Hanukkah is one of the annual celebrations in the Jewish community and commemorates a famous victory of the Maccabees over the Greeks. That decisive battle was followed by the rededication of the Jerusalem Temple in the second century BC. c. What greetings are appropriate on Hanukkah?
Hanukkah 2020
Every year, Jews around the world commemorate the Hanukkah holiday, which lasts eight days and eight nights. Because Jews do not celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah is an opportunity for them to celebrate at the end of the year.
The eight-day celebration takes place in December of each year. This year, as determined by the Hebrew calendar, Hanukkah runs from the night of December 10 to the night of December 18. The so-called “Jewish Christmas” (although it is not) Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in the 2nd century BC.
What greetings are appropriate on Hanukkah?
During the Hannukah celebration, Jews can get together and party. Among the greetings that are appropriate on Hannukah there are two, which are the most used:
If you want to wish someone happy hanukkah in hebrewgave “Hanukkah Sameach«. Or you can say “chag sameach“, what is a standard greeting for all Jewish holidays and translates as «Happy Holidays«.
If you want to go the extra mile, you can wish your Jewish friends a “Chag Urim Samach“, which translates as “Happy Festival of Lights«.
If you want a blessing for lighting the candlesyou can say: » Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu, melekh ha’olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu l’hadlik ner Hanukkah».
This translates as: » Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the universe, who sanctified us with his commandments and commanded us to light the Hanukkah light«.
Or one blessing for the hanukkah miracles He says: ” Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu, melekh ha’olam, she’asa nisim la’avoteinu ba’yamim ha’heim ba’z’man ha’ze«.
This means: ” Blessed are you, LORD our God, King of the universe, who performed miracles for our ancestors in those days at this time«.
The Festival of Lights
The Hanukkah’s history dates back over 2000 to the 2nd century BC. c.
Nearly 2,200 years ago, the Jews fought and lost a war against the Greeks.
One group, the Maccabees rebelled later against the greeks and, after finding their temple in Jerusalem damaged, they rededicated it to God. In commemoration of the rededication, the Jewish people lit a candlestick with eight separate candles, known as a menorah.
The menorah burned for eight days despite having only a day’s supply of oil.
To celebrate this miracle, Jews light their own menorah candles every night for the eight nights of Hannukah.
A candle raised in the middle, the Shamash, is used to light the other candles and the menorah is traditionally placed in windows or doors. Thus, each day a new candle must be lit until all 8 are lit. This is why Hanukkah is also called the Festival of Lights.
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