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The Many Customs of Hanukah and their Origin

Cheese

Maaseh Yehudit: King Aliforni…

Kol bo- Woman are obligated in the light of Hanukah for they were also in this miracle , for the enemy came  to wipe out all, men women and children. Or since through a woman the miracle happened, and her name was Judith as it says in the agadah,  a daughter was to Yohanan High Priest and she was very beautiful and the king of Greece said she should sleep with him and she fed him a milk dish so he would be thirsty and would get drunk and fall asleep  and so it was and she took his sword and cut off his head and brought it to Jerusalemite, and when the soldiers saw this  they ran and that is why they have a custom to make  cheese dishes on Hanukah.

Minhagei Vermayza- through a woman the miracle was done for we say in Midrash Rabot that the daughter of Yohanan fed the head of the enemy cheese and cut off his head, and based on this we eat cheeses on Hanukah.

Aruch Hashulchan- the miracle was at a different time, but…

Latkes

Sepharadim have buermuelos which are deep fried for the connection to oil. So too, we have latkes.

Dreidel

Kitov: it is as if to say, enjoy the game tonight, and get ready for the mitzva of learning. During the lighting you cannot learn. Later you will. 

Bnai Yisaschar: goshnah, g’sh’n’H’ is equal to mashiach = 358

A Hasidic thought- Purim was a lower stirring so the handle is on the bottom. Chanukah is a higher stirring so the handle is above. 

Hanukah gelt

Kitov: it is an inspiration for learning. Some used Hanukah to help with educational needs. Hanukah  means education too.  

Not working:

Maharil: not during the candle time, hanu, they rested. Women do not work.

Mateh Moshe- why no work? To show that one can’t use the flame, and since women were involved, the women do this. 

Meals

Mehaber of Shulchan Aruch- the increase of meals is optional for it was not instituted for  drink and joy.

Rambam- after a while it was instituted for thanksgiving and joy.

Ramah- it is a little bit of a mitzva to add meals because at that time was the dedication of the altar. We say songs at them and then they are meals of mitzva. Mishna berurah: also, the tabernacle was completed but not celebrated until Nissan.

Kitzur SH”A- tell also of the miracles from Sefer Yosifun.

Candles

Kol Bo- they have a custom to make new wicks and the reason is to show that there was a new miracle, and also to remember the temple where they always made new wicks. But in the Mesechet Soferim it says that on Hanukah one needn’t make new wicks until they are burnt out.

Minhagei Vermaiza- some light from left to right to turn right and to show that the new miracle was the third. Some start at the right to show that they are adding, mosif veholech. 

Candles in Shul

Like the Mikdash

Rav- theology starts in community.

Bishvilei haminhag p. 123 re hanukas habayit..