By Rabbi Haim Ovadia

Hanukkah and Positive Psychology

Hanukkah is the holiday of miracles. One last jug of oil was found in the Temple, it was enough to light the Menorah for eight days, and a small group of religious, pious men, were able to defeat the mighty armies of the Greek empire. I believe, however, that the true miracle of Hanukkah is that people were willing to rise against the oppressor, which was not really an oppressor. The Greeks had a wonderful culture, steeped in literature, philosophy, and aesthetics. Alexander the Great did not believe in the burned soil tactic and strove to maintain the practices and traditions of the communities in the vast territories he has conquered, perhaps taking a page from the Persian Empire’s book.

The Jews, like other nations in the region, had no apparent reason to rebel against the Greek rule, except that they were not like any other nation. As Paul Johnson explains in his History of the Jewish People, the Greeks never bothered to learn Hebrew or understand the local culture, which in their eyes was inferior and primitive. The Jews, however, had a rich trove of biblical texts, contemporary teachings, and wisdom literature. The eventual clash between Greeks and Jews was about ideology. We tend to think that this ideological battle was between monotheism and paganism, but there is something deeper here, an essence of Judaism which we feel and enjoy on a subconscious level, without fully understanding why it does us good.

In 1943, psychologist Abraham Maslow presented his theory of the Hierarchy of Human Needs. Simply presented, those needs are:

1. Food, water, warmth, sleep, shelter.
2. Security, safety, stability.
3. Love and Belonging
4. Esteem – the need to be competent and recognized.
5. Need for Self-actualization.

The theory was first embraced with enthusiasm, then criticized for lack of empirical data, and then partially restored to its original status. Scholars agree that Maslow was right in his understanding that there are universal human needs and that fulfilling or achieving them grants us happiness. I think that what Maslow understood both intuitively and through research is the secret and power of Judaism. Let us see how those needs are answered by the teachings of the Tanakh.

Food, water, warmth, sleep

The Torah created an extensive system of social justice, meant to ensure that no one would be hungry or homeless. Isaiah emphasizes this message when he speaks of the truly righteous (58:7): “Share your bread with the poor, and bring the destitute into your home, when you see one who lacks clothes, give him cover, for you cannot ignore your own flesh.” Most importantly, God Himself is described as “the mighty and revered, who loves the sojourner and provides him with food and clothes” (Deut. 10:17-18).

Security, safety, stability

Safety stems from trust. We need to trust other humans to create a safe and stable society physically, financially, and emotionally. The Torah considers trust to be such an essential element, that it mentions it twice in the Ten Commandments: Do not utter God’s name in vein, and do not bear false testimony. In Psalm 15, the author answers the question: “who will dwell in the House of God?” by describing a person who is honest and trustworthy. Psychologists^[1] agree that one of the essential roles of an omniscient God is to ensure honest behavior and prevent corruption.

Love and Belonging

“Love others as you love yourself,” this is the golden rule which teaches us that we should be in the company of others and love them. In the Ten Commandments, two segments are dedicated to family life. The obvious one is “honor your father and mother”, but Shabbat also revolves around the family and the people in the extended household: “you, your son and daughter, your servants, and the sojourner at your gates.” The Founding Fathers of Judaism are indeed Fathers and Mothers, and the stories of Genesis still come alive around our Shabbat table today, thousands of years later. We analyze and debate family ties, sibling rivalry, and ideal parenting, making the founders of our faith part and parcel of our historical family. Throughout the ages, Jews persevered through exile and persecutions thanks to the amazing structure of the mobile and modular community. Wherever Jews wandered to, the first thing they did was create a community, get a minyan, establish charity funds, schools, and mutual help organizations, thus giving locals, visitors, and exiles, a sense of belonging.

Esteem – the need to be competent and recognized

This is the hidden, yet most important element of the golden rule: “Love others as you love yourself!” You must love yourself to love others.

It is also the unwritten role of parents to assist in building the self-esteem of their children. Admittedly, it is not an easy task, and at times parents confuse nurturing the child’s talents and abilities with living vicariously through him and forcing him to follow the path they chose for him. It is easier, however, to achieve that goal within the framework of Judaism for two reasons: a) Parents must follow the laws of the Torah and therefore provide their children with physical needs, safety, and a loving and supportive environment, which are essential for the sense of security, belonging, and self-esteem. b) Holidays and religious celebrations are dedicated to the family and to the narratives of the bible, especially the Exodus and redemption, in which we are all capable players entrusted with the covenant and with a mission.

With these stories and in such an environment, a child is encouraged, even if only subconsciously, to find the greatness in him, to emulate and identify with one of the many biblical heroes, and to become part of the Jewish experience. And let us not forget the amazing educational advice in proverbs (22:6), which alludes to Hanukkah: “Educate [חנוך] your child according to his talents, and it will guide him till old age.”

Need for Self-actualization

This part takes us back to Paul Johnson and his History of the Jewish People. Johnson convincingly argues that the Torah and the Jews introduced the idea of history to the ancient world. Other mythologies and cultures moved in circles of destruction, in which humans competed and fought with gods and with each other, believing that the human race will be eventually wiped out by an apocalypse such as Ragnarök or Armageddon. By contrast, Judaism presented a worldview with a direction.

The Torah opens with a mythical, ideal, paradise which was lost and must be reclaimed. It continues with the struggle of individuals and the nation to maintain a covenant with God, a covenant whose purpose is to bring peace and harmony to the world. In the words of Isaiah (2:3-4): “… nations will come and say, “Come, let us go… to the house of the God of Jacob”… they will hammer their swords into plowshares… nations will not lift up a sword against another nation, and they shall learn war no more.”

Throughout the ages, this overarching goal has driven Jews, even those who did not see themselves as observant or traditional, to spearhead political revolutions and scientific breakthroughs. Their quest and ours for self-actualization and a sense of purpose is assisted by the deep wisdom of biblical books such as Job, Psalms, and Ecclesiastes.

The brave Maccabees who took up arms against the Greek oppressors might not have been familiar with Maslow’s theory, but they knew it intuitively, and understood that the Torah gives them what no other culture could. The miracle of Hanukkah is that we, their descendants, continue their legacy and keep working together to make this world a better place.

May the light of Hanukkah drive away the darkness in mankind and bring us a step closer to redemption.

ימי חנוכה לשמחה

Can Holiness be Manmade?

In recent decades, we have witnessed an interesting trend in the study and interpretation of Jewish texts, which is not necessarily parallel to practical observance of Judaism. On one hand, there are those who focus on the intellectual and logical analysis of texts, and on the other, there is a growing interest in learning Kabbalistic texts and mystical traditions. The two camps have their subdivisions of practical observance. Some rationalists practice only what they find logical, while others observe every little detail, even if seems meaningless, because they believe they must obey the masters of previous generations. Similarly, among the mystics there are those who observe every detail and infuse it with mystical meaning, and those who choose to follow only what convenes them, while substituting practical observance of the rest with abstract meditation.

This oscillation between cold logic and mystical flames, between detailed laws and personal, emotional narrative, is not a new phenomenon. The legal codification of the Mishnah was followed by an outburst of Midrashic and esoteric activity, Maimonides’ Mishneh Torah and his focus on philosophy and logic were followed by hundreds of years of Kabbalistic literature, and the obsession of European Jews with the intricacies of Talmudic logic gave birth to the Hassidic movement. Those movements reflect the dichotomy of human nature. We want to be planted in reality, have a clear vision of what we need to do, and define how we must do it at every moment, but we also want to feel excited, elevated, and intrigued.

With that in mind, I would like to address the question of the holiness of Hanukkah in particular, and that of Jewish holidays in general.

Is Hanukkah Holy?

The first source to mention the concept of holiness regarding Hanukkah is a third century discussion in the Talmud^[2]:

אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב אָסֵי: אָסוּר לְהַרְצוֹת מָעוֹת כְּנֶגֶד נֵר חֲנֻכָּה. כִּי אַמְרִיתַהּ קַמֵּהּ דִּשְׁמוּאֵל, אָמַר לִי: וְכִי נֵר קְדֻשָּׁה יֵשׁ בָּהּ

Rav Yehudah said in the name of Rav Asei: one is not allowed to count money using the light of the Hanukkah candle. [Rav Yehudah added:] when I said this to [my master] Shemuel, he told me: does the candle have holiness?

The Talmud concludes that one should not use the candles, not because they are holy, but rather because it would be disrespectful. It is interesting to note that almost five hundred years after the Maccabees established the celebration of Hanukkah, there was still a lack of clarity regarding the simple question of using the light of the Hanukkah candles.

The next source dealing with the concept of the Holiness of Hanukkah is found in Tractate Soferim^[3], written in the style of the Mishnah in eighth century Babylonia:

וְכָל שְׁמוֹנַת יְמֵי חֲנֻכָּה הַנֵּרוֹת הָאֵלּוּ קֹדֶשׁ, וְאֵין לָנוּ רְשׁוּת לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהֶן אֶלָּא לִרְאוֹתָן בִּלְבַד

All eight days of Hanukkah these candles are holy. We have no permission to use them, but to only see them.

This reference is very well-known today as it is part of הנרות הללו statement, recited after the lighting of the Hanukkiah.

Six hundred years are going to pass since that statement, the only one which refers to the candles as holy in the first millennium of Rabbinic literature, before we encounter another discussion of Hanukkah’s claim to holiness. This time, however, it is negative.

In a section of the Zohar known as Zohar Hadash, or New Zohar, the author speaks of the different holidays of the Jewish calendar:^[4]

וּמַאן אִינּוּן מוֹעֲדֵי ה’ אִלֵּין אִנּוּן חַג הַמַּצּוֹת וְחַג הַשָּׁבוּעוֹת וְחַג הַסֻּכּוֹת הֲרֵי תְּלָת. תְּלָת אוֹחֲרָנִין רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה חֲנֻכָּה פּוּרִים. תְּלָתָא מִנְּהוֹן אִיקְרוֹן מוֹעֲדֵי ה’ וְאִינּוּן מִקְרָאֵי קֹדֶשׁ. תְּלָתָא אַחֲרָנִין אִיקְרוֹן אֵלֶּה הֵם מוֹעֲדַי

Which are God’s appointed times?… three of them [Pesah, Shavuot, and Sukkot] are appointed times and are holy, three others [Rosh HaShana, Hanukkah, and Purim] are [only] appointed times.

The New Zohar clearly states that Hanukkah is not holy, though its inclusion of Rosh HaShanah with Hanukkah and Purim is intriguing.

In the twentieth century, Rabbi Moshe Feinstein continued this line of thought, and wrote that Hanukkah and Purim have no intrinsic holiness^[5]:

כְּמוֹ כֵן הוּא לַחֲנֻכָּה וּפוּרִים, שֶׁהֵן בְּעֶצֶם יְמֵי חוֹל בְּלֹא קְדֻשָּׁה

Hanukkah and Purim are regular weekdays without holiness

But already in sixteenth century Prague, Rabbi Yeshayah HaLevi Horowitz, aka the Shlah, starts speaking of Hanukkah’s holiness^[6]:

בְּעִנְיַן חֲנֻכָּה. בִּבְרָכוֹת, תְּכַוֵּן תְּחִלָּה, כִּי הַלֹּא יֵשׁ תּוֹסָפוֹת קְדֻשָּׁה יוֹתֵר מִבְּחוֹל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּשַׁבָּתוֹת וְיָמִים טוֹבִים וְרָאשֵׁי חֳדָשִׁים, רַק שֶׁאֵינוֹ דּוֹמֶה לָהֶם

Regarding Hanukkah: [you should] have intention in the blessings that there is greater holiness than a regular day, just as there is holiness on Shabbat, Holidays, and Rosh Hodesh, only that [Hanukkah] is not of the same level.

Holiness is Manmade

Following in the footsteps of the Shlah, the Hassidic movement created an explosion of mystical literature around Hanukkah, but before we go there, let us contemplate this question:

How many holidays, besides Shabbat, are listed in the Torah, and which of these holidays commemorates a specific date of a historical event?

The answer is that there are seven holidays: The first and last day of Pesah; Shavuot; Yom HaZikaron; Yom HaKippurim; First day of Sukkot; Shemini Atzeret. Of these holidays, the only one tied to a specific historical event is the first day of Pesah.

As it turns out, the Biblical calendar is not densely populated with Days of Holiness, and the few which are there, are arranged in two sets of seven days each. One is the seven-day week and its culmination on Shabbat, and the other is that of the holidays throughout the year. The full term the Torah uses to describe those seven days is מקראי קדש. The root קרא can be understood as “to declare”, “to name”, or “to congregate”, and the word קדש in biblical Hebrew literally means “set aside” or “distinguish”. It follows that when an object is set aside, access to it is limited or even forbidden, thus creating the concept of boundaries and holiness. Similarly, when a date is set apart by declaration, with a list of mandatory and forbidden activities, including gathering in a designated – קדוש place, that date becomes sacred.

Let us now travel from Torah to the Hassidic movement. In eighteenth century Poland, Rabbi Yitzhak Levy of Berditchev (1740-1810), one of the greatest Hassidic Masters, saw the Hebrew calendar differently^[7]. He writes in Kedushat Levy:

וְהֵנָּה הַנִּסִּים הַנִּסְתָּרִים נֶחְלְקוּ לִשְׁנֵי בְּחִינוֹת, בְּחִינָה אַחַת כְּמוֹ פּוּרִים, שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ עִלַּת כֹּל הָעִלּוֹת הוּא סוֹבֵב הַסִּבָּה בְּעַצְמוֹ וּבִכְבוֹדוֹ בְּלִי שׁוּם פְּעֻלָּה מֵהַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, עַד שֶׁהֵפֵר עֲצַת הָמָן הָרָשָׁע וְהֵשִׁיב לוֹ גְּמוּלוֹ בְּרֹאשׁוֹ וְהִצִּיל אוֹתָנוּ מִכַּף כֹּל הֶעָרִיצִים, וְהַתַּחְתּוֹנִים לֹא עָשׂוּ כְּלוּם שׁוּם פְּעֻלָּה… אֲבָל בַּחֲנֻכָּה עָשׂוּ תַּחְתּוֹנִים אֵיזֶה פְּעֻלָּה, כִּי חַשְׁמוֹנַאי וּבָנָיו נִלְחֲמוּ מִלְחֲמוֹת ה’ וְעָשׂוּ פְּעֻלָּה, רַק שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ עָשָׂה שֶׁלֹּא כְּדֶרֶךְ הַטֶּבַע וּמָסַר גִּבּוֹרִים בְּיַד חַלָּשִׁים כו’, אֲבָל הָיָה בְּאֵיזֶה סִיּוּעַ תַּחְתּוֹנִים. נִמְצָא הֵם שְׁלֹשָׁה מַדְרֵגוֹת. נֵס דִּיצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם הָיָה שִׁנּוּי טִבְעִית, וְהוּא נִקְרָא יוֹם, וְהוּא נֵס גָּדוֹל. וְקָטָן מִמִּצְרַיִם הוּא פּוּרִים, שֶׁהָיָה בְּטִבְעִית קְצָת, נֵס נִסְתָּר, וְהוּא נִקְרָא לַיְלָה כַּאֲשֶׁר כָּתַבְתִּי בְּשֵׁם אדומ”ו ז”ל, אֲבָל לֹא הָיוּ בְּסִיּוּעַ הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים. וְקָטָן מִפּוּרִים נֵס חֲנֻכָּה, שֶׁהָיָה נֵס נִסְתָּר וְגַם סִיּוּעַ מִתַּחְתּוֹנִים. לָכֵן אַחַר רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים וּשְׁמִינִי עֲצֶרֶת כַּאֲשֶׁר בֵּאַרְתִּי בַּדְּרוּשׁ דִּלְעֵיל, בַּתְּחִלָּה חֲנֻכָּה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ פּוּרִים, וְאַחַר כָּךְ פֶּסַח. כִּי מַעֲלִין בַּקֹּדֶשׁ וְלֹא מוֹרִידִין. כִּי אָנוּ מַמְשִׁיכִין הַהֶאָרָה שֶׁל הַנִּסִּים וְהַחֲסָדִים שֶׁל חֲנֻכָּה, שֶׁהֵמָּה אֵינָם כָּל כָּךְ גְּדוֹלִים, שֶׁהוּא נֵס נִסְתָּר בְּסִיּוּעַ הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים בְּמִלְחֲמוֹת חַשְׁמוֹנַאי וּבָנָיו, וְאַחַר כָּךְ מַעֲלִין בַּקֹּדֶשׁ וּמְקַבְּלִין הַהֶאָרָה מֵחֲסָדִים וּמִנִּסִּים דְּפוּרִים שֶׁהוּא נֵס נִסְתָּר אֲבָל לֹא הָיָה בּוֹ סִיּוּעַ תַּחְתּוֹנִים, שֶׁהֵמָּה יוֹתֵר גְּדוֹלִים מֵחֲנֻכָּה. וְאַחַר כָּךְ מַעֲלִין בַּקֹּדֶשׁ וּמְקַבְּלִין הַהֶאָרָה יוֹתֵר גְּדוֹלָה בְּנִסִּים וַחֲסָדִים דְּפֶסַח, שֶׁהָיָה בּוֹ נֵס נִגְלֶה שֶׁהוּא דּוֹמֶה לְיוֹם שֶׁמֵּאִיר לַכֹּל

The Berditchever Rebbe says that hidden miracles fall under one of two categories. One is that of Purim, where God, the Cause of all Causes, brought about everything Himself without any actions by humans^[8]… On Hanukkah, however, humans were somewhat involved, since Matityahu the Hasmonean and his sons fought the wars of God and took action. But it was God who, against nature, handed over the mighty to the wicked…

We find then three levels: the miracle of the Exodus… lesser than that is Purim… and even lesser is Hanukkah… therefore, after the holidays of Tishrei we have Hanukkah, then Purim, and finally Pesah. We draw the light of Hanukkah’s miracles to elevate ourselves to the level of Purim, and then use the light of Purim to prepare for Pesah…

The process, according to the Berditchever, moves in the opposite direction to the historical timeline. The Exodus, according to Jewish tradition, took place some 3,200 years ago, Purim happened around the fourth century BCE, and Hanukkah in the second century BCE. Would that mean that Jews were unable to properly prepare for Pesah for almost two thousand years? Perhaps the words of Rabbi Yitzhak Levy should not be taken literally.

Rabbi Yitzhak Levy’s younger contemporary, Rabbi Tzvi Elimelech Shapira of Deenov (1785-1841), writes in his famous work, Benei Yisakhar^[9]:

הֶאָרַת אוֹר חֲנֻכָּה הוּא מִבְּחִינַת אוֹר הַגָּנוּז… עַל כֵּן הִיא מִצְוָה שֶׁנִּרְמֶזֶת בַּתּוֹרָה בִּגְנִיזָה, וְכֵן בזוה”ק לֹא תִּמְצָא מְדַבְּרִים מֵעִנְיְנֵי נֵר חֲנֻכָּה רַק פַּעַם אֶחָד מֻזְכָּר שָׁם נֵר חֲנֻכָּה דֶּרֶךְ הַעֲבָרָה בְּעָלְמָא… וְקָרְאוּ לַיָּמִים הָאֵלֶּה חֲנֻכָּה שֶׁהוּא חִנּוּךְ לִגְאֻלָּה הָעֲתִידָה שֶׁיִּתְגַּלֶּה הָאוֹר הַגָּנוּז… וְהִנֵּה לְבַעֲבוּר זֶה הַדּוֹרוֹת שֶׁהֵן סְמוּכִין לִגְאֻלָּה הִתְחִילוּ חַכְמֵי הַדּוֹר לְדַבֵּר מֵעִנְיְנֵי הַמִּצְוָה הַזֹּאת מָה שֶׁלֹּא שִׁעֲרוּ הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, וְהוּא סוֹד כָּמוּס

The light of Hanukkah draws from the Hidden Light [the Midrash says that God hid the primeval light because it was too intense]… that is why the Torah only alludes to it. Even the Zohar never speaks of Hanukkah… these days were called Hanukkah [education, preparation] because they prepare us for the future redemption and the revelation of the Hidden Light… this is why in our generations, which are nearing the redemption, the rabbis started revealing [the light] of this Mitzvah, what has not been done by previous generations, and this is a deep secret…

Like the Rebbe of Berdicthev, Rabbi Shapira also perceives Hanukkah as having a mystical dimension, and he questions the thundering silence of the Zohar on Hanukkah. The Zohar should have been teeming with discussions around the deep secrets of Hanukkah, but it only mentions the holiday once. Rabbi Shapira found an original solution: Hanukkah represents the Hidden Light, and for that reason it was hidden in both the Torah and the Zohar. It is Rabbi Shapira’s generation who has the merit and mandate to reveal those hidden secrets, since the redemption is near, and with it the restoration of the Hidden Light.

Despite the obvious difficulty in this commentary, it offers hope and excitement, as the act of commenting and expounding on Hanukkah suggests the immediacy of the redemption.

We now turn to the Hassidic dynasty of Sanz, founded by Rabbi Haim Halberstam in 1830. His great grandson, Rabbi Yekutiel Yehudah Halberstam (1905-1994), who is also the descendant of Rabbi Shapira, survived the Holocaust and founded the Sanz-Kloysenburg Dynasty in Israel. He writes in his Divrei Yatziv^[10]:

וְזֶה הָעִנְיָן שֶׁיָּדוּעַ בַּסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים דִּגְמַר הַחוֹתָם הָוֵי בַּחֲנֻכָּה, כִּי הַחַשְׁמוֹנָאִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים הִמְשִׁיכוּ בְּחִינַת חַג הַסֻּכּוֹת וְהֶמְשֵׁךְ יָמִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים עַד אַחַר יְמֵי חֲנֻכָּה. וְכֵן בְּצַאנְז הָיָה סֵדֶר יְמֵי חֲנֻכָּה בְּדוֹמֶה לְחַג הַסֻּכּוֹת שֶׁהַתְּפִלּוֹת וַעֲרִיכַת הַשֻּׁלְחָנוֹת נִמְשְׁכוּ כִּמְעַט בִּרְצִיפוּת לַיְלָה וָיוֹם כֹּל הַח’ יָמִים

It is known from the holy books [i.e., Hassidic literature] that the end of the seal [of one’s verdict] is on Hanukkah, because the Holy Hasmoneans drew the essence of Sukkot and with its holiness imbued the following days until the end of Hanukkah. In Sanz, Hanukkah and Sukkot were celebrated similarly, with the prayers and meals going on, almost continuously, night and day for eight days…

At this point, the reader gets somewhat confused. What is the exact nature of the holiness of Hanukkah? Which days in our calendar are influenced by which? Is the verdict of Rosh HaShana not sealed until Hanukkah?

Those questions are answered by the Sanz dynasty founder, quoted by Rabbi Yisakhar Teichtel (1885-1944). Rabbi Teichtel belonged to the Anti-Zionist faction of Hungarian Hassidim, but during the Holocaust changed his worldview and preached for immigration to Israel. As he was wandering from town to town in Hungary, calling people to action, he was captured and murdered by the Nazis. Rabbi Teichtel writes in his Mishne Sakhir^[11]:

הֶאֱרִיךְ רַבֵּנוּ בַּעַל ‘דִּבְרֵי חַיִּים’ בְּאוֹרוֹ שֶׁל חֲנֻכָּה מָה הוּא מְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת בְּנֶפֶשׁ הַיִּשְׂרָאֵל, עַיֵּן שָׁם נִפְלָאוֹת. וּבְדַף ל”ג כָּתַב בְּזוֹ הַלָּשׁוֹן: אַךְ עִקַּר הַמִּצְוָה לְהַדְלִיק בְּהִתְלַהֲבוּת לְבָבוֹ אֶת רֹשֶׁם נִשְׁמָתוֹ, הֲגַם שֶׁהוּא מְעַט יוּכַל לְהִשְׁתַּלֵּם בְּקוֹמָה שְׁלֵמָה. וּבִתְחִלַּת דְּבָרָיו כָּתַב דִּקְדֻשַּׁת מִצְוָה זוֹ מֵאִיר עַד לְמַטָּה מַטָּה, וְגַם בִּמְקוֹם הַחִיצוֹנִיּוּת וְהַתַּאֲווֹת מֵאִיר אוֹר הַקָּדוֹשׁ לְכָל הָרוֹצֶה לִדָּבֵק בִּקְדֻשָּׁה, וְלֹא יֻכְלוּ הַחִיצוֹנִים וְיֵצֶר הָרַע לָקוּם נֶגֶד הַמְטַּהֵר וְהַמְּקַדֵּשׁ עַצְמוֹ, גַּם שֶׁהוּא שׁוֹכֵן בְּתוֹךְ מָקוֹם הַזֶּה

Our master, the Divrei Haim [Rabbi Haim Halberstam of Sanz] wrote in length how the light of Hanukkah influences the Israelite soul… he wrote that the essence of the Mitzvah is to light a blaze of excitement in one’s soul, even if he is not of the greatest spiritual stature. He also wrote that the sanctity of this Mitzvah shines all the way to the lowest places, and even in a place of external and carnal forces the holy light shines for those who want to cling to it…

This statement brings us to another question: If one lost the count of days and does not know which day is Shabbat, what should he do? Maimonides^[12] combines two opinions in the Talmud to say that he should create his own seven-day cycle. The survivor on a desert island should designate the seventh day of that cycle as Shabbat and consider each day potentially as Shabbat and therefore do only what is essential for survival.

We see that if one forgot which day is Shabbat, it is not enough to limit his activities every day. He must also choose one day and designate it as Shabbat so he will be able to imbue that day with special meaning and uniqueness, thus sanctifying it.

This, I believe, is the message of the Hassidic teachings brought here: The days of Hanukkah have no intrinsic sanctity and are rather invested anew in each generation with the cumulative knowledge and history of our ancestors. There is reciprocity of growth as with each passing year we find greater meaning in our designated days, and in turn they influence us more deeply in the following year.

This also explains the scarcity of Holy Days in the Torah and the fact that only one of them is tied to a historical date. This was the initial calendar and it kept evolving alongside our history. Each and every day can become unique and distinct. If it is in a positive way, it will be sacred and holy, and even if its uniqueness stems from tragedy, it could be used as an incentive to restore life and bring about a better future.

In retrospect, we can see how the sanctity invested in Hanukkah by all generations came back to shine upon us and encourage us, as a nation, to rebuild our world after the terrors of the Holocaust, to fight for and to gain independence, and to continue to work for Tikkun Olam.

Is Hanukkah Ashkenazi?

We are blessed with an abundance of customs and traditions, reflecting the diverse cultural and geographical background of our wandering nation. On Hanukkah, however, especially in America, it seems that all customs are Ashkenazi. Dreidel, Hanukkah gelt, dairy food, and latkes, have become the symbols of the holiday, right alongside the candles. Even the music associated with Hanukkah is more Ashkenazi than Sephardic. Besides Maoz Tzur, which seems to be the only liturgical piece written for Hanukkah, all the children’s songs have a Western European feel to them.

There are indeed very few traditional Hanukkah songs, and this is true regarding both Ashkenazi and Sephardic tradition. Unlike Shabbat for which hundreds of liturgical poems were written, there is only one poem for Hanukkah which is widely used today. That poem, Maoz Tzur, was written by Rabbi Mordechai ben Hillel who lived in Germany in the 13th century, and the his lyrics reflect the horrors of the crusades which he has witnessed. The tune was borrowed from a popular German folk song or from religious hymns, and it is sung today in all traditions, Sephardic and Ashkenazi. It is a symbol of the unity and love we aspire to have among all Jews.

Syrian Jews sing the poem היכלו היכלו, written by Rabbi Raphael Antebi Tabbush (d. 1918), and Iraqi Jews sing יה הצל יונה מחכה, written by an author whose only first name, Yehudah, is known.

The Ladino song Ocho Kandelikas was written and composed in 1983 by Flory Jagoda, who explained that she wrote the song to fill the void in the Sephardic tradition.

The dearth of liturgical songs for Hanukkah is intriguing. Maybe it was a result of reciting Hallel daily, or maybe Jews in diaspora were reluctant to write songs celebrating military victory. Be it as it may, it is true that Hanukkah was celebrated differently in most Sephardic communities, because they did not have to compete with the menacing and tempting presence of Christmas.

In conversations with Sephardic friends, I found out that like me, their childhood Hanukkah memories did not include money or gifts. They would get a gift here and there, but never felt deprived if they did not get any, since the essence of the holiday was about gathering around the Hanukkiah, singing, and eating a festive meal. Today, however, all over the world, Sephardim and Ashkenazim alike have pretty much adopted the idea of exchanging gifts on Hanukkah. Even among observant Jews who pride themselves for eschewing anything which smells of a different religion or culture, you can find neatly wrapped gifts for each day, windows decorated with decals, and Secret Maccabee games, sometimes played with the help of the Elf on the Shelf website.

So, how did Hanukkah become a holiday with practices resembling those of Christmas? Hanukkah is about a cultural war between the Syrian Greeks and the Jews and is in essence a Mediterranean story, but with time, the wandering Jews have adopted some of the non-Jewish customs surrounding them. In the United States, the ubiquity of Christmas decorations, music, and paraphernalia makes it exceedingly difficult for even the most isolated and insulated Jews to celebrate Hanukkah, its neighbor on the calendar, free of influence.

American Jews, including the most orthodox, deck the halls for Hanukkah. Gifts are given or exchanged, wrapped in Hanukkah-themed paper, large Hanukkiahs are lit in central places, and electric ones pop up on cars, much like Rudolph’s antlers. One cannot escape the feeling that we are trapped in a race of “who’s holiday is better” instead of investing in the deeper meaning of Hanukkah.

The History of the Dreidel

Let us turn our attention to that innocent children’s toy, the dreidel, and to its tumultuous history.

Rabbi Yair Haim Bacharach (1638-1702) mentions an ancient practice, possibly established by guilt-ridden survivors of European persecutions, to avoid playing games all year, except for Hanukkah. Playing, of course, refers to gambling, but the survivors’ guilt and their fear of divine retribution pushed them to extend the practice to all types of relaxation and even laughter. Rabbi Bacharach, however, was not happy with the practice of limiting playing to Hanukkah only, because it sanctions levity on Hanukkah^[13]:

וּנְהִירְנָא כַּד הֲוֵינָא טַלְיָא, נִמְנוּ וְרַבּוּ בַּעֲלֵי תַּקָּנוֹת וּבְרֹאשָׁם אֲדֹנִי אֲבִי, הַגָּאוֹן מוהרר”ש זצ”ל לְשַׁנּוֹת מִנְהָג קָדוּם הַנָּהוּג שֶׁלֹּא לִשְׂחֹק כָּל הַשָּׁנָה רַק בִּימֵי חֲנֻכָּה. וְהֵרַע בְּעֵינַי אֲדֹנִי אֲבִי הֶחָסִיד שֶׁיִּהְיוּ יְמֵי נֵס הַקְּבוּעִים לְהוֹדוֹת וּלְהַלֵּל מְיֻחָדִים לִשְׂחֹק וְקַלּוּת, וּבִקֵּשׁ לְאָסְרָם וְלִקְבֹּעַ תַּחְתֵּיהֶם שְׁמוֹנָה יְמֵי אֵידָם, שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶם בִּטּוּל מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן שֶׁבְּנֵי אָדָם נִשְׁאָרִים בְּבָתֵּיהֶם. וְלֹא עָלְתָה בְּיָדוֹ כִּי לֹא הִסְכִּימוּ לְשַׁנּוֹת מִנְהָג

He writes that he remembers that in his childhood his father, Rabbi Shimshon Bacharach, convened several rabbis in order to cancel the practice which allowed playing only on Hanukkah. He was bothered by the designation of the miraculous days, in which one is supposed to thank and praise God, as days of games and levity. Most interestingly, since the elder Rabbi Bacharach knew that he will not be able to uproot the practice completely, he suggested a substitute: the eight days between Christmas and New Year. His reasoning was that people anyway stay home during those days [for fear of drunken and incited mobs], so there is no concern about missing work. His attempts failed because לא הסכימו לשנות מנהג – the rabbis did not agree to change the Minhag, a phenomenon well known to anyone who ever visited a synagogue.

Rabbi Yaakov ben Tzvi of Emden, better known as the Yaavetz, who was born five years before rabbi Bacharach passed away (1697-1776), praises himself for delving into Halachic texts while his peers were throwing lavish parties, drinking, and gambling. In his flowery and enigmatic introduction to the laws of Hanukkah, he harshly rebukes his peers^[14]:

בְּיוֹמֵי דַּחֲנֻכָּה, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁזּוּלָתִי מִבְּנֵי גִּילִי הָיוּ עֲסוּקִים עָרֹךְ הַשֻּׁלְחָן צָפֹה הַצָּפִית, מְנוֹרַת שָׁוְא כֻּלָּהּ, לִמְשֹׁךְ בְּיַיִן אֶת בְּשָׂרָם, לִשְׂחֹק שְׁקָאקִי דַאמֶען קָרְטִין, בֵּי רָוֵי מַשְׁכַּח שְׁכִיחֵי. כִּי הֲווֹ בֵּי מַר שְׁמוּאֵל בְּאִסְקוּנְדְּרֵי אִטַּלַּלוּ, בְּנֶרְדָּשִׁיד וְגֻרְיָתָא עוֹשִׂים לֶחֶם כְּזָבִים לְהִתְעַלֵּס בַּאֲהָבִים, בַּיָּמִים הַמְקֻדָּשִׁים לְאוֹת וּלְמוֹפֵת בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, לִזְכֹּר חַסְדֵי ה’ עָלֵינוּ וְעַל אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, בַּעֲשׂוֹתוֹ נוֹרָאוֹת לְעַמּוֹ חָשַׂף ה’ אֶת זְרוֹעַ קָדְשׁוֹ לְעֵינֵי הָעַמִּים, וְחַיָּבִים אָנוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת זֵכֶר לְנִפְלְאוֹתָיו. וּבַמָּה אֲקַדֵּם ה’ כִּי אִם בַּחֲקִירַת עֹמֶק דַּעַת חז”ל הַקְּדוֹשִׁים, אֲשֶׁר לֹא לָרִיק יָגְעוּ בְּדִינֵי הֲלָכוֹת אֵלּוּ לְקַיֵּם הַמִּצְוָה כְּמַאֲמָרָהּ כְּמִשְׁפָּטָהּ וְנָתַתִּי אֶת לִבִּי לְהַדְלִיק נֵר מִצְוָה זוֹ, לְהָאִיר בִּמְבוֹאוֹת הָאֲפֵלוֹת בִּלְשׁוֹנוֹת הַפּוֹסְקִים וּלְהוֹסִיף אוֹרָה בְּמַחְשַׁכֵּי מַהַלְכֵי הַמְּחַבְּרִים. וְעַל ה’ אַשְׁלִיךְ יַהַב, לְזֹאת קָרָאתִי בְּשֵׁם הַקֻּנְדְּרֵס הַלָּז מְנוֹרַת זָהָב

During the days of Hanukkah, my peers were busy with setting tables and putting covers^[15], lighting a candelabra of vanity^[16], indulging their flesh with wine, playing chess, checkers, and cards. They frequented the drinking houses instead of the house of Torah^[17], gambling^[18], playing games [with friends] and pets [lit. small female dogs^[19]]. They bake bread of deception and engage in flirting, during those days which are consecrated as days of miracles and signs… I therefore decided to light the candle of this Mitzvah…

The picture painted by the Yaavetz is startling. Writing shortly after Rabbi Bacharach lashed out against the erosion in the status of Hanukkah, he describes a society plagued with hedonism and callousness. It is possible that this type of behavior took place only during Hanukkah, but it is hard to imagine that after eight days of wild parties everything went back to normality without leaving any residue. Yaavetz’s report also undermines the nostalgic notion of the Old Country and Old Times, where everyone was fervently orthodox.

It turns out that with all the criticism and nostalgia, we are maybe doing a better job than orthodox Jews in 18^th century Europe. Whereas rabbis in the past complained about gambling on Hanukkah, of which dreidels were an integral part, today’s dreidels are an innocent children’s toy, and they provide families an opportunity to spend quality time together. This teaches us that any practice could be turned into a positive one, provided that it is not done to mimic others, and that we invest it with a unique and inspiring narrative.

The Importance of Play

Let us return to the reality described by Rabbi Bacharach and the Yaavetz. The persecutions and massacres of Jews in Europe resulted in a custom of avoiding acts of excessive joy year-round, with the exception of Hanukkah. The year-long abstinence created bottled-in energy which found its outlet on Hanukkah, and led to wild parties, gambling, and temporary decline in Torah learning. Several rabbis tried to fight the phenomenon, and one even suggested moving “Joy Season” to the eight days between Christmas and New Year’s Day, but they have failed. We now move from Western Europe to Poland and to one of the luminaries of Hassidut, Rabbi Levy Yitzchak of Berdychiv (1740-1810), who writes in his Qedushat Levy^[20]:

מֵהָרָאוּי לְכָל אֶחָד אֲשֶׁר בְּשֵׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל יְכֻנֶּה, לָשׂוּם בְּשִׂכְלוֹ לְהַתְמִיד בְּתוֹרָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, כִּי הֵם יָמִים רְאוּיִים לְכָךְ, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁבְּכָל חֲנֻכָּה הֵחֵל לְהָאִיר עָלֵינוּ הֶאָרָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ מִתּוֹרָתוֹ, וְלֹא לֵילֵךְ בְּקוֹל מְשַׂחֲקִים כְּלָל חַס וְשָׁלוֹם. וּבִפְרָט שֶׁרָאִיתִי הַיּוֹם בַּעֲוֹנֹתֵינוּ הָרַבִּים נִפְרְצָה פִּרְצָה בְּאָחִינוּ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל לִשְׂחֹק בְּ’קָארְטִין’ [קְלָפִים], וְקַל בְּעֵינֵיהֶם דָּבָר זֶה, אֲבָל הֲווֹ יוֹדְעִים שֶׁבְּכָל ‘קַארְט’ יֵשׁ בְּוַדַּאי קְלִפָּה גְּדוֹלָה אֲשֶׁר לֹא רְאוּיָה לְהַזְכִּירָהּ, סָהֲדִי בַּמְּרוֹמִים שֶׁלֹּא לִדְרֹשׁ כִּוַּנְתִּי רַק לְהָסִיר מִכְשׁוֹל מִבְּנֵי אָדָם. דְּעוּ אַחַי וְרֵעַי כַּמָּה מִכְשׁוֹלוֹת יֵשׁ בִּשְׂחוֹק הַזֶּה. א’, שֶׁבְּוַדַּאי בָּעֵת הַזֹּאת נִשְׁכַּח מִמֶּנּוּ יִרְאַת ה’. הַב’, שֶׁבְּוַדַּאי נִרְאֶה בְּעֵינַי שֶׁהוּא גֶּזֶל. הַג’, שֶׁמְּטַמְּאִים אֶת עַצְמָם בִּקְלִפּוֹת אֲשֶׁר אֵין רָאוּי לְהָבִיא תּוֹךְ הַפֶּה. בְּכֵן אַחַי וְרֵעַי, בִּקַּשְׁתִּי מְאֹד שֶׁאַל יֵקַל בְּעֵינֵיכֶם דָּבָר זֶה, הֲלֹא יוֹתֵר טוֹב שֶׁבָּעֵת הַזֹּאת יִלְמוֹד בְּתוֹרַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, אוֹ לֵילֵךְ אֶל תַּלְמִיד חָכָם הַקָּרוֹב לוֹ לְבַקֵּשׁ תּוֹרָה מִפִּיו, אֲזַי בְּוַדַּאי יָאִיר עָלָיו הֶאָרַת הַנֵּס

It is appropriate to all who consider themselves part of the Israelite nation, to instill in their mind the need to constantly learn Torah… and not to heed the call of gamblers… especially since I have seen that due to our grave sins, our Israelite brethren have breached the wall with card games. They think it is of no importance, but you should know that each card contains a powerful shell [in Kabbalah, a Qelipah, or a shell, represents the dark forces of evil], which should not be mentioned by name…

Apparently, all the warnings, including the association of cards with demonic dark powers, did not dissuade European Jews from playing card games and gambling on Hanukkah. Rabbi Israel Meir HaCohen, more famously known as the Chafetz Haim, who was born a century after Rabbi Levy Yitzchak (1838-1933), writes in his commentary on the Shulhan Arukh^[21]:

Some have the practice to sing and praise [on Hanukkah]: …Rabbi Shelomo Lurie [Maharshal] wrote that the joy should be permeated with the joy of Torah, and one should not let go of the times he set for study. Unfortunately, there are many who instead of praising God for the miracles, busy themselves with card games. The holy books launched a war against this practice, and it should be abandoned.

I would like to digress momentarily from this analysis of rabbinic writings, and recommend a book about playing games. The book was written by Dr. Stuart Brown, a medical doctor, psychiatrist, and clinical researcher, who founded the National Institute for Play, and has produced a three-part PBS series, the Promise of Play. The book is called, as you have probably guessed, Play, and its full title is “Play, how it shapes the brain, opens the imagination, and invigorates the soul”. After you read the book, which I know you will, you will see that modern research has proven what was instinctively known to humanity since antiquity, but has been pushed aside for different reasons, including ambition and religious extremism.

I will let you enjoy the book on your own, and will present here only an excerpt of the author’s conclusion, titled the good life (pp. 201-202):

When I take a long-range view of life, through the lens of biology, evolution, psychology, personal experience, and the view expressed by sages throughout the ages, I see that being playful has an important role in every sphere of our lives… we are designed by nature to grow and develop in large part through play. Of course, we need food, shelter, sleep, and love, but even if we have taken care of simply surviving and reproducing, play is what allows us to attain a higher level of existence, new levels of mastery, imagination, and culture.

When we get our play right, all areas of our lives go better. When we ignore play, we start having problems. When someone doesn’t keep an element of play in their life, their core being will not be light…

Maybe he is referring to the light of Hanukkah, but the truth is that the war against play still rages on today in several major realms: school, work, religion. In many schools the ambition to excel academically overrides the children’s need to play, with negative results. My wife tells me that she could see the consequences in one of the schools where she taught, and which did not have an indoor playground. Throughout most of the winter, children did not have active playtime during recess and their academic ability was impaired. Luckily for her students, my wife always keeps a keyboard in class and turns even the most technical Hebrew grammar lessons into a playful and interactive event.

At work, companies which insist on a tidy and impersonal workspace show less productivity and have a higher transfer rate of employees, as Tim Hartford describes in his excellent book: Messy, the Power of Disorder to Transform our Lives, specifically in the chapter Workplaces (pp. 61-91).

In religion, well, do we really have to talk about religion? The Taliban, the Wahabi and Salafi branches of Islam, austere Catholic teachers, Calvinists and Puritans, and yes, the contemporary Yeshivah World. All these do not want their followers and students to be playful, no matter whether the playfulness is expressed by music, outdoor games, drama, plastic arts, or choosing what to wear. The rabbis who opposed gambling on Hanukkah were correct in criticizing addictive gambling and wild partying, but the solution should not have been more Torah study, but rather lifting the ban against being joyous during the rest of the year.

In any case, the crusade against playing on Hanukkah was successful, but not in the way the rabbis intended. The energy of play was diverted to the dreidel, a gambling game which does not require the “demonic” cards. The letters on the dreidel were originally NGHS, and they represented the German or Yiddish words nisht, gants, halbe, and shtel arayn, which mean nothing, all, half, and put in [a fine], respectively. Those letters were translated to Hebrew as נגהש, standing for נס גדול היה שם – a great miracle happened there. In Israel, the letter פ replaced the letter ש in order to spell נס גדול היה פה – a great miracle happened here. As one who was born and raised in Israel, I was surprised to see נגהש when I first visited the United States. It took years before I learned that the American letters were correct, though their meaning was not.

However, in the manner Jewish customs evolve, the dreidel’s origin as a gambling accessory has been forgotten and it was elevated to a high spiritual status. Here are the words of Rabbi Simcha Isaac Rabinowitz (b. 1962), of the Hassidic dynasty of Biale^[22]:

Playing with dreidels on Hanukkah is an ancient Jewish custom which contains deep secrets, as the author of Bene Yisakhar wrote: the practice of our forefathers is as important as the Torah itself. On Hanukkah the children play with a cube engraved with the letters נגהש which stand for the four powers of the human being, body (גוף), soul (נפש), mind (שכל), and supreme power which encompasses everything (הכל). They also allude [by number only] to the four wicked empires, Rome, Babylonia, Greece, and Persia, which oppose these powers, and which will be annihilated by Mashiach whose numerical value equals גשנה (358). Also, on Hanukkah we turn the dreidel by holding its top to show that the miracle was from above, while on Purim we hold the gragger from the bottom because the miracle was achieved by human means.

These interpretations and allusions are amazing, but they have no foothold in reality. The dreidel does not represent the spiritual powers of humans or the four nations who rose against the Jews, and it definitely cannot be associated with Mashiach. In my opinion, this should serve as a cautionary tale to all those who follow prohibitions, restrictions, and customs based on fantastic explanations without thoroughly investigating their true origin.

To Play or Not to Play?

The final chapter in our history of games on Hanukkah starts with a Responsa by a contemporary of the Hafetz Haim, rabbi Yosef Haim Sonenfeld (1849-1931). Rabbi Sonenfeld, who was the leader of the Haredi community in Jerusalem and was considered an opponent of modernity, Zionism, and the return to the Hebrew language, surprises us here by reaching a conclusion similar to that of Dr. Stuart Brown, the author of Play. Rabbi Sonenfeld writes in his book Salmat Haim^[23]:

There are those who declare it permissible to set time for playing on Hanukkah and claim that many students of Torah do so. One should study the matter to understand why it is not considered Bittul Torah [engaging in vain activities and abandoning Torah learning].

The question is further intensified by the words of Rabbi Moshe Iserles, the Rema, who wrote^[24] that some are against card games at the table on Pesah [because of Hametz ingredients] but mentioned nothing of Bittul Torah.

The answer is that as I have mentioned once, the Talmud^[25] speaks of the practice of teenage boys and girls to stroll in the market plaza. This shows that they would set times for relaxation. This could have been even mandatory for health reasons… and it is maybe included in the [verse saying^[26] that there is a time for everything, including a] time to play. The Sages probably established that so the youngsters will not sit idly, since inactivity leads to insanity, and not everyone is capable of learning Torah constantly, and that is why they were not criticized. Here also [regarding Hanukkah] I say that one should not second-guess the practices of our holy nation, and it has the additional value of diverting people from discussing the news.

Rabbi Sonenfeld’s words are surprising because he calls our attention to the fact that people used to play cards on Pesah as well and that the rabbis only sought to limit playing at the table for Kashrut reasons. He also states, very clearly, that setting time for games and relaxation has an inherent value for physical and mental health. In a statement which predated our screen-obsessed generation he says that playing diverts people from dealing with the news, an argument corroborated today by scientists who say that if you are concerned about your child spending too much time in front of that screen, you should offer the alternative of games with physical friends by setting playdates or group activities, including the category of games Brown call rough-and-tumble. Finally, and maybe most importantly, rabbi Sonenfeld says that not everyone is cut for incessant learning and that down-time has its benefits.

I recall hearing from my master and Havruta, Rabbi Moshe Shimon Myarnik, who was one of the commentators of the Hebrew Artscroll Talmud, about an American rabbi who tried to introduce basketball to his Jerusalem Yeshivah in the mid 80’s. The program was a huge success as the students would return to the study hall after game sessions invigorated and excited. Instead of being enervated, as one might have thought, they studied with more enthusiasm and energy. Unfortunately, the leaders of the Haredi community chose to ignore the sage advice Rabbi Sonenfeld offered a hundred years earlier, as well as the evident reality. The “hoopful” American rabbi had to put an end to the basketball games under threat of excommunication.

Next time you are in Israel, pay close attention to those boys who dress like Yeshivah students, with black pants and white shirts, but do not behave like ones. You can find those dropouts of the Yeshivah world sitting on the iron guardrails on Israeli cities’ sidewalks. Those young boys might not have been roaming the streets if their curriculum included more time for playful activities and recreation [and of course, a serious program of general studies.]

In conclusion, we have seen how the practices of Hanukkah were deeply influenced by the surrounding culture, which obviously led to different results in Christian and Muslim countries. For centuries, people were looking for means to relax and entertain themselves during the holidays, including Pesah, but especially on Hanukkah. The battle the rabbis launched against drinking and gambling on Hanukkah succeeded, but only because they were able to offer an alternative by taking a traditional European gambling game and turning it into an innocent children’s game infused with glorious history and deep secrets.

The dreidel, or sevivon, thus joins many other practices which were borrowed, appropriated, transformed, and given a new identity and pedigree. There is no harm in this process as long as we have a clear view of the goals and values of our Jewish Identity.

Hanukkah Questions and Answers

One More Light

Q: If the Hanukkiah stands in a well-lit room, do you still need to light a Shamash?
A: The word Shamash means servant. Since we are not allowed to use the Hanukkah candles for light, we light an additional candle to serve as a source of light. In the first centuries after Hanukkah was established, candles were placed outside, in order for the public to see them, and there was no need for a Shamash. In third century Persia, however, fire-worshipping Zoroastrians forbade public display of candles at certain times^[27], and so the candles were placed inside the house. When the candles moved into the house, the Shamash was introduced to avoid using the light of the candles^[28]. Until recently, the practice to light inside the house prevailed, even where there was no danger, because of other reasons^[29] such as fear of theft, weather, and the fact that it is very hard to change an established practice. With time, as the practice of lighting a Shamash became widespread, it was honored with its own place on the Hanukkiah, either to one side, behind, or below the Hanukkah candles, in order to set it apart. In addition to the permanent Shamash, people needed a candle to light all other candles, and with time, it also received the title of Shamash^[30]. As a result, there are those who light two additional candles every night^[31], but the prevailing practice today is to light one Shamash.

Conclusion: Technically, there is no need to light a Shamash when lighting the Hanukkiah in a lit room, but there is no need to change this tradition.

Q: Do I light the Shamash first or last?

A: There is confusion around this question, which stems from the evolution of the practice of the Shamash. Is started as an additional light and evolved into a candle used to light other candles. In some communities, it led to the practice of having two Shamashim. The order of lighting evolved based on the type of candles used. If you are lighting oil candles, which cannot be moved, the Shamash would be lit last^[32], to show that it is secondary and subservient to the real Hanukkah Candles. If you light bee-wax or paraffin candles, use one of them to light the others and then place it in the Hanukkiah as the Shamash.

Q: What is the earliest and latest time for lighting the Hanukkiah?

A: The earliest time to light is an hour and 15 minutes before sunset. This time corresponds to the earliest one can pray Arvit, also known as פלג המנחה. Since that time is considered night, one could light the Hanukkiah then, as long as the candles burn for at least up to 30 minutes after sunset. When using electric candles, of course, there is no such concern. The latest one can light is 30 minutes before the break of dawn, which is about 80 minutes before sunrise. In ancient times a requirement was mentioned to light the candles when people are still in the streets, but this requirement has been waived since the lighting of the Hanukkiah was moved into the house^[33]. An additional reason for waiving the requirement is that in ancient time streets were unlit and people would not stay out too late, but today, in most places, there are people out all night.

Q: Can electric candles be used for Hanukkah?

A: According to Rabbi Yosef Messas^[34], one is allowed to light an electric Hanukkiah, reciting the blessings before flipping the switch or tightening the light bulb. The most common situation where this would be necessary is when staying at a hotel where it is forbidden to light candles, but there could be other reasons. For example, one might have a choice between an indoors oil Hanukkiah and an outdoor electric one which will not be affected by the wind, or it could be a question of availability or convenience. One cannot argue that the since the Menorah at the Temple was not electric, the Hanukkiah also cannot be electric, because the Halacha requires distinction between the Menorah, which had seven branches, and the Hanukkiah which has eight. Additionally, the Menorah could be lit with olive oil only, while it is customary to light Hanukkah candles made of wax or paraffin. Finally, had the Halacha required the creation of fire for either the Menorah or the Hanukkiah, electricity would be disqualified since it is not fire. The insistence, however, is on producing light, and therefore any source light can be used for the Hanukkah lights.

Q: Is it desirable to light colossal Hanukkiahs or to place an electric one on the car rooftop?

A: It might sound strange to those of us who grew accustomed to see gigantic Hanukkiahs lit in public squares and near government buildings, but the Hanukkah candles were never meant to become the center of a public celebration. As a matter of fact, Judaism shuns centralized, public displays of devotion, and concentrates on the practice of the individual. The personal experience is internalized and then influences its surroundings in growing concentric circles. The original idea of Hanukkah was that each intimate and family-centered lighting at home would send a tiny message to the outside world and that the connected dots of many households will create a community of faith. Today, public Hanukkiah lightings are ubiquitous, as are electric Hanukkiahs on cars. With all the advantages of Jewish pride and freedom, there is a downside of turning Hanukkah into a hollow external display of decoration and lights, not much different than the Christmas tree. It has now become natural to see buildings, stores, windows, and papers, decorated with both Christmas and Hanukkah symbols, and in some cases Kwanza joins too. Obviously, public Hanukkiah lightings are here to stay and many of us enjoy them greatly, but we should keep in mind that the true place to celebrate Hanukkah is in the intimate family environment, with emphasis on spending quality time together and internalizing Jewish values and history.

Q: Why do women refrain from work after lighting the Hanukkiah and does this practice apply to men?

A: The halacha says that women should not work for at least half an hour after candle lighting. Men are not mentioned because traditionally, men did not do any work at home. It was obvious that men would not work after lighting candles, and it was important to clarify that women should also refrain from work, which originally referred to crafts such as embroidery, sewing, and needlework. The reason for avoiding work is to enable the family to spend quality time together, even if the activity or discussion does not revolve around Hanukkah. In this manner the Holiday remains embedded in the children’s minds as a precious memory of the family coming together around Jewish traditions. It is therefore imperative that both men and women refrain from work^[35], including texting and answering mail, for at least half an hour after candle lighting. They should also schedule the lighting in a way that will allow them to spend that time at home before leaving for outside Hanukkah activities.

Q: Is it allowed to give gifts on Hanukkah or is it an imitation of Christmas?

A: In many communities it was customary to distribute gifts to the poor and to children on Hanukkah. The custom of giving money, however, evolved in 17th century Poland and it might have been a reaction to Christmas gift exchange. Today, the custom has branched into giving chocolate or real coins, allowance, and gifts. Some parents prepare Hanukkah-theme wrapped gifts for each day of the holiday and display them near the Hanukkiah. While it is important to bring joy to our children, we should be mindful of maintaining our uniqueness. It is therefore preferable to give differently on Hanukkah and not emulate Christmas, whether knowingly or subconsciously. Parents should plan outings and activities with their children to foster bonds and create positive family experiences. We could buy some gifts but try not to make Hanukkah into the central gifting event of the year. We should also emphasize giving to the poor and involve the children in the process, as this is an integral part of every Jewish celebration.

Hanukkah in Morocco

Reviving a Moroccan custom of friendship and trust^[36]:

Hanukkah in Morocco was a holiday which brought the whole community together. People invited each other to festive meals and made sure that the poor and needy of the city were not forgotten. In the mornings, children were seen carrying trays of fresh Moroccan donuts, called sfenj, on polished copper trays, embellished with small jars of milk, honey, and wine, to deliver to friends and family.

In the afternoon, they would again travel in the streets, this time with trays of fresh couscous, topped with meat and vegetables. The doors were also open for sharing food with the needy, and special care was given to distributing non-perishables so the recipient will be able to enjoy the gift well after the holiday ended. Today, unfortunately, food sharing among observant families is almost completely abandoned, mainly because of Kashrut anxiety. We should restore the trust shared by our ancestors, that when a friends offers or sends us homemade food we should trust them to follow our kashrut standards^[37]. Doing so will hopefully bring people together instead of alienating them, as is sadly a frequent outcome of what people perceive as rigorous religious observance, but as a matter of fact is baseless and divisive stringency.

1. For example, Dan Ariely in Predictably Irrational, and Jonathan Haidt in The Righteous Mind. ↑
2. תלמוד בבלי מסכת שבת דף כב עמוד א ↑
3. מסכתות קטנות מסכת סופרים פרק כ, ד ↑
4. זוהר חדש, תיקונים, כרך ב, דף נח עמוד א ↑
5. שו”ת אגרות משה, אורח חיים, חלק ה, סימן מג ↑
6. של”ה, מסכת תמיד, פרק תורה אור ↑
7. קדושת לוי, קדושות לחנוכה, קדושה חמישית ↑
8. This is an intriguing statement which I hope to return to one day. ↑
9. בני יששכר, מאמרי חודש כסלו-טבת, מאמר ב, אור תורה ↑
10. שו”ת דברי יציב, חלק אורח חיים, סימן רפג ↑
11. משנה שכיר, מועדים, זאת חנוכה: ↑
12. תלמוד בבלי, מסכת שבת, דף סט, עמוד ב: אמר רב הונא: היה מהלך במדבר, ואינו יודע אימתי שבת – מונה ששה ימים ומשמר יום אחד. וראה רמב”ם שבת, ב:כב ↑
13. שו”ת חוות יאיר סימן קכו ↑
14. מור וקציעה סימן תרע ↑
15. ישעיהו, כא:ה ↑
16. ע”פ זכריה ד:ב: מְנוֹרַת֩ זָהָ֨ב כֻּלָּ֜הּ ↑
17. ע”פ נדרים מט:ב ↑
18. ע”פ קדושין כא:ב ↑
19. ע”פ כתובות סא:ב ↑
20. קדושת לוי, בראשית לחנוכה ↑
21. ביאור הלכה, סימן תרע, סעיף ב: ונוהגין לומר זמירות ותשבחות וכו’ – עיין בתשובת מהרש”ל סימן פ”ה שכתב שראוי שהשמחה תהא מעורבת ובלולה בשמחת תורה ואל תבטל מקביעותך עכ”ל. ובעונותינו הרבים יש אנשים שתחת זמירות ותשבחות שראוי להלל להש”י על הניסים שעשה לנו, הם מרבים בשחוק הקרטין [קלפים], והרבה הרעישו הספרים הקדושים על זה, והשומר נפשו ירחק מזה ↑
22. הלכות חנוכה, פסקי תשובות, אורח חיים, סימן תרע:ד: בענין משחק הסביבון (דריידל) … אמנם לשחק במשחק הסביבון בחנוכה הוא מנהג ישראל קדום ויש בו רמזים נשגבים, וכמו שכתב בספר הקדוש בני יששכר (מאמר ב’ אות כ”ה), מנהג אבותינו תורה בימי ,חנוכה משחקין הנערים בחתיכת עץ מרובעת ובד’ קצותיו חקוקים אותיות ג’ ש’ נ’ ה’. דהנה גשנ”ה מרמז לד’ כוחות שבאדם וכו’ ג’ופני נ’פשי ש’כלי וכח עליון הכולל ה’כל, וד’ מלכויות רומי בבל יון ומדי מנוגדים לכוחות אלו, ויתבטלו על ידי משי”ח שהוא בגימטריא גשנ”ה וכו’ עיין שם. ובחנוכה מגלגלין הסביבון מלמעלה ובפורים הרעשן מלמטה לרמז שבחנוכה הנס היה על ידי איתערותא דלעילא ובפורים על ידי איתערותא דלתתא ↑
23. שו”ת שלמת חיים, אורח חיים, סימן שסג: בענין אשר בימי החנוכה וכדומה נמצאים שמקילים לקבוע את עצמם במשחק וכדומה, וגם רוצים לתלות את הדבר אשר נשמע דכמה בני תורה נהגו כן, וצריך עיון דאיזה תועלת יש בזה אשר לא יהא עוון ביטול תורה. ובענין זה צריך ביאור בפשטות הדברים שכתב הרמ”א (או”ח סימן תמ”ז סעיף י”ב), יש נמנעים לשחוק על השולחן עם קלפים הנקראים קרטי”ן בפסח וכו’, ולא עורר כלל על דבר ביטול תורה. תשובה: כבר ציינתי פעם הש”ס (ב”ב צ”א ע”ב) דהוי טיילי טליא וטלייתא כבר שב עשרי וכו’, נראה שהיה להם שעות לשחוק, כנראה שהיה להם בזה חוק קבוע, אפשר לצורך הבריאות… ואפשר הוא בכלל עת לשחוק, וכנראה שהיה להם זה כדי שיעסקו בדבר שלא ילכו בטלים כי הבטלה מביאה לידי שעמום, ולאו כל אדם מסוגל לישב על התורה בקביעות, ולכך לא מיחו בידם. וגם בזה אני אומר שאין להרהר אחר מנהג ישראל עם קדוש, כי על ידי זה לא פנו לדברים אחרים יותר גרועים לשמוע חדשות וכדומה ↑
24. או”ח סימן תמ”ז סעיף י”ב ↑
25. ב”ב צ”א ע”ב ↑
26. קהלת, ג:ד ↑
27. ברייתא שבת כא:ב – בשעת הסכנה מניחה על שולחנו ודיו; רש”י שם – [פרסיים היה להם] חוק ביום אידם שלא יבעירו נר ↑
28. שבת שם – ואם איכא מדורה לא צריך; רבינו ירוחם, אדם וחוה ט:א – ובמקום שאינו רגיל להדליק שום נר אין צריך נר אחר להשתמש לאורה ↑
29. עיטור הלכות שופר, צט:ב – ואחר השמד לא עמד בית דין לבטל; ערוך השולחן תרעא:כה – ימי סגריר גשם ושלג… ואי אפשר להניחם בחוץ; רבינו ירוחם שם – דשכיחי גויים וגנבים ↑
30. טור אורח חיים תרעג – אחרון יהיה שלא לשם חנוכה… ואין שם שמש עליו כי השמש הוא המדליק הנרות ↑
31. In the Aleppo community, there is a tradition that the additional candle is in memory of a miracle the community experienced. This is a possibility, but the additional Shamash appears in Hanukkiahs from other countries, and so the debate still rages on what is the exact reason for the second Shamash in the Aleppo tradition. ↑
32. טור אורח חיים תרעג: נרות חנוכה אין להפסיק בהן הלכך אחרון יהיה שלא לשם חנוכה, שאם ישתמש לאורן ישתמש לאור אותו הנר, ואין שם שמש עליו כי השמש הוא המדליק בו הנרות ↑
33. טור אורח חיים תרעב – אנו שמדליקין בבית ואין הכירא אלא לבני הבית אין להקפיד על הזמן ↑
34. רבי יוסף משאש, מים חיים, א:רעט – כל הפתילות כשרות לנר חנוכה… העיקר הוא שיהיה האור צלול… אין לך אור צלול ממנו. ↑
35. החיד”א, ברכי יוסף, או”ח תרע:קד – מדברי מהר”יל משמע שגם הגברים לא יעשו מלאכה בעוד הנרות דולקים ↑
36. ר’ יוסף משאש, אוצר המכתבים אלף תרעה – וכל היום עין רואה עניים… בשר ויין ושמנים וסלתות שמחלקים להם כל בית נדיב… הלוך ושוב ברחובות קריה עם צלחות גדולות של נחושת ממורט, מלאות סופגניות… ↑
37. ר’ משה פינשטיין, אגרות משה יורה דעה א:נד – …בניהם ובנותיהם האוכלים כל דבר איסור… יש… לסמוך עליה ולאכול ממה שמבשלת בעדו ואמרה שעשתה בהכשר ↑