Episode 6: Lights & Miracles (Hanukkah Candles)
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Lights & Miracles
Happy Hanukkah! In this very special holiday episode, Eliana, Josh, and Ellen explore the ritual of Hanukkah candles: from the opening blessings, to the difference between a menorah and a chanukiah, to the many verses of Maoz Tzur. Plus, Josh shares his brand new melody for Hanerot Hallalu! We hope this adds some sparkle to your festival of lights.
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Our opening question: What are some favorite Hanukkah traditions or memories that you have?
(0:53) Pushka – פושקא – is a yiddish word for a box in which we put money aside to give to charity. You may have heard this as צדקה – tzedakah box, which is the Hebrew word for the same concept.
(4:57) Sufganiyot – סופגניות – are jelly-filled donuts. They are fried in oil: since one of the miracles we celebrate on Hanukkah is the miracle of the oil, we eat lots of fried food on this holiday.
(5:41) Tchotchkes – טשאַטשקעס – Eliana defines this Yiddish word as stuff you don’t really need but it’s fun to have around.
(6:14) The mitzvah (commandment) to not work by the light of the Hanukkah candles comes from Mishna Brurah 670:4. Hanukkah candles are not supposed to be used like any other light: they’re lit to remind us of the Hanukkah miracles.
(6:39) Menorah – מנורה & hanukiah – חנוכיה are used interchangeably here, describing the candelabra we light each night of the holiday. But as Ellen later explains, a hanukiah – חנוכיה is a type of menorah – מנורה.
(7:17) Bima – בימה – is an elevated platform at a synagogue, where the service is led from.
(7:33) Shamash – שמש – also known as the helper candle, is the candle which we use to light the other candles.
(7:47) The Books of the Maccabees are detailed accounts of the military victory of Hanukkah. It’s omitted from the Tanach – תנ”ך – the Jewish Bible.
(8:08) Sukkot – סוכות – is an autumn-holiday where we dwell in temporary huts.
(8:19) HeChag – החג – The holiday.
(9:00) Ner Tamid – נר תמיד – Eternal Light. This is the light that was kept burning in the Temple to signify G!D’s constant presence. Today, there is a ner tamid in most synagogue sanctuaries.
(10:14) The Talmud is the central text of rabinnic Judaism, consisting of laws, stories, and discussions.
(11:52) Kavanah – כונה – means intention.
(14:38) Follow along with the Hanukkah blessings here:
ברוך אתה יי, אלהינו מלך העולם, אשר קידשנו במצוותיו, וציוונו להדליק נר של חנוכה.
Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu Melech HaOlam asher kidshanu bemitzvotav vetzivanu lahadleek ner shell Hannukah.
We experience your blessing Holy One of all time and space through this opportunity for holiness through mitzvot, which you have given us lighting the Hanukkah candles. (Eliana’s translation)
(15:03)
.ברוך אתה יי, אלהינו מלך העולם, שעשה נסים לאבותינו, בימים ההם בזמן הזה.
Baruch atta Adonai Eloheinu Melech HaOlam, sheasa neeseem la’avoteinu byamim hahem bazman haze.
We experience your blessing Holy One of all time and space source of miracles for our ancestors in those days at this time. (Eliana’s translation)
(15:29)
.ברוך אתה יי, אלהינו מלך העולם, שהחיינו, וקיימנו, והגיענו לזמן הזה.
Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu Melech HaOlam, shehecheyanu, vekeeyenamu, veheegiyanu lazman hazeh.
We experienced your blessing, Holy One of all time and space through being present in the sacred time.
(16:13) The disagreement between Hillel and Shammai about how to light Hanukkah candles is a very famous one in our tradition. Learn more here.
(16:26) Shamash – שמש – is the helper candle. We light this candle first then use it to light all the others.
(17:53) Beit Hillel – בית הלל – the House of Hillel. Back in the time of the Talmud, prominent Torah scholars had students who followed their teachings. These were known as houses.
(18:52) The rabbis of the Talmud argued with each other about the best way to observe a ritual Jewish life. But these arguments were l’shem shamayim – לשם שמיים – for the sake of Heaven. Meaning, they argued passionately and respectfully about the best way to observe mitzvot, not just arguing for the sake of argument.
(19:44)
Maoz tzur y’shuati l’cha naeh l’shabeach Tikon beit t’filati v’sham todah n’zabeach. L’eit tachin matbeach mitzar hamnabeach. Az egmor b’shir mizmor chanukat hamizbeach. Az egmor b’shir mizmor chanukat hamizbeach.
מָעוֹז צוּר יְשׁוּעָתִי לְךָ נָאֶה לְשַׁבֵּח תִּכּוֹן בֵּית תְּפִלָּתִי וְשָׁם תּוֹדָה נְזַבֵּחַ. לְעֵת תָּכִין מַטְבֵּחַ מִצָּר הַמְנַבֵּחַ. אָז אֶגְמוֹר בְּשִׁיר מִזְמוֹר חֲנֻכַּת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ.
Rock of Ages let our song, Praise thy saving power; Thou amidst the raging foes, Vast our sheltering tower. Furiously they assailed us, But Thine arm availed us And Thy word broke their sword, When our own strength failed us. And Thy word broke their sword, When our own strength failed us. (Translation from My Jewish Learning)
(19:46)
הַנֵּרוֹת הַלָּלוּ שֶׁאָנוּ מַדְלִיקִין, עַל הַנִּסִּים וְעַל הַנִּפְלָאוֹת וְעַל הַתְּשׁוּעוֹת וְעַל הַמִּלְחָמוֹת, שֶׁעָשִׂיתָ לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה, עַל יְדֵי כֹּהֲנֶיךָ הַקְּדוֹשִׁים. וְכָל שְׁמוֹנַת יְמֵי הַחֲנֻכָּה הַנֵּרוֹת הַלָּלוּ קֹדֶשׁ הֵם וְאֵין לָנוּ רְשׁוּת לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהֶם, אֶלָּא לִרְאוֹתָם בִּלְבָד, כְּדֵי לְהוֹדוֹת וּלְהַלֵּל לְשִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל עַל נִסֶּיךָ וְעַל נִפְלְאוֹתֶיךָ וְעַל יְשׁוּעָתֶךָ.
Haneirot hallalu anachnu madlikin, al hanisim ve’al haniflaot ve’al hateshuot veal hamilchamot. Sheasita lavoteinu bayim hahem bazman hazeh. Al yedei cohanecha hakedoshim. Vechol shmonat yemei hachanukah haneirot hallalu kodesh hem ve’ain lahem reshut lehishtamesh bahem, ela lirotam bilvad, cedei lehodot u’lehalel leshimcha hagadol al nisecha ve’al niflotecha ve’al yeshuatecha.
We kindle these lights on account of the miracles, the deliverances and the wonders which thou didst work for our fathers, by means of thy holy priests. During all the eight days of Chanukah these lights are sacred, neither is it permitted us to make any profane use of them; but we are only to look at them, in order that we may give thanks unto thy name for thy miracles, thy deliverances and thy wonders. (Translation from Sefaria)
(21:01) On Hanukkah and Purim, we insert an additional section praising G!D for miracles into our Amidah:
עַל הַנִּסִּים וְעַל הַפֻּרְקָן וְעַל הַגְּ֒בוּרוֹת וְעַל הַתְּ֒שׁוּעוֹת וְעַל הַמִּלְחָמוֹת שֶׁעָשִֽׂיתָ לַאֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם בִּזְּ֒מַן הַזֶּה:
Al hanisim ve’al hapurkan ve’al hagvurot ve’al hatshuot ve’al hamilchamot sheasita lavoteinu bayamim hahem bazman hazeh.
[We thank You] for the miracles, for the redemption, for the mighty deeds, for the deliverances and for the wars that You performed for our fathers in those days at this time. (Translation based on Sefaria)
(21:36)
עַל הַנִּסִּים וְעַל הַפֻּרְקָן וְעַל הַגְּ֒בוּרוֹת וְעַל הַתְּ֒שׁוּעוֹת וְעַל הַמִּלְחָמוֹת שֶׁעָשִֽׂיתָ לַאֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם ובִּזְּ֒מַן הַזֶּה:
Al hanisim ve’al hapurkan ve’al hagvurot ve’al hatshuot ve’al hamilchamot sheasita lavoteinu bayamim hahem u’bazman hazeh.
[We thank You] for the miracles, for the redemption, for the mighty deeds, for the deliverances and for the wars that You performed for our fathers in those days and at this time. (Translation based on Sefaria)
(22:51) You can find Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel’s book A Life of Radical Amazement here.
(23:04) Birkot HaShachar – ברכות השחר – is a set of blessings we say upon waking up. Learn more here.
(23:07) Nisim bechol yom – ניסים בכל יום – the miracles that happen every day.
(24:25) Milchama – מלחמה – war
Milchamot – מלחמות – wars
(24:28) Nechama – נחמה – comforting moment
Nechamot – נחמות – comforting moments
(25:28) Piyut – פיות – poem
(27:30) The Jastrow dictionary is a comprehensive dictionary of Talmudic terms. You can find it here.
(28:04) You can find the full Maoz Tzur here.
(28:08) The Conservative Yeshiva is an egalitarian learning center in Jerusalem. You can learn more here.
(30:41) Ashkenazi Jews originate from Germany and North France; Sephardic Jews originate from Iberia and the Spanish diaspora. Learn more here.
(30:55) Havdalah is a ceremony on Saturday nights, in which we say goodbye to Shabbat and welcome the new week. You can find the Sephardic version of Havdalah here.
(31:07) Hatzlacha – הצלחה – success.
(34:58) Dreidels are spinning tops we play with during this holiday. They have four sides, each with a different letter: נ (nun) for נס – nes, ג (gimmel) for גדול – gadol, ה (hey) for היה – haya, and ש (shin) for שם – sham. This acronym means “a great miracle happened there.”
(35:07) In Israel, dreidels read נ (nun) for נס – nes, ג (gimmel) for גדול – gadol, ה (hey) for היה – haya, and פ (pey) for פה (poh), here, meaning “a great miracle happened here.”
(35:40)
מִי כָמֹֽכָה בָּאֵלִם יְהֹוָה מִי כָּמֹֽכָה נֶאְדָּר בַּקֹּֽדֶשׁ נוֹרָא תְהִלֹּת עֹֽשֵׂה פֶֽלֶא:
Mi chamocha baelim Adonai mi chamocha nedar bakodesh norah tehilot oseh feleh.
Who is like You among the mighty, Adonai! Who is like You— [You are] adorned in holiness, awesome in praise, performing wonders! (Translation from Sefaria)
The first letters together spell מכבי – Maccabi – the heroes of the Hanukkah story.
(36:24) Mi y’malel – מי ימלל – is another traditional Hanukkah song celebrating the miracle of the holiday.
(36:32) Learn more about the haftarah for Shabbat Hanukkah here.
(36:47) You can find Debbie Friedman’s album Miracles & Wonders here.
(38:12) You can find Cantor Baruch Cohon’s Haneirot Hallalu here.
(38:56) You can find Benedetto Marcello’s Maoz Tzur here.
(39:12) You can find Rabbi Josh Washawsky’s Haneirot Hallalu here.