The design - a traditional, branched menorah shown burning in a window against a background of falling snow - seemed innocuous enough, even unseasonably fanciful if you live in California. Helping to banish my second thoughts, however, was that new stamp. Was this a wise time to let our light shine? Why was I worried now? Since the previous Chanukah, nothing had changed in our multiethnic and multidenominational neighborhood, a place where non-Jewish neighbors have wished me “Happy Chanukah” and, at Passover, “ gut yontif.” But in the uncertain light of political change in our country, I was worried about what was emerging from the shadows: anti-Semitic iconography online, attacks on Jewish journalists, the re-emergence of Jewish conspiracy stories, Jewish college students being confronted with swastikas. In fact, it wasn’t really Chanukah for me until I walked outside and, looking at the lit menorah emanating from my own window, affirmed that we had arrived at this time once again. Saying the blessings and lighting the candles is a mitzvah, according to the Talmud, and by doing so, we also were recognizing the blessing of our freedom of religion and expressing our Jewish identity. We’ve proudly placed our menorahs - whether lit by candle or by bulb - in our front windows, publicizing the miracle of the holiday to our neighbors and ourselves. Chanukah postage stamp depicting a lit menorah in a window was an unexpected source of inspiration.įor 17 years, we’ve lived on a block where there are no other Jewish families. Though Chanukah represents a victory of light over darkness - by the Maccabees over the Seleucid Empire, which resulted in the rededication of the Second Temple - recent events were causing me to rethink our window menorah lighting, turning me toward sharing our menorah kindling with only family and friends.īut, surprisingly, like finding an extra Chanukah candle in the box, a new U.S. As I pictured our menorahs burning in their usual place - the front windows of our home - a warning light began to blink. Praised are You, Our God, Ruler of the universe, Who has given us life and sustained us and enabled us to reach this season.In the weeks before Chanukah, with anticipation of the holiday brightly filling my mind, the darkening news of rising anti-Semitism in the United States began to filter in. Who performed wondrous deeds for our ancestors Who made us holy through Your commandments Click here to download a printable PDF of the Hanukkah candle blessings. (Think of it as lighting the candle representing the newest night first.)īefore lighting the candles (but after placing them in the menorah), we recite three blessings. The shamash candle is always the first one lit, and is used to light the others, starting with the left-most one. The candles are placed in the menorah from right to left (just as Hebrew is written from right to left), but are lit from left to right. There is no consensus among Ashkenazi rabbis, and the most widespread Sephardic custom is to recite havdalah first. As for Saturday night, the candles are lit after the sun goes down and Shabbat has ended, but there are differing opinions regarding whether the menorah should be lit before or after the havdalah rituals are completed. According to Jewish law, the menorah should be lit before the Shabbat candles on Friday evening while it is still light out. Lighting a fire during Shabbat is forbidden according to Jewish law, so there are slight adjustments to Hanukkah candle lighting on both Friday and Saturday nights. Since Hanukkah lasts for eight nights, the holiday will inevitably overlap with Shabbat at least once. When is Hanukkah 2021? Get all the details on the holiday here.
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