History - Games - Blessings

History
Hanukkah celebrates the fight for independence that occurred in 165 B.C.E between the huge Syrian forces and the outnumbered army of Jews led by Judah the Maccabee and his four brothers. The small band of brave Maccabees liberated Jerusalem and reclaimed the temple from defilement by the Syrians.

When the liberators re-lit the menorah (one individual candelabrum) in the Temple, they found only enough oil to last one night. Miraculously, the oil lasted for eight days and the "Festival of Lights" was born. Each year, in commemoration of this victory of independence, the rededication of the Temple and the Miracle of the oil, Jews worldwide light the Menorah, a nine-candle candelabrum.

The first candle of the Menorah is lit at sundown on the first day of Hanukkah. One additional candle is lit each night during the celebration. The ninth candle, called the "Shamash," meaning "servant," is often placed higher or to one side to distinguish it from the other candles. The "Shamash" is used to light each of the candles from left to right.

Back to Top

A Great Miracle Happened There
Following the blessing and the lighting of the Menorah each night, it is a common tradition to eat certain fried foods, such as latkes (potato pancakes served with applesauce and/or sour cream) and jelly doughnuts, sing traditional songs and then exchange gifts and play games. Traditional family games include the dreidel.

A dreidel is a four-sided top with a different Hebrew letter on each side: nun, gimel, hey, shin, which is an acronym for the phrase, "Neis gadol hayah sham," A great miracle happened there.

To play the most popular version of dreidel, each player antes into the "pot" using chocolates, nuts, coins, etc., and then each player takes a turn spinning the top and following the directions. Players ante up before each person takes a turn spinning.

Nun means no action is taken (you've neither won nor lost)
Gimel means you get to take the entire pot
Hey means the spinner gets to take half
Shin requires the spinner to put a coin (nut,chocolate) into the pot.

Other versions of the game include spinning the dreidel top down, seeing how many dreidels you can keep spinning at one time, and trying to knock down other dreidels with yours.

Back to Top

Candle Lighting Blessings
The following two traditional blessings are usually recited each evening as the candles of the Menorah are lit.

Baruch ata Adonai,
Eloheinu melech ha'olam
Asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav,
V'tsivanu, L'hadik ner shel Chanukah

Praised are you. Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who has sanctified our lives through His commandments, commanding us to kindle the Chanukah lights

Baruch ata Adonai,
Eloheinu melech ha'olam
she'asa nisim la'avoteinu
b'yamim ha'heym b'zman hazeh.

Praised are you, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who performed miracles for our ancestors, in those days, in this season.

Back to Top