasing it out? http://tinyurl.com/yaxt3pow
Two thoughts - Hallel and Atheists http://tinyurl.com/y6wz93nx
Choice: Advertise Hanuka? Or risk a conflagration http://tinyurl.com/yb2hqolm
"Xmas not for Jews" said to be hate crime http://tinyurl.com/y75af53e
I don't understand http://tinyurl.com/y8kg7gqu

Sources

1. R. Israel Meir Lau, יהדות הלכה למעשה Page 241

2. Sedur Abotanu, Page 667

3. Israel Meir Lau, יהדות הלכה למעשה Page 239

4. R. Mordachi Eliyahu קצור שלחן ערוך השלם מנקד Page 466, Para. ג

5. R. Mordachi Eliyahu קצור שלחן ערוך השלם מנקד Page 467, Para. י

6. Sedur Abotanu, Page 134

7. Sedur Abotanu, Page 183

8. R. Israel Meir Lau, יהדות הלכה למעשה Page 238

PLAGIARISM is the act of appropriating the literary composition of another, or parts or passages of his writings, or the ideas or language of the same, and passing them off as the product of one’s own mind.

Truth is an absolute defense to defamation. Defamation is a false statement of fact. If the statement was accurate, then by definition it wasn’t defamatory.

Comments on Hanuka Odds & Ends

Opuscula Hanukkah quiz

THE HANUKIOT ARE DUSTED, the potatoes are piled up ready to shred, the dough is in the ‘fridge, and the oils are at hand.

I am not a rabbi nor do I play one on tv. I cite my sources but you are encouraged to check with your rabbi.

Q1. How many oils are needed for the holiday?

A1. Two. Olive oil for the hanukia and another for the skillet (a/k/a frying pan or מחבת).

Q2. Are latkes a strictly Ashkenazi invention?

A2. No; Actually latkes are Sefardi with the first ones made in Italy. ¹

Q3. Were potatoes always the base ingredient for latkes?

A3. No, The original latkes were made of cheese. Potato latkes were unknown until spuds were “discovered” in Europe.²

Q4. How many hanukias are lit in the home?

A4. It depends. Ashkenazim generally have one hanukia for each member of the family. Sefardim generally have one hanukia for the household; the father normally lights the wicks.⁴

Q5. Candles or oil or a few wicks of both?

A5. EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) is the preferred fuel for the hanukIa wicks sticking through a round float of cork (פתילות עם פקק צף). Wax candles are an acceptable option as many hanukiot have only candle holders. It is NOT permitted to mix oil and candles – either one at a time, but not both.⁵

Q6. Are all hanukiot “kosher?”

A6. Sadly, no. A “kosher” hanukiah has all the wickss except the shamash on the same level. While some hanukiot are designer specials, if the candles are at different levels – suggesting that one day is more important than others – the hanukiah is not kosher. ^6a

A hanukiah made be big or small and made of precious metal or simple tin. The only criteria is that it supports none (9) wicks – 8 for the 8 days and one for the shamash.^6b

Round hanukiot are considered not suitable.^6c

Q7. Why is the full Hallel said on each of the 8 days when half Hallel is said on the intermediate days of Pesach and Sukot?

A7. Each of the 8 days is considered its own holiday; there are no “intermediate days” for the holiday.⁷

Q8. What were Shamai’s and Hillel’s opinions on the order of lighting the wicks?

A8. Shamai said to light ALL the wicks on the first night to emphasize the miracle, with one wick less each following night. Hillel, whose decision currently is followed, preferred to ADD one wick each night.⁸

Q9. When may the wicks be lit?

A9. WITH THE EXCEPTION of erev Shabat, wicks are lit after dark with the blessings. On erev Shabat, the wicks are lit before the Shabat candles.⁹

Q10. Where are the lights to be placed?

A10. The traditional site for the hanukia is opposite the mezuzah on the door facing a public thoroughfare, the purpose to advertise the miracle. For most people, that is either dangerous or impossible (or both). The more common location is by a window where it can be seen by passersby.¹⁰

Q11. Who lights the wicks?

A11. Lighting these wicks is a man’s job (unlike the Shabat candles which the ladies do). HOWEVER, if a male 13 years old or older is not available, a woman lights the wicks (just as a man lights the Shabat candles in the absence of a woman). Children are not obligated to light the wicks (but they may if that is the family’s tradition.)¹¹

Q12. What is the difference between an ISRAELI dreidel (top) and dreidels everywhere else?

A12: Israeli dreidels have four Hebrew letters – נגהפ – representing a Great Miracle Happened Here Non-Israeli dreidels also have four Hebrew letters – נגהש – representing a Great Miracle Happened There.

Q13: How do you spell the holiday’s name?

A13. There is only one way: חנכה. There are many variations in transliteration depending on what web site you visit.¹³

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1. Everything You Know About Latkes Is Wrong: http://tinyurl.com/y8tfyzgg

2. Discover the History of Latkes During Hanukkah: http://tinyurl.com/yb9a6ufm

3. Origin of latkes: https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/cheese-latkes/

4. How many hanukiot?: http://www.midrash.org/halakha/hanukkah.html

5. Menorah, Oil and Wicks: http://tinyurl.com/y8sapw4s

6a. “Kosher?” hanukiot: http://tinyurl.com/y8dhakpa

6b. Hanukiot material: http://tinyurl.com/ycetbwgl

6c. Hanukiot style: http://tinyurl.com/y8dhakpa

7..Hallel: http://tinyurl.com/yajvghaw

8. Shamai & Hillel: http://tinyurl.com/ybvgvlfa

9. When to light: https://ohr.edu/1304

10...Where to put the hanukia: http://www.neveh.org/chanukah/chanuka3.html

11. Who lights: http://www.midrash.org/halakha/hanukkah.html

12. Dreidels: http://tinyurl.com/y85rnvre

10...Where to put the hanukia?

11. Who lights: http://www.midrash.org/halakha/hanukkah.html

12. Dreidels: http://tinyurl.com/y85rnvre

13. Is There a Right Way to Spell Hanukkah? Chanukah? Hannukah? (http://tinyurl.com/m5a6tzc)
Yes, Virginia, Hanukkah Has a Correct Spelling (http://tinyurl.com/yaaucmtm)
Sixteen ways to spell Hanukkah (http://tinyurl.com/3xdh558)

PLAGIARISM is the act of appropriating the literary composition of another, or parts or passages of his writings, or the ideas or language of the same, and passing them off as the product of one’s own mind.

Comments on Hanukah quiz

Never too old to learn A little bit of water Keeps oil cups clean

 

WE HAVE several "candle or oil" hanukiyot (cHanukah menorahs).

For the last several years we have been using oil for one.

Each year I struggle to clean the plastic cups of the previous night's black smidges.

Since I fill the cups to the brim, the flame lasts not 30 minutes or an hour, but 3 hours or more.

To shorten the burn time, this year I added a little water before adding the oil and wicks.

Voila - actually מצאתי would be more appropriate - the wicks burned more than the minimum time (last night we had a two-hour burn) and there is no smudge on the cups!

Since oil (we use EVOO but any oil will do) and water don't mix, the oil floats on top of the water and the wick-in-a-cork-base floats on the oil.

When the oil is consumed without a water base, a last gasp of the wick creates a smudge on the cup.

BUT, if the oil is consumed and the wick floats on water, there is no "last gasp" to stay lit and there likewise is no smudge.

It's perfectly OK to limit the wicks' (candle or floating-on-oil) burn time providing the flame lasts at least 30 minutes (except on erev Shabat when it must last about 45 minutes - see your rabbinical authority for specifics).

I happen to take the mitzvah to enjoy the light seriously so a two-hour burn is fine with me; it beats any "Hanukah" candle except perhaps a "hurricane" candle. (Tea lights also can last beyond the required 30 or 45 minutes.)

Bottom line: After all these years of lighting hanukiyot I FINALLY "discovered" how to keep an oil cup clean.

By the way, if you decide to use oil, buy and fit the cups at the same time you buy the Hanukiyah. Hanukiyot made pimarily for wax generally have the holes (for the candles) too close together for oil cups.