Chabad Lubavitch of Yourtown Join us for our annual Grand Menorah Lighting!

The Miracle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

The Chanukah Story . . . . . . . . 4

Playing Dreidel . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

The Menorah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Chanukah Tidbits . . . . . . . . . . 8

Traditional Recipe . . . . . . . . 10

Chanukah Calendar . . . . . . . 11\The publication contains sacred writings.Please don’t desecrate it. However, it is notconsidered shaimos.

© 2013 by The Shluchim OfficeDesign by Spotlight DesignMenorah artwork by Michoel Muchnik

contents

The MiracleA message based on the teachings ofthe Lubavitcher Rebbe

The challenge faced by the Jewishpeople during the time of the 2ndTemple was unlike any that hadconfronted them before. They were

not suffering from oppressive rule, ratherfrom the infiltration of the principles andideals associated with Greek civilization, anoxious blend of hedonism and philoso-phy. Jewish learning and observance wasceding and losing ground to widespread as-similation.

The historic cruse of pure oil representsthe core essence of the Jewish soul, for eachJew possesses an innate love for G-d that isconstant and unswerving. Just like the sealon this last flask of oil, our connection isunchanging, no matter where or how a Jewmight find themselves. Only by evokingthis innate love for G-d were we able tobanish the pagan influences from G-d’shome and rekindle the torch of Israel as alight unto the nations.

But this oil was sufficient for only asingle day. When a person’s deepest self ischallenged, the essential oil of his soul isstimulated, and no force on earth can still

its flame. By nature, man’s highest powersflare brightly and fleetingly, soon recedingto the supraconscious place from whichthey have come. Then the moment passes,the intensity levels off into the routine, andone is left with his ordinary, mortal self.

The miracle of Chanukah was that theylit the menorah with the pure oil, and itstayed lit for eight days. The miracle wasthat the flame of selfless sacrifice blazedbeyond a single urgent moment. The smallcruse of oil burned beyond its one-daylifespan for an additional week! This wasnot just a flash of light in a sea of darkness,but a miraculous flame destined to shedpurity and light for all generations, underall conditions.

Thus the Talmud relates that it was onlyon the following year that theseeight days were established asthe festival of Chanukah.Once a year had passed, itwas easy to see that the vic-tory of Chanukah could beinstalled as a permanentfixture in our lives.

3

Looking at the events today, you start to wonder. The story of a little candle pushingaway the monster of frightening darkness, of human sensibility overcoming terrorand brute force, of life and growth overcoming destruction�the battle is very muchalive within each of us, and in the world outside of us.

It reoccurs at every winter solstice, at every dawn of each day, with every photon ofsunlight that breaks through the earth's atmosphere bringing it warmth and life-nurturing energy. With every breath of life, every cry of a newborn child, every bladeof grass that breaks out from under the soil, every decision to do good in the face ofevil, to be kind where there is cruelty, to build where others destroy, to movehumanity forward when others pull us toward chaos. And that is Chanukah.

Chanukah is an eight-day spiritual journey. Many people know the story ofChanukah�but only as a historical pretext to give gifts and eat latkes. We can callthat the body of Chanukah. The soul of Chanukah is its meditation, joy, warmthand light. Not only in our homes with our loved ones, but with the entire world. Inthis tradition, Chabad presents this historic Menorah Lighting. Our hope is that byigniting our souls, everybody will follow and light the world, one candle at a time.

We look forward to having you join us for the Public Menorah Lighting Ceremonyon Sunday, December 16th at 5:00 pm and making this Chanukah very special.

Sincerely,Rabbi Chabad LubavitcherDirector, Chabad of Yourtown

Sunday December 1, 2013 • 5pm

Live Music, Balloons, Dreidels, Doughnuts,

Hot Latkes, Juggling Show

Dear FriendDid Chanukah happen years ago, or isit happening now?

save the date

\

For more information and to RSVP visitwww.chabadofyourtown.com

or call 123-456-7890 or email: info@chabad.com

Chanukah Wonderland

The Miracle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

The Chanukah Story . . . . . . . . 4

Playing Dreidel . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

The Menorah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Chanukah Tidbits . . . . . . . . . . 8

Traditional Recipe . . . . . . . . 10

Chanukah Calendar . . . . . . . 11\The publication contains sacred writings.Please don’t desecrate it. However, it is notconsidered shaimos.

© 2013 by The Shluchim OfficeDesign by Spotlight DesignMenorah artwork by Michoel Muchnik

contents

The MiracleA message based on the teachings ofthe Lubavitcher Rebbe

The challenge faced by the Jewishpeople during the time of the 2ndTemple was unlike any that hadconfronted them before. They were

not suffering from oppressive rule, ratherfrom the infiltration of the principles andideals associated with Greek civilization, anoxious blend of hedonism and philoso-phy. Jewish learning and observance wasceding and losing ground to widespread as-similation.

The historic cruse of pure oil representsthe core essence of the Jewish soul, for eachJew possesses an innate love for G-d that isconstant and unswerving. Just like the sealon this last flask of oil, our connection isunchanging, no matter where or how a Jewmight find themselves. Only by evokingthis innate love for G-d were we able tobanish the pagan influences from G-d’shome and rekindle the torch of Israel as alight unto the nations.

But this oil was sufficient for only asingle day. When a person’s deepest self ischallenged, the essential oil of his soul isstimulated, and no force on earth can still

its flame. By nature, man’s highest powersflare brightly and fleetingly, soon recedingto the supraconscious place from whichthey have come. Then the moment passes,the intensity levels off into the routine, andone is left with his ordinary, mortal self.

The miracle of Chanukah was that theylit the menorah with the pure oil, and itstayed lit for eight days. The miracle wasthat the flame of selfless sacrifice blazedbeyond a single urgent moment. The smallcruse of oil burned beyond its one-daylifespan for an additional week! This wasnot just a flash of light in a sea of darkness,but a miraculous flame destined to shedpurity and light for all generations, underall conditions.

Thus the Talmud relates that it was onlyon the following year that theseeight days were established asthe festival of Chanukah.Once a year had passed, itwas easy to see that the vic-tory of Chanukah could beinstalled as a permanentfixture in our lives.

3

Looking at the events today, you start to wonder. The story of a little candle pushingaway the monster of frightening darkness, of human sensibility overcoming terrorand brute force, of life and growth overcoming destruction�the battle is very muchalive within each of us, and in the world outside of us.

It reoccurs at every winter solstice, at every dawn of each day, with every photon ofsunlight that breaks through the earth's atmosphere bringing it warmth and life-nurturing energy. With every breath of life, every cry of a newborn child, every bladeof grass that breaks out from under the soil, every decision to do good in the face ofevil, to be kind where there is cruelty, to build where others destroy, to movehumanity forward when others pull us toward chaos. And that is Chanukah.

Chanukah is an eight-day spiritual journey. Many people know the story ofChanukah�but only as a historical pretext to give gifts and eat latkes. We can callthat the body of Chanukah. The soul of Chanukah is its meditation, joy, warmthand light. Not only in our homes with our loved ones, but with the entire world. Inthis tradition, Chabad presents this historic Menorah Lighting. Our hope is that byigniting our souls, everybody will follow and light the world, one candle at a time.

We look forward to having you join us for the Public Menorah Lighting Ceremonyon Sunday, December 16th at 5:00 pm and making this Chanukah very special.

Sincerely,Rabbi Chabad LubavitcherDirector, Chabad of Yourtown

Sunday December 1, 2013 • 5pm

Live Music, Balloons, Dreidels, Doughnuts,

Hot Latkes, Juggling Show

Dear FriendDid Chanukah happen years ago, or isit happening now?

save the date

\

For more information and to RSVP visitwww.chabadofyourtown.com

or call 123-456-7890 or email: info@chabad.com

Chanukah Wonderland

Several rulers later, AntiochusEpiphanies rose to power. Anti-ochus and his cohorts ransackedour Holy Temple in Jerusalem.

Then he outlawed some core Jewishmitzvot: circumcision, Shabbat, learningTorah and Jewish marriage. Jewish identityand our relationship with the single andindefinable G-d was seriously in jeopardy.

Many Jews openly defied these decreesand died as martyrs. Finally, when Anti-ochus raised statues of Zeus in the townsand demanded that people worship them,the Jewish people rose up to revolt. In 3621(-140 B.C.E.), led by a priestly family of theHasmonean dynasty, they fought a war notover territory or power, but for religiousfreedom and rights. This small army calledthemselves the Maccabees, an acronym for“Mi Kamocha Ba’eilim Hashem—Who is likeYou among the powerful, O L-rd?”

Logically, the Hasmonean Mattityahuand his five sons, men of priestly class, wereno match for the most powerful army inthe world. The miracle was that they wonsome battles. The Greeks kept coming backwith bigger armies and (to really make apoint) armored elephants. As the battlesbecame fiercer, the victories becameincreasingly miraculous, and theMaccabees kept on winning. In fact, theymanaged to chase those Greeks out ofJerusalem, clean up the desecrated Temple,and declare independence.

When the Maccabees recapturedJerusalem and entered the Holy Temple,they found a disturbing mess—idols,forbidden foods, and broken potteryeverywhere. So they tidied up andrededicated the Temple.

Then they encountered a new problem.The six-foot golden Menorah had to be lit

with pure olive oil, undefiled bythose who were ritually impure. Allthe oil in the Temple had beendefiled by the Greeks. There was noone there who could make new oil,since everyone was ritually impure,having just fought a war and killedpeople.

They could not use the defiledoil, but to get olive oil from theorchards of Tekoah would take 7days round-trip. They did not wantto wait to light the Menorah!

Now even more miraclesoccurred: First, they found a bottleof pure oil hidden beneath thefloor, still sealed with the insigniaof the High Priest. Then, eventhough it was a single flask withjust enough oil for one night, itmiraculously lasted for eight days!

The Chanukah StoryWhen Alexander the Great conquered Jerusalemin 3448 (-313 B.C.E.), we paid taxes and livedpretty peacefully under Greek rule.

4

To play, you need a dreidel and some coins (oranything small but easily counted, like candy orcereal pieces). All players begin with an equalamount, and also establish the “pot” by con-tributing equally. Then take turns spinning thedreidel.

Playing DreidelWhen the Greek Antiochus forbade Torah

study, Jewish children studied together se-cretly in caves. When they heard a Greek officerapproaching, they would hide their schoolbooksand pretend to be playing with tops.

We play dreidel (sevivon in Hebrew) onChanukah as a reminder of these brave childrenand their courage. The word dreidel comes fromthe Yiddish word drei, which means “turn.” Ourdreidels have four sides, with a Hebrew letter im-printed on each: Nun, Gimmel, Hay, and Shin.These stand for the Hebrew words Ness GadolHaya Sham, which means “a great miracle hap-pened there, in reference to the Maccabees’miraculous victory. In Israel, the dreidels say Nun,Gimmel, Hay, and Pay which stand for “NessGadol Haya Poh — A great miracle happenedhere.”

How-to Guide

Nunget nothing

Gimmeltake thewhole pot

Haytake halfthe pot

Shinpay two intothe pot

If the pot empties out, everyone contributesequally once again.

5

If it lands on:

THE RULES

Several rulers later, AntiochusEpiphanies rose to power. Anti-ochus and his cohorts ransackedour Holy Temple in Jerusalem.

Then he outlawed some core Jewishmitzvot: circumcision, Shabbat, learningTorah and Jewish marriage. Jewish identityand our relationship with the single andindefinable G-d was seriously in jeopardy.

Many Jews openly defied these decreesand died as martyrs. Finally, when Anti-ochus raised statues of Zeus in the townsand demanded that people worship them,the Jewish people rose up to revolt. In 3621(-140 B.C.E.), led by a priestly family of theHasmonean dynasty, they fought a war notover territory or power, but for religiousfreedom and rights. This small army calledthemselves the Maccabees, an acronym for“Mi Kamocha Ba’eilim Hashem—Who is likeYou among the powerful, O L-rd?”

Logically, the Hasmonean Mattityahuand his five sons, men of priestly class, wereno match for the most powerful army inthe world. The miracle was that they wonsome battles. The Greeks kept coming backwith bigger armies and (to really make apoint) armored elephants. As the battlesbecame fiercer, the victories becameincreasingly miraculous, and theMaccabees kept on winning. In fact, theymanaged to chase those Greeks out ofJerusalem, clean up the desecrated Temple,and declare independence.

When the Maccabees recapturedJerusalem and entered the Holy Temple,they found a disturbing mess—idols,forbidden foods, and broken potteryeverywhere. So they tidied up andrededicated the Temple.

Then they encountered a new problem.The six-foot golden Menorah had to be lit

with pure olive oil, undefiled bythose who were ritually impure. Allthe oil in the Temple had beendefiled by the Greeks. There was noone there who could make new oil,since everyone was ritually impure,having just fought a war and killedpeople.

They could not use the defiledoil, but to get olive oil from theorchards of Tekoah would take 7days round-trip. They did not wantto wait to light the Menorah!

Now even more miraclesoccurred: First, they found a bottleof pure oil hidden beneath thefloor, still sealed with the insigniaof the High Priest. Then, eventhough it was a single flask withjust enough oil for one night, itmiraculously lasted for eight days!

The Chanukah StoryWhen Alexander the Great conquered Jerusalemin 3448 (-313 B.C.E.), we paid taxes and livedpretty peacefully under Greek rule.

4

To play, you need a dreidel and some coins (oranything small but easily counted, like candy orcereal pieces). All players begin with an equalamount, and also establish the “pot” by con-tributing equally. Then take turns spinning thedreidel.

Playing DreidelWhen the Greek Antiochus forbade Torah

study, Jewish children studied together se-cretly in caves. When they heard a Greek officerapproaching, they would hide their schoolbooksand pretend to be playing with tops.

We play dreidel (sevivon in Hebrew) onChanukah as a reminder of these brave childrenand their courage. The word dreidel comes fromthe Yiddish word drei, which means “turn.” Ourdreidels have four sides, with a Hebrew letter im-printed on each: Nun, Gimmel, Hay, and Shin.These stand for the Hebrew words Ness GadolHaya Sham, which means “a great miracle hap-pened there, in reference to the Maccabees’miraculous victory. In Israel, the dreidels say Nun,Gimmel, Hay, and Pay which stand for “NessGadol Haya Poh — A great miracle happenedhere.”

How-to Guide

Nunget nothing

Gimmeltake thewhole pot

Haytake halfthe pot

Shinpay two intothe pot

If the pot empties out, everyone contributesequally once again.

5

If it lands on:

THE RULES

enorah is the Hebrew word forlamp. Originally mentioned inthe Torah, the menorah is one ofthe oldest symbols of Judaism.

The Torah tells us a special seven-branched menorah was lit every day in theMishkan, the portable temple used by ourancestors en route to the Holy Land, andalso in the Beit Hamikdash, Jerusalem’sHoly Temple.

Over time, the menorah has become anicon for Jewish culture and faith. Forthousands of years, images of eight-branched menorahs have been prevalent inJewish art, architecture, and culture.

The menorah of the Temple only boreseven branches. So why does the popularmenorah have eight?

The simple answer is that the popularmenorah is not a depiction of the Templemenorah, but of a special Chanukahmenorah. Chanukah celebrates the miracleof the Temple’s seven-branched menorahburning for eight days. In commemorationof this, we light an eight-branchedmenorah.

The miracle that inspired the Sages’creation of Chanukah occurred in 140 BCE.Since then, Jews throughout the world havelit the menorah each year at Chanukah.

The menorah continues to be a source ofinspiration for us. Its lights give us thestrength we need to persevere, even amidstsuch horrors as the Holocaust and thegloom of the Soviet gulag.

In addition, there is something more

spiritually significant, something Kabbal-istic, about lighting eight candles atChanukah.

Kabbalah teaches that the numberseven symbolizes the natural order of theuniverse, as in the seven days of the week.Eight, being the first number beyondseven, symbolizes transcending natureand embracing the supernatural andmiraculous.

Now we understand why specifically theeight-branched menorah is so popular. It isa symbol of our hope and eternal optimismthat G-d will make things work out for us,even when it seems unlikely.

The Chanukah menorah proclaims G-d’s involvement in our lives, past andpresent. When we light the menorah thisChanukah, let’s be grateful for all of ourown private miracles.

ALL THE LAMPHOLDERS ofyour menorah should be ofeven height and in an even

line, except for the shamash (servicecandle), which should be at a distinctlydifferent height than the rest.

THE OPTIMUM PLACE for amenorah is in a doorway, oppo-site the mezuzah. You can also

use a window that is visible from the street.

A MARRIED COUPLE or familyis considered one unit, so thehusband can light for everyone.If you are living alone, you also

need a menorah. To get the kids involved,they can light their own menorahs.

ON THE FIRST NIGHT, light thecandle furthest to the right. Eachday, add another to the left of the

original. Always light the newly addedcandle first.

THE RIGHT TIME TO LIGHT is atnightfall (about 20 minutes aftersunset). Your menorah should re-main lit for at least a 1/2 hour past

nightfall. You may light earlier, but makesure it is able to stay lit for the requisite1/2 hour past nightfall.

GOT HOME LATE?As long as someone’s around tosee the menorah, you can stilllight it with a blessing. If not, light

the menorah without a blessing.

ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON bothyour menorah and Shabbatcandles should be lit 18 min-

utes before sunset. Do not light after sun-set. Your menorah may need more fuel tolast until 1/2 hour after nightfall.

ON SATURDAY NIGHT, wait untilafter nightfall, when Shabbatends. Recite the Havdalah be-

fore lighting your menorah.

WOMEN HAVE THE CUSTOM totake time out from work anddoing household chores while

the Menorah burns. How long? At leasthalf an hour.

The MenorahSeven Branches or Eight? A Look at the Menorah’s History & Deeper Meaning

6 7

M

Laws and Customs How-to LightThe menorah brings light into ourhomes and radiates onto thestreet. By spreading goodnessand kindness, we too cantransform the outside world, andweaken the spiritual darkness.

SEE PAGE 11 FOR DATES AND BLESSINGS

Left: A 12th century sketch, hand drawn by

Maimonides, depicting the 7-branched

Temple Menorah.

enorah is the Hebrew word forlamp. Originally mentioned inthe Torah, the menorah is one ofthe oldest symbols of Judaism.

The Torah tells us a special seven-branched menorah was lit every day in theMishkan, the portable temple used by ourancestors en route to the Holy Land, andalso in the Beit Hamikdash, Jerusalem’sHoly Temple.

Over time, the menorah has become anicon for Jewish culture and faith. Forthousands of years, images of eight-branched menorahs have been prevalent inJewish art, architecture, and culture.

The menorah of the Temple only boreseven branches. So why does the popularmenorah have eight?

The simple answer is that the popularmenorah is not a depiction of the Templemenorah, but of a special Chanukahmenorah. Chanukah celebrates the miracleof the Temple’s seven-branched menorahburning for eight days. In commemorationof this, we light an eight-branchedmenorah.

The miracle that inspired the Sages’creation of Chanukah occurred in 140 BCE.Since then, Jews throughout the world havelit the menorah each year at Chanukah.

The menorah continues to be a source ofinspiration for us. Its lights give us thestrength we need to persevere, even amidstsuch horrors as the Holocaust and thegloom of the Soviet gulag.

In addition, there is something more

spiritually significant, something Kabbal-istic, about lighting eight candles atChanukah.

Kabbalah teaches that the numberseven symbolizes the natural order of theuniverse, as in the seven days of the week.Eight, being the first number beyondseven, symbolizes transcending natureand embracing the supernatural andmiraculous.

Now we understand why specifically theeight-branched menorah is so popular. It isa symbol of our hope and eternal optimismthat G-d will make things work out for us,even when it seems unlikely.

The Chanukah menorah proclaims G-d’s involvement in our lives, past andpresent. When we light the menorah thisChanukah, let’s be grateful for all of ourown private miracles.

ALL THE LAMPHOLDERS ofyour menorah should be ofeven height and in an even

line, except for the shamash (servicecandle), which should be at a distinctlydifferent height than the rest.

THE OPTIMUM PLACE for amenorah is in a doorway, oppo-site the mezuzah. You can also

use a window that is visible from the street.

A MARRIED COUPLE or familyis considered one unit, so thehusband can light for everyone.If you are living alone, you also

need a menorah. To get the kids involved,they can light their own menorahs.

ON THE FIRST NIGHT, light thecandle furthest to the right. Eachday, add another to the left of the

original. Always light the newly addedcandle first.

THE RIGHT TIME TO LIGHT is atnightfall (about 20 minutes aftersunset). Your menorah should re-main lit for at least a 1/2 hour past

nightfall. You may light earlier, but makesure it is able to stay lit for the requisite1/2 hour past nightfall.

GOT HOME LATE?As long as someone’s around tosee the menorah, you can stilllight it with a blessing. If not, light

the menorah without a blessing.

ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON bothyour menorah and Shabbatcandles should be lit 18 min-

utes before sunset. Do not light after sun-set. Your menorah may need more fuel tolast until 1/2 hour after nightfall.

ON SATURDAY NIGHT, wait untilafter nightfall, when Shabbatends. Recite the Havdalah be-

fore lighting your menorah.

WOMEN HAVE THE CUSTOM totake time out from work anddoing household chores while

the Menorah burns. How long? At leasthalf an hour.

The MenorahSeven Branches or Eight? A Look at the Menorah’s History & Deeper Meaning

6 7

M

Laws and Customs How-to LightThe menorah brings light into ourhomes and radiates onto thestreet. By spreading goodnessand kindness, we too cantransform the outside world, andweaken the spiritual darkness.

SEE PAGE 11 FOR DATES AND BLESSINGS

Left: A 12th century sketch, hand drawn by

Maimonides, depicting the 7-branched

Temple Menorah.

The Hebrew word Chanukah sharesthe same root as chinuch (education).The Greeks were determined toforce Hellenism upon the Jewish

population, at the expense of the ideals andcommandments of the holy Torah. Unfor-tunately, they almost succeeded in their en-deavor. After they were defeated it wasnecessary to reintroduce Torah values tomany Jews.

Appropriately, during Chanukah it iscustomary to give gelt (money) to childrento teach them to increase in charity andgood deeds; and to add to the festiveholiday spirit.

This gentle persuasion is an essentialcomponent in the educational process.Maimonides discusses the importance ofusing incentives until a child canindependently understand the importanceand beauty of the Torah.

There is also a deeperreason for this age-oldcustom:

“The Greeks laid their hands upon thepossessions of Israel.” —Maimonides

The Greeks assaulted the possessions ofIsrael in the same spirit in which theyruined the oil in the Holy Temple. They didnot destroy the oil; they defiled it. They didnot rob the Jewish people; they attemptedto infuse their possessions with Greekideals—that they be used for egotisticaland impure ends, rather than holy pursuits.

Chanukah gelt celebrates our freedomand mandate to channel material wealthtoward holy ends.

The 5th nightThe most significant night to give is on

the fifth, the first night that there are moreflames than darkness. The LubavitcherRebbe encouraged the admirable customof gelt-giving each night of Chanukah(aside from Shabbat).

A ll of us struggle with darkness—

whether it be from within our own

selves or from the big, scary world out

there. Chanukah comes to say: Don’t

fight with shadows. Instead, light a can-

dle and the darkness will run away.

What’s a candle? A candle is a mitzvah—a divinely beautiful deed, handed to usstraight from Heaven to uplift our worldand make it into a divinely beautifulplace. Nothing is more powerful than amitzvah.

So, as the sun’s light dwindles and thedays shorten, we light one small candle.The next night we light two. Bit by bit,the light becomes stronger until wereach the power of eight—a number that

represents a power beyond nature, amiraculous power.

There are so many lessons to belearned from Chanukah, but let’s starthere: When darkness looms, make morelight. Do more good. Add another mitz-vah to your life and make your lightshine brighter each day. Your effortsmay seem small in comparison to thedarkness out there, but never underes-timate the power of light. Like in thestory of the Maccabees, just a little bitof light can chase away a whole lot ofdarkness.

A Chanukah Lesson

The Power of LightChanukah is a lesson in life—perhaps the mostimportant lesson you’ll ever learn. Chanukah is thestory of light defying darkness.

Chanukah TidbitsInsights and background on some of thetraditional Chanukah customs.

8

MenorahThe Jewish sages taught that the first

light created was too powerful for humansto use, so G-d hid it away for the time whenthe world would achieve a higher state.That’s the light that shines out of yourChanukah menorah.

The windows of the Holy Templewere wider outside than in. Ratherthan let the sun light in like allother windows, the Templewindows were built to letthe light of the Menorahout, to shine out to therest of the world.

Miracle Oil Since the miracle of Chanukah

happened with oil (the olive oil in themenorah), we eat oily foods on Chanukah,

such as donuts and potato latkes. Oil also symbolizes the secret

wisdom of the Torah known as theKabbalah. Like oil seeps through afabric, this wisdom permeatesevery aspect of the Torah. Yet, justas oil remains separate and floats

above water, the true depth ofKabbalah always remains justbeyond our grasp.

Chanukah Gelt

9

The Hebrew word Chanukah sharesthe same root as chinuch (education).The Greeks were determined toforce Hellenism upon the Jewish

population, at the expense of the ideals andcommandments of the holy Torah. Unfor-tunately, they almost succeeded in their en-deavor. After they were defeated it wasnecessary to reintroduce Torah values tomany Jews.

Appropriately, during Chanukah it iscustomary to give gelt (money) to childrento teach them to increase in charity andgood deeds; and to add to the festiveholiday spirit.

This gentle persuasion is an essentialcomponent in the educational process.Maimonides discusses the importance ofusing incentives until a child canindependently understand the importanceand beauty of the Torah.

There is also a deeperreason for this age-oldcustom:

“The Greeks laid their hands upon thepossessions of Israel.” —Maimonides

The Greeks assaulted the possessions ofIsrael in the same spirit in which theyruined the oil in the Holy Temple. They didnot destroy the oil; they defiled it. They didnot rob the Jewish people; they attemptedto infuse their possessions with Greekideals—that they be used for egotisticaland impure ends, rather than holy pursuits.

Chanukah gelt celebrates our freedomand mandate to channel material wealthtoward holy ends.

The 5th nightThe most significant night to give is on

the fifth, the first night that there are moreflames than darkness. The LubavitcherRebbe encouraged the admirable customof gelt-giving each night of Chanukah(aside from Shabbat).

A ll of us struggle with darkness—

whether it be from within our own

selves or from the big, scary world out

there. Chanukah comes to say: Don’t

fight with shadows. Instead, light a can-

dle and the darkness will run away.

What’s a candle? A candle is a mitzvah—a divinely beautiful deed, handed to usstraight from Heaven to uplift our worldand make it into a divinely beautifulplace. Nothing is more powerful than amitzvah.

So, as the sun’s light dwindles and thedays shorten, we light one small candle.The next night we light two. Bit by bit,the light becomes stronger until wereach the power of eight—a number that

represents a power beyond nature, amiraculous power.

There are so many lessons to belearned from Chanukah, but let’s starthere: When darkness looms, make morelight. Do more good. Add another mitz-vah to your life and make your lightshine brighter each day. Your effortsmay seem small in comparison to thedarkness out there, but never underes-timate the power of light. Like in thestory of the Maccabees, just a little bitof light can chase away a whole lot ofdarkness.

A Chanukah Lesson

The Power of LightChanukah is a lesson in life—perhaps the mostimportant lesson you’ll ever learn. Chanukah is thestory of light defying darkness.

Chanukah TidbitsInsights and background on some of thetraditional Chanukah customs.

8

MenorahThe Jewish sages taught that the first

light created was too powerful for humansto use, so G-d hid it away for the time whenthe world would achieve a higher state.That’s the light that shines out of yourChanukah menorah.

The windows of the Holy Templewere wider outside than in. Ratherthan let the sun light in like allother windows, the Templewindows were built to letthe light of the Menorahout, to shine out to therest of the world.

Miracle Oil Since the miracle of Chanukah

happened with oil (the olive oil in themenorah), we eat oily foods on Chanukah,

such as donuts and potato latkes. Oil also symbolizes the secret

wisdom of the Torah known as theKabbalah. Like oil seeps through afabric, this wisdom permeatesevery aspect of the Torah. Yet, justas oil remains separate and floats

above water, the true depth ofKabbalah always remains justbeyond our grasp.

Chanukah Gelt

9

Chanukah 2013/5774

'oŠkIgv Q†kœ¤n Ubhœ¥eO¡t '’v vT©t QUrŠCehk§s©v‰k Ubœ²Um±u 'uh,I‰m¦n‰C UbœJ§S¦e r¤J£t

/vŠFb£j rb Baruch Atah Ado-noi, Elo-hei-nuMelech Ha-olam, Asher Ki-de-sha-nuBe-mitz-vo-sav, Ve-tzi-vanu Le-had-likNer Chanukah.

Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King ofthe universe, who has sanctified us withHis commandments, and commandedus to kindle the Chanukah light.

'oŠkIgv Q†kœ¤n Ubhœ¥eO¡t '’v vT©t QUrŠCo¥vv oh¦n²H‹C 'Ubhœ¥,Ic£t‹k oh¦X°b vGŠg¤J

/v®Z©v i©n±Z¦C Baruch Atah Ado-noi, Elo-hei-nu MelechHa-olam, She-asa Nisim La-a-vo-sai-nu,Ba-ya-mim Ha-haim Biz-man Ha-zeh.

Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King ofthe universe, who performed miraclesfor our forefathers in those days at thistime.

'oŠkIgv Q†kœ¤n Ubhœ¥eO¡t '’v vT©t QUrŠC/v®Z©v i©n±zk UbœŠgh°D¦v±u Ubœn±H¦e±u Ubœ²h¡j¤v¤J

Baruch Atah Ado-noi Elo-hei-nu MelechHa-olam She-heh-chi-yah-nu Ve-ki-ye-mahnu Ve-hi-gi-ahnu Liz-manHa-zeh.

Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King ofthe universe, who has granted us life,sustained us, and enabled us to reachthis occasion.

Blessing 1

Blessing 2

Blessing 3*

After lighting, say or sing:

* Note: Recite blessing 3 the first night or the first time youlight your menorah this Chanukah.

',IgUJ§T©v k‹g 'ih¦ehk§s©n Ubt UkŠK©v ,«urb©v,h¦aŠg¤a ',«utŠk‰p°b©v k‹g±u 'oh¦x°b©v k‹g±u h¥s±h k‹g 'v®z©v i©n±ZC o¥vv oh¦n²H‹C ubh¥,«uc£t‹k'vŠFb£j h¥n±h ,³b«un§a kŠf±u /oh¦a«us§e©v Whœ®b£v«F,UJ§r UbŠk ih¥t±u 'o¥v a¤s«e UkŠk©v ,«urb©v h¥s‰F 'sŠc‰kC i,«ut§rk tŠk¤t 'i¥vŠC J¥N©T§J¦v‰k Whœ¤X°b k‹g 'k«us²d©v W§n¦J‰k k‡K©v‰kU ,«us«uv‰k

:Wœ¤,ŠgUJ±h k‹g±u Whœ¤,It‰k‰p°b k‹g±u

First Night of Chanukah Wednesday, Nov 27 - 25 Kislev After sunset recite. blessings 1, 2, and 3*,and kindle one light on your menorah.

Second Night of Chanukah Thursday, Nov 28 - 26 KislevAfter sunset recite blessings 1 and 2, andkindle two lights on your menorah.

Third Night of Chanukah Friday, Nov 29 - 27 KislevBefore sunset, recite blessings 1 and 2,and kindle three lights on your menorah.The menorah must be lit BEFORElighting the Shabbat candles (18 minutesbefore sunset).

Light Shabbat candles (For times in yourlocale visit chabad.org/shabbatimes.)

Fourth Night of Chanukah Saturday, Nov 30 - 28 KislevAfter night falls and Shabbat ends,recite the Havdalah (chabad.org/256963). Recite blessings 1 and 2, andkindle four lights on your menorah.

Fifth Night of Chanukah Sunday, Nov 1 - 29 KislevAfter sunset recite blessings 1 and 2, andkindle five lights on your menorah.

Sixth Night of Chanukah Monday, Nov 2 - 30 KislevAfter sunset, recite blessings 1 and 2, andkindle six lights on your menorah.

Seventh Night of Chanukah Tuesday, Nov 3 - 1 TevetAfter sunset recite blessings 1 and 2, andkindle seven lights on your menorah.

Eighth Night of Chanukah Wednesday, Nov 4 - 2 TevetAfter sunset recite blessings 1 and 2, andkindle eight lights on your menorah.

Lighting YourMenorah

A note about the flour: the flour helps thelatkes obtain a firmer consistency but isn’tnecessary for the taste and presentationof the latkes.

Instructions:

Grate the potatoes and onions, addeggs, salt and pepper. Add flour (optional).

In a large frying pan heat about½ inch oil on med/high heat.Place a heaping spoonful of latkemix into pan.

Place filling on top (see box below).Top with another spoonful of latkemix on top of filling. Flip over andfry for about a minute, drain on paper towels.

Stuffed LatkesA Twist on Tradition: A latke with asurprise in the middle is a great way toupdate the classic latke.

Recipe by Shifra Klein of Joy of Kosher Magazine. Subscribe or Give the Gift of Joy of Kosher

at www.joyofkosher.com/subscribe. Download their new iPad app on the App Store10

5 Idaho Potatoes

1 Spanish Onion

2 Eggs

1 Tbsp. Salt

1 Tsp. Black Pepper

3 Tbsp. Flour (optional).

Cheese + Marinara Sauce1 8 ounce package of mozzarella cheese in a block

10 fresh basil leaves (optional)

Place a heaping spoonful of latke mixinto pan, place a basil leaf on latke.Place a cube of mozzarella on basilleaf, top off, flip and fry… Serve hotwith marinara sauce on the side.

Mushroom + Sour Cream

Place a heaping spoonful of latkemix into pan. Place a spoonful ofmushroom mixture into latke mix.Top off, flip and fry… Serve hotwith sour cream.

1 shallot,

1 Package of Creminimushrooms,

1 Tbsp. Dried or Fresh thyme.

Salt & pepper to taste.

FillingsSaute:

Latke Ingredients:

Chanukah 2013/5774

'oŠkIgv Q†kœ¤n Ubhœ¥eO¡t '’v vT©t QUrŠCehk§s©v‰k Ubœ²Um±u 'uh,I‰m¦n‰C UbœJ§S¦e r¤J£t

/vŠFb£j rb Baruch Atah Ado-noi, Elo-hei-nuMelech Ha-olam, Asher Ki-de-sha-nuBe-mitz-vo-sav, Ve-tzi-vanu Le-had-likNer Chanukah.

Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King ofthe universe, who has sanctified us withHis commandments, and commandedus to kindle the Chanukah light.

'oŠkIgv Q†kœ¤n Ubhœ¥eO¡t '’v vT©t QUrŠCo¥vv oh¦n²H‹C 'Ubhœ¥,Ic£t‹k oh¦X°b vGŠg¤J

/v®Z©v i©n±Z¦C Baruch Atah Ado-noi, Elo-hei-nu MelechHa-olam, She-asa Nisim La-a-vo-sai-nu,Ba-ya-mim Ha-haim Biz-man Ha-zeh.

Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King ofthe universe, who performed miraclesfor our forefathers in those days at thistime.

'oŠkIgv Q†kœ¤n Ubhœ¥eO¡t '’v vT©t QUrŠC/v®Z©v i©n±zk UbœŠgh°D¦v±u Ubœn±H¦e±u Ubœ²h¡j¤v¤J

Baruch Atah Ado-noi Elo-hei-nu MelechHa-olam She-heh-chi-yah-nu Ve-ki-ye-mahnu Ve-hi-gi-ahnu Liz-manHa-zeh.

Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King ofthe universe, who has granted us life,sustained us, and enabled us to reachthis occasion.

Blessing 1

Blessing 2

Blessing 3*

After lighting, say or sing:

* Note: Recite blessing 3 the first night or the first time youlight your menorah this Chanukah.

',IgUJ§T©v k‹g 'ih¦ehk§s©n Ubt UkŠK©v ,«urb©v,h¦aŠg¤a ',«utŠk‰p°b©v k‹g±u 'oh¦x°b©v k‹g±u h¥s±h k‹g 'v®z©v i©n±ZC o¥vv oh¦n²H‹C ubh¥,«uc£t‹k'vŠFb£j h¥n±h ,³b«un§a kŠf±u /oh¦a«us§e©v Whœ®b£v«F,UJ§r UbŠk ih¥t±u 'o¥v a¤s«e UkŠk©v ,«urb©v h¥s‰F 'sŠc‰kC i,«ut§rk tŠk¤t 'i¥vŠC J¥N©T§J¦v‰k Whœ¤X°b k‹g 'k«us²d©v W§n¦J‰k k‡K©v‰kU ,«us«uv‰k

:Wœ¤,ŠgUJ±h k‹g±u Whœ¤,It‰k‰p°b k‹g±u

First Night of Chanukah Wednesday, Nov 27 - 25 Kislev After sunset recite. blessings 1, 2, and 3*,and kindle one light on your menorah.

Second Night of Chanukah Thursday, Nov 28 - 26 KislevAfter sunset recite blessings 1 and 2, andkindle two lights on your menorah.

Third Night of Chanukah Friday, Nov 29 - 27 KislevBefore sunset, recite blessings 1 and 2,and kindle three lights on your menorah.The menorah must be lit BEFORElighting the Shabbat candles (18 minutesbefore sunset).

Light Shabbat candles (For times in yourlocale visit chabad.org/shabbatimes.)

Fourth Night of Chanukah Saturday, Nov 30 - 28 KislevAfter night falls and Shabbat ends,recite the Havdalah (chabad.org/256963). Recite blessings 1 and 2, andkindle four lights on your menorah.

Fifth Night of Chanukah Sunday, Nov 1 - 29 KislevAfter sunset recite blessings 1 and 2, andkindle five lights on your menorah.

Sixth Night of Chanukah Monday, Nov 2 - 30 KislevAfter sunset, recite blessings 1 and 2, andkindle six lights on your menorah.

Seventh Night of Chanukah Tuesday, Nov 3 - 1 TevetAfter sunset recite blessings 1 and 2, andkindle seven lights on your menorah.

Eighth Night of Chanukah Wednesday, Nov 4 - 2 TevetAfter sunset recite blessings 1 and 2, andkindle eight lights on your menorah.

Lighting YourMenorah

A note about the flour: the flour helps thelatkes obtain a firmer consistency but isn’tnecessary for the taste and presentationof the latkes.

Instructions:

Grate the potatoes and onions, addeggs, salt and pepper. Add flour (optional).

In a large frying pan heat about½ inch oil on med/high heat.Place a heaping spoonful of latkemix into pan.

Place filling on top (see box below).Top with another spoonful of latkemix on top of filling. Flip over andfry for about a minute, drain on paper towels.

Stuffed LatkesA Twist on Tradition: A latke with asurprise in the middle is a great way toupdate the classic latke.

Recipe by Shifra Klein of Joy of Kosher Magazine. Subscribe or Give the Gift of Joy of Kosher

at www.joyofkosher.com/subscribe. Download their new iPad app on the App Store10

5 Idaho Potatoes

1 Spanish Onion

2 Eggs

1 Tbsp. Salt

1 Tsp. Black Pepper

3 Tbsp. Flour (optional).

Cheese + Marinara Sauce1 8 ounce package of mozzarella cheese in a block

10 fresh basil leaves (optional)

Place a heaping spoonful of latke mixinto pan, place a basil leaf on latke.Place a cube of mozzarella on basilleaf, top off, flip and fry… Serve hotwith marinara sauce on the side.

Mushroom + Sour Cream

Place a heaping spoonful of latkemix into pan. Place a spoonful ofmushroom mixture into latke mix.Top off, flip and fry… Serve hotwith sour cream.

1 shallot,

1 Package of Creminimushrooms,

1 Tbsp. Dried or Fresh thyme.

Salt & pepper to taste.

FillingsSaute:

Latke Ingredients:

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