Hanukkah, a holiday commemorating the miracles surrounding the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem in the second century BCE
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What is the story of Yehudit which takes place during the Chanukkah Story?
I have heard many varying and conflicting stories about Yehudit and her effect on the war with the Greeks at Chanukkah time and was wondering if anyone has sources for her story and what it truly is.
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Playing Draidel with your wife when she is a Nidah
May one play Draidel with his wife when she is a Nidah? (sources please)
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Chanuka - what was the real miracle?
Was the miracle the fact that they found the oil? Was it that the oil lasted all 8 days? Was it that they won the war over the mighty greeks?
From the fact that we light menorah, it seems that the ...
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Donut and its deeper significance
What is the significance for eating Donuts on Chanukah Beyond the Oil connection?
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Becoming Bar Mitzva on Chanuka
A boy becomes Bar Mitzva on one of the nights of Chanuka. If he lights the Menorah at the preferred time (appx 15-20 minutes after Shkia to the best of my knowledge) it is not Tzeis HaKochavim yet. ...
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Acher Kain Versus Acher Kach
It seems there are two Versions of Al Hanissim one says Kain one says Kach which one is right and what is the underlying logic for each?
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Which night of Chanuka should you give out Chanuka Gelt?
Is there a specific night of Chanuka that is better to give out Chanuka Gelt?
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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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Pronunciation of חשמונאי
A friend today told me that the word חשמונאי traditionally pronounced "Chashmonai" should really be pronounced "Chashmunai" with the vav being read as a shuruk vowel instead of a cholom.
Is this ...
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Lighting Menorah whats better
In Eretz Yisroel they seem to light outdoors. Why in Chutz Laretz dont we not do the same? as there would seem to be more Pirsumay Nissah: advertising of the Miracle That way?(besides of course if ...
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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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Sefardic Boy Dorming on Chanukah
A boy of Sefardic descent who is in the Dorm of a Yeshiva, does he light himself or does he rely on his parents lighting?
Is there a machlokes among the Sefardic Poskim themselves of what to do?
...
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Child Lighting Menorah in Shul
May a Child light the Menorah in Shul being that it is not the real lighting?
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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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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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Which Talmudic source for Ḥanukah is the real source?
What is the Talmudic source for Ḥanukah?
In discussing candles for Shabbath, the Talmud (Shab. 21b) goes into a discussion about candles generally, touching upon Ḥanukah candles, and ultimately asks, ...
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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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Mentioning Chanukah in Al Hamichyah
When Al Hamichyah is recited on a holiday or on the sabbath, it has a short passage inserted relevant to the day. However, there's no addition to Al Hamichyah for when it's recited on Chanukah: ...
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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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Glass boxes and Hadlaka Oseh Mitzvah [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Fish Tank Menorahs
I think this is a familiar question, but since I don't have an answer, I'll ask it here. Since the halacha is that Hadlaka Oseh Mitzva (the conditions ...
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9answers
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Chanukah Remazim
What are some intresting Remazim like Acronyms and Numerical equivalents (Gematrias) with the word Chanukah for some fillers for a Chanukah Party speech?
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How many Maccabees were there and what were their names?
How many Maccabees were there and what were their names?
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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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Torah versus Chukei Ritzonecha
In Al Hannisim we say:
לְהַשְׁכִּיחָם תּורָתֶךָ וּלְהַעֲבִירָם מֵחֻקֵּי רְצונֶךָ
"To make them forget Your Torah and violate the decrees of Your will"
In this context what is the meaning of ...
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When did the practice of lighting flames for Chanuka begin?
It seems clear from the G'mara that the institution of Chanuka as a holiday began the year immediately following the seminal story - with praising of God and commemorating miracles, but there is no ...
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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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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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Why is it called “Zos Chanukah”
Why is the eighth, and last, day of Chanukah called "Zos Chanukah" and what is it significance?
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1answer
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Shir Urinanim- Whats the diffrence?
In Ma'oz Tzur, it says:
וּמִנּוֹתַר קַנְקַנִּים נַעֲשָׂה נֵס לַשּׁוֹשַׁנִּים
בְּנֵי בִינָה יְמֵי שְׁמוֹנָה קָבְעוּ שִׁיר וּרְנָנִים
What is the Difference between Shirim and Rinanim?
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Riddle: Aruch Hashulchan. Chanukah story missing a word [closed]
A reading of the Aruch Hashulchan's description of the Miracle of Chanukah shows that there is a word he didn't use. What is it and why ?
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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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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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2answers
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Electric Menorah
Are electric menorahs good for lighting on Chanukah?
To remove some of the more obvious issues, let's assume that:
It runs on batteries
It's an incadescent bulb
There are separate physical switches ...
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1answer
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Al Hanisim or V'Al Hanisim
There seems to be different Nuschaos regarding Al Hanisim. Some say Al and some say V'Al. What is the difference and what do most Halachic authorities recommend.
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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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1answer
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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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How to measure Menorah height
A menorah should preferably be within 10 tefachim from the ground (though higher than 3 tefachim). Are these ten tefachim measured to the base of the menorah, or to its top, or to the actual level of ...
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What's the significance of “a loved Mitzvah”?
The Rambam In Hilchos Chanukah (4:12) says:
מצות נר חנוכה, מצוה חביבה היא עד מאוד
(Loose translation) The commandment of the lights of Chanukah is a
commandment that is very much adored.
...
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1answer
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Third blessing on the first night of Channukah
If someone didn't light Channukah lights on the first night, does he/she then say the third blessing (Sh'hecheyunu) on the next night?
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Preferable time to light Chanukah Menorah
What is the preferable time to light before Marriv or after and after dark or before?
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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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Do we know of any opposition when the Hasmoneans decided to take the throne after the Chanukah story?
As has been discussed both here and elsewhere, after the victory of Chanukah, the Hasomeans (Maccabees) decided that they had to take the throne themselves, rather than give it over to someone from ...
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1answer
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Ner ish Ubeiso or One more candle
What is more important that one Person light the right amount of candles every night of Chanukah or that everyone in the house light (of course I am talking about Ashkenazim)?
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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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Proper Bracha on Chanuka candles [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Lhadlik ner (SHEL) Chanukah
What is the proper Nusach - Lehadlik Ner Shel Chanuka or LeHadlik Ner Chanuka?
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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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When can we daven for a neis? [closed]
Riddle version of the question: When can we daven for a neis
Hashkafic version of the question: Why does it seem that we can daven for a neis, when this is explicitly forbidden in masechet Brachot?
