I am not a Jew and I own a menorah. It is an heirloom that was once owned by my great grandmother who was Jewish. I do not light candles, but I display it along with other beautiful religious pieces as a work of art. If anyone were offended I would probably put it away somewhere. For someone who is totally nonreligious, I have a ton of religious “art”.
you mentioned lutheran. there is the advent candle tradition as well as the swedish st. lucia tradition.
perhaps y’all could add those traditions into your household?
Was it your maternal great grandmother or your paternal one?
maternal
I can’t really speak to the OP since IANAJ, but I have my own menorah and will be able to recite both traditional blessings from memory here in a couple-three days (always takes a few days to pick it up again after a year, doncha know). Half of my family is (not terribly observant) Jewish and we do Chanukah every year. Sometimes we invite close friends over, too.
I have two questions. First, I’ve never heard the part about lighting the menorah where people passing by can see. Second, I’m curious about why the blessings say that G-d commanded the candle-lighting if, as you say, rabbis established the holiday. I’ve tried some Googling, but most of the websites I’m finding are ‘Chanukah-lite’, i.e., very basic info about the holiday. Where can I look up more? We’ve got a Tanakh - would it be in there and, if so, where?
Thanks much!
P.S. I want a Menorahsaurus!
Hm. I have no answers, but I’m also going to jump in with a question -
I, for some reason, find myself believing that Hanukkah is (originally) an extremely minor holiday in the Jewish religion (which is apparently a totally different animal than the Jewish culture). I believe that I heard this from the rabbi of the synagogue I went to. However, he was also the same rabbi who told us (as a teacher, to his students, in class) that all Arabs were evil and we should pray that the IDF rid Israel of most of them. :rolleyes: :smack:
Anyway - is this true? Has it’s placement more or less around Christmas turned a molehill into a mountain?
Yeah. It’s a nice holiday but not one of the bigs like Yom Kippur or such.
But it’s proximity to another, more culturally assertive holiday (at least in the US) gives it weight that it normally wouldn’t have.
Does that mean children get presents?
I went to the outdoor menorah again tonight because not many folks have been showing up. One of the kids asked the Lubavitch Rabbi if he could have a dollar when he was given a half dollar Channukah gelt.
While I have you here, is a wig OK for Chasidic wife? There were little boys in kippas and tsit tsit, little girls in long dresses, lots of bare headed Mothers.
Yep. It’s all in the second half of Daniel and the books of the Maccabees. The author of Daniel describes the events three times; I suggest reading chapter 11 as that is the chapter that gives a detailed history without any apocalyptic symbolism. The Maccabees are in the Apocraphya, so you might need to find yourself another Bible, depending on your exact religion/denomination.
It’s also in books 12 and 13 of Josephus’s Antiquities, which tends to use less veiled language than Daniel, and covers a wider scope than Maccabees.
Here’s how Josephus explains the origins of Hannukah, btw…
Was she your mother’s mother’s mother? Because if that’s the case, then maybe you might be able to actually use that menorah.
If your question is whether or not Jewish children get gifts for Hanukkah, I can say from experience: Yes. My parents, in fact, shipped me a box of (basically cheap worthless) gifts. One for each night. Which I’m not going to complain about.
No, I was just joking that we give children gifts because Christian children get presents on Christmas.
Just chiming back in to say thanks, all, for your responses, history, and cites. I’ve already learned a lot.
It won’t be in a Tanach (a Jewish Bible,) although I think it’s in the Christian Old Testament. (I’m not quite clear on which of the Catholic or Protestant Old Testaments include Maccabees and the extra chapters of Daniel, but I think it’s only one of them.) I’m not the person to ask about why the phrasing of the blessings is what it is - perhaps Zev or Chaim could help out.
Yup, wigs are fine. It depends on the Hasidic sect (some actually put hats on top of fairly fake-looking wigs, some wear realistic wigs) but overall, most Hasidic married women are wearing wigs. Lubavitch ones (the women who were presumably at the menorah lighting) would probably be wearing more realistic ones, no hats.
Protesants only include the same books that are in a Tanach. Roman Catholics include most of the Apocrypha, and I believe Orthodox include even more, but that could be reversed. Anyway, the best is to go look for a Bible that specificially says that it includes the Apocrypha. As long as you’re at it, I suggest a study Bible using an NRSV translation, such as the Harper-Collins Study Bible with Apocrypha.
There’s a whole slew of early Christian writings out there as well, some of which makes it into bibles with the Apocrypha.
That is, actually, the whole reason that we light the menorah to begin with - to publicize the miracle. If no one can see it, it defeats the purpose.
The Rabbis have the authority to establish “rabbinic commandments.” In fact, seven such commandments are currently in place. Those seven are:
- Reciting a blessing before eating food
- Washing one’s hands before eating bread
- Lighting candles for Shabbos and holidays (not Channukah)
- Celebrating Purim
- Celebrating Channukah
- The laws of the Eruv
- Reciting Hallel (Psalms 113-118) during morning prayers on holidays, Channukah and Rosh Chodesh (the start of the new month - a minor holiday)
When one performs any of these commandments s/he recites a blessing which includes the standard formula “…who has sanctified with his commandments and commanded us to [fill in name of the commandment]” (except the first one - one does not make a blessing on a blessing).
The reason we say this blessing even though these commandments are not among the 613 given in the Torah is because we are commanded to listen to the Sages when they institute new legislation.
Zev Steinhardt
I guess I’ll need to add a new Bible to my collection, I don’t think I own one with the Apocrypha. Thanks to all for the advice!
I’d never realized that part, but I guess it would explain the Chanukah lights in the window. (We don’t have anywhere that a burning-candle-filled Chanukiyah could safely be placed for public viewing, but we do have electric candles that go in the window each night when we light candles.)
Got it. I’ve noticed the consistency of phrasing in various rituals, but didn’t know what it was about. Thanks very much for the explanations.
zev, do Orthodox generally do one Chanukiyah for the family, or does everyone get their own? I ask because I usually only see one largish one in pictures, but other people posting here talk about one per person like we do - but it seems like it’s the less traditional folks. (I had always figured our method wasn’t common/traditional, but just something we did.)
It is quite something on the last night, with all candles lit on all of them, though. It’s definitely visible from the street, although a passerby might not be able to tell just what it was. ;j
Heh. I feel whooshed.
Actually, why do Jews give gifts for Hannukah? I mean, isn’t it all about oil?
bites lip and runs away from getting political