Hanukkah, a holiday commemorating the miracles surrounding the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem in the second century BCE
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בימי מתתיהו בן יוחנן כהן גדול - who was the Kohain Gadol? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Bmei Matisyahu ben Yochnan Kohen Godol
בימי מתתיהו בן יוחנן כהן גדול - In the days of Matisyahu ben Yochanan Kohain Gadol
--"Al Hanisim" prayer said on Chanuka
Who ...
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Fighting Wars on Shabbat
As I mentioned in another question, I was reading the Book of Maccabees over Shabbat (I and II).
In the book of Maccabees, it mentions that early on in the struggle, there were a group of Jews hiding ...
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Origin of lighting the chanukiah [closed]
Why did people start to light oil lamps on chanukah?
How did the holiday come to be represented by lights? If in fact it was that the menorah was lit for eight days with oil, and that was considered ...
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Joseph and Chanukkah
The Parshiot about Joseph always fall right before or during Chanukkah. It their a relationship between the Joseph stories and the Chanukkah stories? It there something to be learned from the fact ...
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Eating out Friday night of Chanukkah
If one is lighting Chanukkah candles inside (for whatever reason) relying on the publicization to himself and his family, then what should he do on Friday night if he is eating out? Must he make the ...
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What are the sources for the stories of Chanukah?
I'd like to find the sources for the stories associated with Chanukah. When I was younger, I was taught stories like:
Eliezer Maccabee being crushed by an elephant.
The rebellion staring in Mode'in ...
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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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4answers
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On the horn of an ox
What is the significance of the horn of an Ox that the Greeks made the Jews write (Midrash Rabbah 2:5 and other places) We have no Part in the God of Israel on it (even thought in his Epistle to Yemen ...
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How straight do the chanukah lights have to be?
The Mechaber says (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 671:4) that the Chanukah lights may not look like a bonfire. The Remah therefore says that the Chanukah lights must be in a straight line, to make sure it ...
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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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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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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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Is there a way to make Shehechiyanu when lighting the second night of Chanuka? [closed]
How is it possible that someone lit the Menora on the first night of Chanuka, said Shehechiyanu, yet when he lights the Menora on the second night he would have to say Shehechiyanu again?
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Do you make a Shehechiyanu?
Suppose Chanuka started on Friday night. Everyone lights their Menorah prior to coming to Shul. When the person lights the Menora in Shul he already said Shehechiyanu in his house. Should he say it ...
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Chanuka Candle Location
My whole family will be staying at a hotel over shabbos and the hotel management says that we are not allowed to light fires in our rooms. Nobody will be in our home. How can we fulfill the mitzvah ...
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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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Early Mincha Erev Shabbos Chanuka
There are people that daven Mincha on Erev Shabbos Chanuka prior to lighting the Menorah and there are people that light first and then Daven Mincha. Those that Daven early do it in order to avoid ...
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What to look for in Chanuka flames
In determining the preferableness of fuel and wick types, the שולחן ערוך and רמ"א refer to light "hanging on wicks nicely" and the possibility of candle light being "clean" and "clear". What physical ...
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What size hex nut will properly fit a standard chanukah candle?
I have many a childhood memory of "helping" to make a chanukiyah out of a block of wood and eight hex nuts glued down to it (often with 2 more stacked in the center for shamash); each hex nut was ...
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1answer
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Bonim Talmidei Chachamim
The Gemara is Shabbos(Chuf gimel amud beis) says:
Haragil Bner Havin Lei Bonim Talmiday Chachamim
(very loosely translated) A person who is studious with the mitzvah of lighting will have children ...
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Chanukah in the Mishnah
Why is the story of Chanukah not mentioned in the Mishnah at all, besides for to Passing references to Halachot which apply to them in the context of Damages an the laws of planting?
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Is Dreidel gezeilah?
The Beit Yosef (Shuchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat 370:2) forbids gabling as gezeilah derabanan. (The Rema permits gambling under certain circumstances.) With this in mind, is it permissible for Sepharadim ...
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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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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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1answer
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ChatzrOS Kodshecha
In Al Hanissim we say:
Vhidliku Neiros Bchatzros Kodshecha
Why in do we use the Plural form, was there more than one Chatzer?
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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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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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Why do we say the complete Hallel on Chanuka?
On Rosh Chodesh and after the first days of Pesach we say Chatzi Hallel. Why on Chanuka do we say Hallel Shaleim?
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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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Babylonian Jewry and Chanukah
For many years I have been bothered by the following.
There was a large Jewish population living in Babylonia during the time that the events of Chanukah played out. Yet, I have never seen any ...
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3answers
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Thanks for the wars
In Al Hannisim we say:
v'al hamilchamot she-asita la-avoteinu
Loosely translated:
And for the wars which you made for our Forefathers
Why are we thanking Hashem for wars?
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Burden of proof for birkas “she'Asa nisim”?
The הלכה is brought down in Shulchan Aruch et al. that one who sees lit Chanuka lights and has not lit his own should say the ברכה of שעשה נסים לאבותנו. Could he say this ברכה on a נר that was lit ...
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Special Halacha for first night of Chanuka [closed]
On the first night of Chanuka we make a Sh'echiyanu when we light the candle. What other special Halacha is connected with the first night of Chanuka?
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2answers
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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?
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Just one b'racha on Chanuka lights?
There is a possible scenario in which one recites only the b'racha of she'Asa nisim on neros Chanuka without the b'racha of l'hadlik ner. Does the opposite scenario exist, in which one says only ...
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1answer
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When should a minor be the one lighting the Chanuka candles? [closed]
When should a minor L'Chatchila be the one lighting the Chanuka candles?
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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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“Ad shetichleh” or “ad shetikaleh”?
What is the correct ניקוד (and concomitant translation) of the word שתכלה in the phrase
עד שתכלה רגל מן השוק
?
Is it תִכְלֶה, which would be קל or תִכָּלֶה, which would be נפעל?
Does this ...
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1answer
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Where did they light the Menorah after they won the war with the Greeks
In the Al Hanisim that we add on Chanukah we say:
V'hidliku neirot b'chatzrot kodshecha
Translated as
kindled lights in Your holy courts
It sounds as if the Menorah from the temple was lit outdoors ...
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1answer
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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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1answer
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Half hour @ the Chanuka candles
Is the half hour that you are supposed to make sure the candles are lit Shaa Zemanios or exactly thirty minutes?
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1answer
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Motzei Shabbos Chanuka
You go away to your family / friends for Shabbos Chanuka. You are returning home Motzei Shabbos. Should you light Chanuka candles at your host or return home and light your Chanuka candles?
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Lighting Chanuka candles on Erev Shabbat
Since it's not common sense to leave a fire unattended (or against an apartment building's guidelines to have unattended fires), what's the general minhag for lighting Chanuka candles on Erev Shabbat ...
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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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Chanukiah location
What it the ideal place to put a chanukiah for lighting? Is it better to put it in the window, outside or inside? Does it depend on where you live?
