Hanukkah, a holiday commemorating the miracles surrounding the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem in the second century BCE
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Should the Ten Tribes observe Chanuka and Purim?
Assuming we will, at some point, be reunited with some or all of the exiled Ten Tribes of Israel, will we expect them to celebrate holidays that are specifically Judaic in nature, by which I mean that ...
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1answer
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Bircas HaMazon of Channukah after the last day
In OC Siman 695 Sif 3 that if one starts their Purim seudah by day and finishes by night they should still say "Al Hanisim" in Bircas HaMazon. The Machaber brings an opinion that says to not say it; ...
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2answers
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What does the word לאַטקעס (latkes) mean?
לאַטקעס is the Yiddish word used for the potato pancakes commonly eaten on Chanukah. Where does the word לאַטקעס come from originally? What exactly does it mean?
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1answer
31 views
Relighting Chanukah lights that extinguish
In light of this answer (no pun intended) which directs you to never pass your hand over a light without lighting it, what happens when the lights extinguish before you've lit fully.
There are ...
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1answer
44 views
Why by the mitzvah of chanukka we must light at both doors so other wont be suspicious
The Halacha is:
That if one has more then one door at his house, he must light the menorah at all doors... The reason is because others might think that someone lives here but didn't light the ...
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2answers
66 views
When lighting Chanukah candles on both entrances to courtyard, can I use only one candle?
In Hilchos Channukah OC Siman 671 Sif 8 we learn the halacha that if someone has 2 entrances to their courtyard they must light Chanukah candles by both of them. This is so that passers-by won't see ...
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1answer
124 views
Do Jews believe the content of Maccabees (I-IV) is true?
This related question touches on the book of Maccabees.
I was wondering if Jews believe the content of Maccabees (I-IV) is true, even though it is outside the canon. If any of the Rishonim or ...
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1answer
65 views
What's done on Zos Chanuka?
I know people call the last day of Chanuka "Zos Chanuka" (taken from Bamidbar 7:84, read on that day). How is it specially commemorated if at all? I've heard it is, but know no details.
I'm not ...
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1answer
91 views
“Why Hanukkah?” - revisited [closed]
The Talmud in Shabbos asks the famous question "Mai hanukkah" what is hanukkah?
I would like understand that question from a modern day perspective.
After all, the spiritual component of hanukkah is ...
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2answers
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Making a Seudah into a “Seudas Mitzvah”
The Rema in Hilchos Channukah Siman 670 Sif 2 writes that if zemiros and shvachos (songs and praise) are said by a Seudah on Channukah it becomes a "Seudas Mitzvah" (without this it only has in it ...
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3answers
139 views
What exactly happened on the 25th of Kislev?
What historical event (if any) actually took place on the 25th of Kislev to cause that date to be the commencement of Chanukah?
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1answer
36 views
Using Havdallah Candle for Ner Channukah
The M"B in Siman 681 Sif-Katan 1 brings from the Bach and Ateres Zakanim that one may use the "Ner Channukah" first for Havdallah, put it out, then light it again for Channukah. This is even better ...
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1answer
111 views
Why did it take so long to make new oil?
The miracle of Chanukah that we commemorate was that the oil burned for 8 days, until they were able to replenish it. Why did it take 8 days to make new oil for the menorah? The normal process for ...
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1answer
106 views
Making Bracha on Channukah Candles in Jail
Someone who is in jail and is able to light Channukah candles, can/should he make a bracha?
I don't know if being in Jail is considered to be like having a home that someone would have a chiyuv to ...
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0answers
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Rambam in Mitzvah of Ner Channukah: why “Shemen and Neros”?
The Rambam writes in Hilchos Channukah Perek 4 Halacha 12:
אפילו אין לו מה יאכל אלא מן הצדקה שואל או מוכר כסותו ולוקח שמן ונרות ומדליק
What is the reason the Rambam wrote to take "Shemen and ...
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Rambam and Mitzvah of Ner Channukah (Chaviva hi ad ma'od)
The Rambam writes in Hilchos Channukah Perek 4 Halacha 12
מצות נר חנוכה מצוה חביבה היא עד מאד
The Mitzvah of Ner Channukah is very "chaviv"/"dear" mitzva (please correct this translation.) What ...
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1answer
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Celebrating the Hashmonaim as part of Hanukkah
The Hashmonaim are an integral part of the Hanukkah story.
BUT after the story of Hanukkah the Hashmonite family did some very terrible things (wars between Jews etc) during their reign.
Why do we ...
4
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1answer
101 views
Does the order of lights in a menorah face the house or the street?
I have always been taught that lights in a chanukiah should be inserted from right to left. So on the first four nights, only lights to the right of the shamash are lit (assuming a shamash in the ...
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3answers
116 views
Does the Kohen Gadol place his seal on oil used for the Menorah?
The Gemara in Shabbat 21b says:
...For when the Greeks entered the Temple, they defiled all the oils
therein, and when the Hasmonean dynasty prevailed against and defeated
them, they made ...
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1answer
68 views
How is the menora lit in the synagogue?
The menora in the synagogue is normally situated on the south side of the synagogue (O Ch 671 (7)).
On which side of the menora is it lit:
The person lighting faces south and the first candle is as ...
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2answers
101 views
Why don't we light the full menorah all 8 days?
If the reason we light candles on Chanukah is as a commemoration for the fact that the lights of the menorah burned for 8 days on fuel that was only sufficient for 1, why don't we light our menorahs ...
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1answer
188 views
We are Christian but have been invited to celebrate with friends tonight
We are invited to dinner tonight with some Jewish friends. I am excited that my six year old has such an opportunity to learn about another holiday, and the traditions taht accompany it. We've read ...
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1answer
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“Prepare your Menora before Shabbat!”
In this recent "Halocho a Day" blog post, Danny Schoemann leads off with
This week, Shabbat is also Erev Chanuka; prepare your Menora before Shabbat!
This sounds like a nice idea for reducing ...
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1answer
107 views
Who is “the blaspheming foe” of Maoz Tzur?
In the song Maoz Tzur it says
לְעֵת תָּכִין מַטְבֵּחַ מִצָּר הַמְנַבֵּחַ -
which the OU translates as -
When You will have prepared the slaughter for the blaspheming foe.
Who is this ...
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0answers
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Are you yotzei by lighting candles through a grama?
Does one fulfill the mitzvah of lighting candles (sabbath or chanukah) if done by a grama (indirect action)? Example
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0answers
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Are there mystical underpinnings to Maccabi?
One of the explanations I have heard for the title מכבי is that it is an acronym for the pasuk 'מִי-כָמֹכָה בָּאֵלִם ה (Shemos 15:11). Is there any reason, mystical or otherwise that that pasuk (or ...
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1answer
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Mitzvah of Ner Channukah — not until after churban habayis?
Someone said over today (in then name of the Sfes Emes) that the mitzvah of Ner Channukah didn't officially "start" until the 2nd Beis HaMikdash was destroyed, since it was established as somewhat of ...
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2answers
90 views
Chanukiyot inside or out?
Shabbat 22a says that the halacha is that we should place the chanukiyah outside, within a hand-breadth of the door, to the left. In Israel I've seen people do this, placing the chanukiyah in a glass ...
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0answers
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Calculation methods for intermediate time of chanukah lighting
We know that there are those who light chanukah candles at sunset and other at tzeis but there are some poskim lighting between at an intermediate time, for example :
Rav Moshe Feinstein, Rav ...
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3answers
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Why aren't Purim and Channuka considered a violation of לֹא תֹסִפוּ?
It says in Devarim 4;2:
לֹא תֹסִפוּ עַל הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם וְלֹא תִגְרְעוּ מִמֶּנּוּ לִשְׁמֹר אֶת מִצְוֹת יְ־הֹוָ־ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם
...
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1answer
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Splitting up the rosh chodesh reading when another follows it
Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 684:3 says (in my own translation):
If rosh chodesh Teves comes out on Shabas, we remove three Torah scrolls, and six people read in the weekly section and one in that ...
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1answer
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Maccabees and God's interaction
I looked over this answer Why isn't the book of the Maccabees part of the Jewish canon?, but I had further questions.
I understand why its non canonical, i think its easier to understand when an ...
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4answers
179 views
First time lighting Chanuka candles is on second night
If one didn't light Chanuka candles until the second night, how many candles should he light?
According to the reason that we add a candle a night is "Maalin Bakodesh" (we always add in holiness), ...
3
votes
1answer
87 views
Blowing out channukah candles before leaving the house
I know that as long as channukah candles are lit and the candle goes out by itself, you already did the mitzvah. I also know that you should have the channukah candles lit for at least 30 minutes. ...
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2answers
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Lighting at a Chanukah Party
If I am eating at A Chanukah Party in a different place then my home may I light the Menorah at the location of the Chanukah Party and be Yotzeh?
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2answers
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Proper bracha on Chanuka candles: lhadlik ner (shel) Chanukah
Why do some people have the custom to say, in the blessing on the Chanukah lights, the word "Shel" before "Chanukah" and some do not? And I have been told some people put the words together as ...
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0answers
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Theoretically speaking, would a Dreidle be Muqse on Shabbat? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Are dreidels muktzah?
Would there be any problem with Dreidels on Shabbat? I discussed it with some people and we couldn't find any Halachic issues with it.
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1answer
65 views
Why are the words כהיום הזה mentioned in Al Hanisim for Chanukah and nowhere for Purim and Pesach?
Why are the words כהיום הזה mentioned in Al Hanisim for Chanukah and not in Al Hanisim for Purim or at another appropriate place (in say the brocho of אשר גאלנו) for Pesach?
Credit to Alex for ...
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1answer
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Why are a couple words in Ma'oz Tzur different in some sidduriim?
The Text I am referring to is:
רָעוֹת שָׂבְעָה נַפְשִׁי, בְּיָגוֹן כֹּחִי כָּלָה
חַיַּי מֵרְרוּ בְקֹשִׁי, בְּשִׁעְבּוּד מַלְכוּת עֶגְלָה
וּבְיָדוֹ הַגְּדוֹלָה הוֹצִיא אֶת הַסְּגֻלָּה
חֵיל ...
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2answers
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She'asah nissim — why only past tense?
When we light the chanukiyah we say "she'asah nissim...b'yamim hahem bizman hazeh", with a past-tense "asah". While the miracles worked in the past (b'yamim hahem) are in the past (tautology alert!), ...
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2answers
172 views
Who is the composer of Haneiros Halolu?
When we light the Menora we say Haneiros Halolu. Who composed these words?
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1answer
87 views
Is there a minimum size for Chanuka flames?
Do the flames atop the chanukiya need to be a certain size to be valid? At the extreme, are tiny (but sustained) balls of blue flame sufficient?
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2answers
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Is there a requirement to stay around after lighting Chanuka candles?
When lighting the Chanuka candles, I understand that they generally need to burn for a minimum of 30 minutes. Is there any requirement for the person who lit the Menorah to stay around for a certain ...
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3answers
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What is the meaning of the words כהיום הזה in the prayer על הניסים ?
What is the meaning of the words כהיום הזה in the prayer על הניסים ? Are there options other than the Artscroll interpretation, "unquestionable clarity"?
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1answer
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Lighting the menora in shul and at home. How many brochos need be said?
Our shul has a minyan for mincha before sunset and for maariv after sunset. Between the two, the chanuka lights are kindled. There is a later maariv minyan; the chanuka lights are again kindled before ...
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9answers
268 views
When do you say a beracha on a minhag?
When lighting Hanukkah candles in the synagogue, we say a beracha "asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav.." on a minhag. Unlike kiddush in shul, and early counting of the omer in shul, nobody would say that one ...
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2answers
80 views
Rambam placement of Hilchos Megilla vaChanukah
Why does the Rambam in Mishneh Torah in the Sefer Zmanim place Hilchos Chanukah and Hilchos Purim together in Megillah vaChanukah instead of just placing them separately and why in the title is ...
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1answer
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2answers
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Marriv before/after lighting the Menorah
Does one need to Daven Marriv before lighting the Chanukah Menorah or can you light before davening? Why?
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1answer
87 views
Rambam versus Ramban on Maccabees' taking the kingship from Yehuda
The Ramban (Nahmanides) in Parshas Vayachi says that the the Maccabees' children where killed out because they took the kingship from Shevet Yehuda. I was told (in the name of Reb Solovechick) the ...
