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ShareWhat is Hanukkah?
For our Rabbis taught: On the twenty-fifth of Kislev [commence] the days of Hanukkah, which are eight on which a lamentation for the dead and fasting are forbidden. For when the Greeks entered the Temple, they defiled all the oils therein, and when the Hasmonean dynasty prevailed against and defeated them, they made search and found only one cruse of oil which lay with the seal of the High Priest, but which contained sufficient for one day's lighting only; yet a miracle was wrought therein and they lit [the lamp] therewith for eight days. The following year these [days] were appointed a Festival with [the recital of] Hallel and thanksgiving.
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מי ימלל עממי מי ימלל גבורות ישראל
אותן מי ימנה
הן בכל דור יקום הגיבור
גואל העם.
שמע
בימים ההם בזמן הזה
מכבי מושיע ופודה
ובימינו כל עם ישראל
יתאחד, יקום ויגאל
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2) Who Can Retell (folk song) Who can retell the things that befell us,
Who can count them?
In every age, a hero or sage
Came to our aid.
Hark!
In days of yore in Israel's ancient land
Brave Maccabeus led the faithful band
But now all Israel must as one arise
Redeem itself through deed and sacrifice.
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(I added paragraph breaks for clarity, the Hebrew is one paragraph)
We thank You also for the miraculous deeds and for the redemption and for the mighty deeds and the saving acts wrought by You, as well as for the wars which You waged for our ancestors in ancient days at this season.
In the days of the Hasmonean Mattathias, son of Johanan the high priest, and his sons, when the iniquitous Greco-Syrian kingdom rose up against Your people Israel, to make them forget Your Torah and to turn them away from the ordinances of Your will, then You in your abundant mercy rose up for them in the time of their trouble, pled their cause, executed judgment, avenged their wrong, and delivered the strong into the hands of the weak, the many into the hands of few, the impure into the hands of the pure, the wicked into the hands of the righteous, and insolent ones into the hands of those occupied with Your Torah.
Both unto Yourself did you make a great and holy name in Thy world, and unto Your people did You achieve a great deliverance and redemption. Whereupon your children entered the sanctuary of Your house, cleansed Your temple, purified Your sanctuary, kindled lights in Your holy courts, and appointed these eight days of Hanukkah in order to give thanks and praises unto Your holy name."
באנו חושך לגרש
מילים: שרה לוי תנאי לחן: עמנואל עמירן
באנו חושך לגרש
בידינו אור ואש
כל אחד הוא אור קטן
וכולנו אור איתן
סורה חושך, הלאה שחור
סורה מפני האור
ציל-ציל-ציל בפעמונים
מי אנחנו? - סביבונים
לנו רגל אחת
אם ניפול - גם לא נפחד
סורה חושך, הלאה שחור
סורה מפני האור
אנו שובבים גדולים
עליזים והוללים -
אך נדע יפה מאוד
לספר, לשיר, לרקוד
סורה חושך, הלאה שחור
סורה מפני האור
We Came to Drive Away Darkness
We came to drive away the darkness
in our hands is light and fire.
Each one of us a small light,
and all together we are a strong light.
Flee darkness, away blackness!
Flee before the light!
Tzil-tzil-tzil in the bells,
who are we? - spinning tops.
We have one leg,
if we fall - we still won't fear.
Flee darkness, away blackness!
Flee before the light!
We're big mischievous kids,
merry and praise-giving -
but we'll know very nicely
to retell, to sing, to dance.
Flee darkness, away blackness!
Flee before the light!
2) What Hanukkah story is being told by each of these texts? Are you familiar with it?
3) Is there anything from any of these stories that you would want to incorporate into your celebration of Hannukah?