Rites of Hanoucca

The festival of Hanoucca turns around 3 poles:

the Miracle

the festival of Hanouka lasts 8 days. Figure 8, in the Hebraic tradition, symbolizes the going beyond of nature. Indeed, the wise ones of the Talmud taught that the miracle of the small oil flask which made it possible to light large the Menorah Temple during 8 days is the tangible sign that God was at the sides of Hasmonéens during their combat against the Greek invaders and symbolizes the Presence of God yesterday like today near the Jewish people.
the interpretation of the miracle: many theological discussions on the subject exist:

would the flask have filled again every evening?
would a eighth of the flask have been consumed each day?

the rabbis chose the second interpretation.

the light propagation

the victory of Hasmonéens over their enemies did not cant the direction of their engagements. They had fought to restore the right of the Jews to study the Torah and to achieve the commands. The victory obtained, they remained faithful to their ideal. They celebrate the festival by lighting lights which symbolize that the Jews fight so that the spiritual values and morals override the forces of the shade. To propagate the light of the Torah is the ultimate goal and the lesson of Hasmonéens.

the family

Hasmonéens owe their victory with the family. Indeed, if the Judaïsme could remain long-lived for the periods of persecution, it is because in the families, only social core being able to escape the seizure from the capacity, one continued the study of the Torah and the practice of the Mitsvot.

The laws of Hanoucca concentrate on the following points:

Which lit is and how?
Where does one light?
Quand does one light?
Which lights?
particular prayers

What and how?

In Hanoucca, we testify to our love always growing for the Mitsvot (the plural of Mitsva, Hebrew command).

Also, the first day one lights a candle and one adds 1 of them each day until the 8th day when one lights 8 of them. Moreover, it is necessary to leave lit the shamash , the candle which was used to light the other lights. 44 candles on the whole are thus used during the festival of Hanoucca.

Each day, the new candle is placed on the left that of the day before and it is by it that one begins lighting. There is the right to light as well with oil as with candles. However, it is preferable to light with oil and if possible with olive oil; indeed, the oil used in the Temple to light Menora was olive oil.

Before lighting each day, two blessings are recited: to thank God for having given us Mitsva to light the candles and to thank It for the miracles.

The first day, a blessing is added to thank It for having given us life until this festival.

Where?

At the time of the Guemara, one lit Hanoukia with the door of the house or the court which gave on the street. This made it possible to make known the miracle and symbolized the obligation to propagate the Torah.

Today, one lights inside houses and one places Hanoukia, is with window so that it can be visible street (this is practiced only if the window is visible street and that it is with rez of roadway or on the 1st floor), is close to a door of the left side (while entering) so that the entry is framed of Mitsvot, the Mezouza on the right and Hanoukia on the left.

If one places it close to the door, one will light it if possible on a low piece of furniture of less than 80 cm in height and more than 25 cm. Indeed, at the time of where one was lit by candles, it will guemara was this low height which distinguished the candles from Hanouka of the remainder of lighting.

When and how long?

At the time of will guemara where one lit on the street, it was imperative to light immediately with fallen the night, as long as there were still passers by.
Aujourd'hui also, if the family can be joined together also early, it is necessary to light at this hour there, immediately after having made the prayer of the evening.
Si the family cannot be joined together also early, one has the right to light until late in the evening, as long as the members of the hearth are upright and that they will be able to see the candles.

The candles must be sufficiently long to burn during half an hour at least.

The Shabbat, one lights the candles of Hanoucca before those of shabbat, and at least one of the candles must be sufficiently long to last 1:40, so that it remains lit half an hour after fallen the night.

Who?

Mitsva of the lighting of the candles of Hanoucca is Mitsva which concerns the women as well as the men .

However, as it is Mitsva of the hearth, it is enough, according to the habit Séfarade , than only one Hanoukia is lit by hearth. And if the host cannot be present, it is his wife or one of his/her children bar or Bat Mitsva which will light in its place and he will not need to light where it will be. If nobody lights at his place, he will endeavor to join lighting candles of the hearth where he is by giving a sum symbolic system to the host.

According to the rite Ashkénaze , the children and the guests can also light their own Hanoukia and that which left on a journey will light where it is even if his wife lights in her hearth.

Around Hanoukia

Mitsva to light the lights of Hanouka is one moment favourable so that the family meets around Hanoukia to sing, play or eat " spécialités" of Hanouka.

Fêtons Hanoucca in the joy and that this promise of our wise is carried out: " That which pays attention to Mitsva of the lighting of the candles, it will have children who will become " Talmidé Hahamim" , of the lovers of Torah".

Particular prayers

Hallel

Each day of Hanouka, one reads the Hallel in entirety with the blessing.

Al Hanissim

In the Amida like in the Birkat Hamazone, one adds the Al Hanissim text. That which forgot to say it should not start again.

Reading of the Torah

Each day, one reads in the Torah the passage which relates to the sacrifices brought during the inauguration of the Temple in the Paracha of Nasso. Three people are called with the Torah. To Rosh Hodesh Hanoucca (i.e. that of the month of Tevet), two Sifrei Torah left and four people are called with the Torah. The three first read in the first Sefer Torah the passage which relates to Rosh Hodesh and the fourth nobody reads in second Sefer Torah the passage which relates to Hanoucca.

Hanoukia

The Hanoukia is a candlestick with eight branches, which is used only for the celebration of Hanoucca. It carries nine sites for nine flames: eights of them, aligned, represent the eight feastdays of hanouccah, the ninth called Shamash, preserves the flame which is used to light the others. -->

Other aspects

In various Jewish rites, plays like the spinning top ( Hebrew Sevivon in , dreydel in Yiddish) are traditionally practiced. This practice would be done in reference to the Jews on which weighed the interdict of their religion by Antiochos IV, and which to avoid being punished by the soldiers who surprised them, would have pretexted to play spinning top.
Il acts of a spinning top with 4 faces, each one struck of a letter:

נ Noun
ג Guimel ,
ה He ,
ש Chin - (In Israel, it is a פ - EP in the place of the chin)

These four letters are the acronym of NR are G adol H ayah HS amndt or Po (a Grand M iracle E C place L with-low or I Ci, according to whether the spinning top were manufactured or not in Israel).

Dans the world Ashkénaze (and currently in certain American Jewish mediums), the habit of the children was to play with a chocolate or peanut setting ( Hanoukka gelt , money of Hanoucca).

Each player has an initial setting from 10 to 15 " pièces". Each one places a part in the " pot commun". The spinning top is launched by each player with turn role, which conforms so that known as the face connects when the spinning top falls:

Noun - nischt - " rien" - the next player makes turn the spinning top
Guimel - gantz - " tout" - the player raid the setting (takes all the parts in the pot)
He - halb - " moitié" - it takes only half of the pot, rounding with the higher figure, in the event of odd number of parts in the pot
Shin - shtel - " mets" - the player adds a part in the pot (there is no letter EP, the play being held out of Israel)

The part is completed when a player very carried.

Dates

In 2006, the 25 Kislev fall on Saturday, December 16. The lighting of the first candle, Friday evening December 15th, day before shabbath, must be made before that of the candles of Shabbat, and thus before fallen the night.
In 2007, the 25 Kislev fall on Wednesday, December 5.

Source

Source: Rav Shaoul David Botshko, on the site ''' cheela.org ''', question 20523

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