What does Khanukah mean to you, today??

[Henaynei]

What does Khanukah mean??

Not the history or the tradition, but in what way does the observance, history, tradition and celebration impact your life, faith and practice today?

 

[simchat_torah]

To me, Channukah is the antithesis to Xmas.

You see, Xmas is the epitomy of bowing down to paganism. Where as, Channukah is the epitomy of upholding purity of worship.

So, when I celebrate Channukah, this is the greatest message that I see.

Shalom,
Yafet.

 

[simchat_torah]

at leat that's what I hope you're looking for...

 

[iitb]

I've never been able to celebrate it. I was a Christian last year, and I'm with my Christian family this year, so I'm getting a heapin' helpin' of christmas.

Next year, however...

 

[Henaynei]

at leat that's what I hope you're looking for...

kinda ----- and.......

how does this impact your faith and practice - in your day to day life - now, today.... IOW - what difference does Khanukah make in your heart mind and life??

 

[ShirChadash]

We are also still new to Channukah observance (is it Khannukah? What is the preferred spelling?) This will be our second Channukah We homeschool our children, so we've been discussing a lot of things in preparation for the festival. I'm not sure if this is in line with what you were wanting, but one of the things that we've been discussing is how Channukah is the festival of lights (and discussing the same type of thing as S_T mentioned -- comparing pagan christmas to the miracle of G-d at Channukah). We've been chatting with our children about how Yeshua is the light of the world, that the Jews were chosen to be a light to the nations, that we are to let our "light" shine before men, etc.... I love that the Shamash/servant is set apart on the channukiah, and that it is lit first, and then the servant is where the light comes from to light the other Channukah lights... it seems to me to be so poignant! I'm excited to be learning more about the feast. We ordered a channukiah this year but it hasn't come yet I'm hoping it will get here today though. One of the things I feel is impacting me more this year than last year (because of the journey into Torah that HaShem has had my family on) is the part of the Channukah history of how the Greeks sought/tried to water-down and eventually do away with the Torah, and replace It with their pagan belief-system. I strongly believe that we (everyone in general) are people who mark times and seasons *because* G-d, Who created this world, is a G-d Who marks times and seasons and He created us this way... and then He gave us the times and seasons and feasts and festivals, in His Torah, that we are to follow... but certain men in their infinite wisdom (can you see my raised eyebrow and my tongue jutting firmly out my cheek here?) first denied Believer's the teaching of G-d, then forbade them to observe G-d's teaching including regarding the feasts and times, and then sought to replace those holy days with a confooseled paganistic human-created practice so we can have feasts and *holi*days to celebrate. Anyway -- ugh, my soapbox. I am a big mouth, really.

Henaynei, are you in Israel? I am curious how the celebrations surrounding Channukah might differ among those in Israel from those celebrating in other places.

Can you all tell I am just drinking in everything I'm reading on this forum?? (my newness is showing, I suppose, but I am so excited to find you folks!)

~z~

 

[Debbi]

When is Hanukkah? Does it start tonight or Saturday night? Christmas is next Thursday not Xmas.

 

[Henaynei]

When is Hanukkah? Does it start tonight or Saturday night? Christmas is next Thursday not Xmas.

First candle is lit tonight before the Shabbat candles are lit - and increase by one each night for the full 8 nights Tonight begins the 25th of Kislev.

 

[Henaynei]

Christmas is next Thursday not Xmas.

Forgive us if it offends, please Debbi, but for several of us here it is Xmas - for we do not find "Messiah" in it. If you do, be blessed

 

[simchat_torah]

We are also still new to Channukah observance (is it Khannukah? What is the preferred spelling?)

Well, since it is a 'transliterated' term, there truly is no proper spelling in English. However, I'd probably have to say that the "ch" or simply "h" at the beginning is most common.

 

[ShirChadash]

Thank you S_T

 

[Debbi]

I find Christ in it and He was/ is the reason I celebrate his birthday anyhow. He is Emmanuel - God With Us and the Light of the World. Do you exchange gifts during Hanukkah or just give the children stuff? (Don't know how to spell "drei...? something you spin and it has Hebrew writing on it). Does Jesus have something to do with Hanukkah?

 

[Amandine]

Actually the use of "Xmas" was started by Christians. It is merely shorthand.
*now back to your regularly sheduled programming*
-Catherine

 

[Henaynei]

I find Christ in it and He was/ is the reason I celebrate his birthday anyhow. He is Emmanuel - God With Us and the Light of the World.

Be blessed

Do you exchange gifts during Hanukkah or just give the children stuff?

Khanukah has no connection to Xmas, except that early church fathers decided to set the date for Xmas near Khanukah. The "church" had no celebration of Yeshua's birthday until some 300 years after His sacrifice.



The original tradition of Khanukah is to give gifts to one's teachers, to honor them and in memory of those teachers who gave their lives during the Syrian occupation of Israel when Antiochus Epiphanies made it a capital crime to teach Torah or Judaism to our children or for any one to study the Bible.



Due to the assimilation of the Jewish people, particularly in the US, the unanswered envy of Jewish children for the materialistic side of Xmas gift giving has migrated to giving gifts to children. Still, however, they tend to be gifts only to one's own small children.

(Don't know how to spell "drei...? something you spin and it has Hebrew writing on it).

It is Dreidel, in German, or sevivon in Hebrew and is the four-sided top that is played during Khanukah. The Hebrew writing is four letters: Nun, Gimel, Hay, Shin. They stand for a phrase: Nes Gadol Hiya Sham - A Great Miracle Happened There. The letters also instruct us how to play the game

Does Jesus have something to do with Hanukkah?

Yeshua went to the Temple at least once during the festival of Dedication (Hag Khanukah in Hebrew) and spoke a drash stating He is "the Light of the World."

 

[BenTsion]

Hi guys,
An interesting prophetic parallel has just occurred to me regarding the 8 days of Hannukah. Please correct me if I'm way off.

1 - G-d said let there be light
2 - G-d appointed Abraham's seed to be light upon the world
3 - G-d made the light of his Word (Torah) shine in the desert through Moshe
4 - G-d sent Yeshua, His Son, light of the world
5 - Yeshua tells his followers to be light to Israel and all nations
6 - Ruach HaKodesh is sent as a light to the body of Messiah
7 - Israel shall come to believe in Yeshua and fullfill its mission of being light
8 - Messiah, the light of the world, shall come again and there shall be no
more darkness

So, on each day we can celebrate one of the prophetic events above.

In Mashiach,
Ben Tsion

 

[simchat_torah]

Funny thing, Xmas should not necessarily be offensive to christians as X is greek for "christ". In fact, that's where "Xmas" started, it was a catholic tradition to refer in a more simplistic term to 'christmas'. However, it has evolved into a more acceptible way for Jews to refer to the paganized christian holiday.

shalom,
yafet.

 

[sojeru]

OY TO THE WHOLE X-mas and christmas thing.
THERE IS NOTHING BAD with XMAS at all, at least it shouldnt be to the christain!
X is the greek letter that begins the name Christ.
People are so caught up and narrowed in the English language. The English language can;t do anything for anyone- it is only the language most spoken in the world today- the lingua franca as Greek used to be.

CHRISTIANS NEED TO LEARN THE BIBLICAL LANGUAGES- then there wont be that much mess

Now chanukah? I dont know yet- I havent fully grasped its meaning into my life just yet- However i do know that it is a Torah festival- and i wont be able to observe it perfectly this year. I dont have a community with me- and the family- not observant at all in anyway, very secular-OY!
and I have no money to buy a menora- so i'll just light up some candels along the days.
Im a dead (poor) Jew lol and OY

shalom u'bracha and Hag Sameach

 

[yod]

Henaynei is that really necessary? I don't give Satan December 25th just because the Romans did. If it offends your brother to "X" out Christ then you should not do it. Is that so hard?



This song sums up Hanukah for me....

The Hanukah Song
​

We offer to the Lord a heart of praise

We come as a living sacrifice

His Spirit is within us and we are not our own

For we have been bought with a price

You are the temple of the living God

So cleanse and purify your heart

And dedicate yourself unto the true and living God

A s we celebrate the joy of Hanukah



Welcome to the festival of lights

Have another latke give the dreidel a whirl

Light up the menora on this hanukah night

And celebrate Yeshua, He's the light of the world



Baruch atah Adonai Elohenu Melech ha olam, she asah nisim

La ovotanu baiyamim hahem bazman hazeh

Michamocha bai elim Adonai nes gadol hayah sham

O who among the mighty is like unto you, O Lord?

Your salvation has also happened here



For victory stands not with the multitude of hosts

But with the strength that comes from G-d alone

And thus consider that throughout all the ages

Not one that put their trust in Him has yet been overcome



Welcome to the festival of lights

Have another latke give the dreidel a whirl

Light up the menora on this hanukah night

And celebrate Yeshua, He's our light....
Celebrate the Shammish who gives light...
And walk as children of the light and shine throughout the world

 

[Talmidah]

What does Khanukah mean??

Not the history or the tradition, but in what way does the observance, history, tradition and celebration impact your life, faith and practice today?

While I have been Torah observant for quite a while now, this is our first year 'observing' Chanukah. We attend a Conservative synagogue and it has always appeared to me that they were making Chanukah more of a Jewish answer to Christmas, which I didn't want to do. So the children would do the Chanukah activities at shul, but at home we just didn't do much.

This year, we are (perhaps clumsily) attempting to observe at home. I've had my daughter tell the story of the Maccabees, the cleansing of the Temple, the dedication, the dangers of Torah study and observance, the origins of the dreidel, etc. I think that it has made our understanding and practice a little 'fuller', added a new dimension. I was worried that the children would be wanting their '8 days of presents', but that hasn't happened at all and I'm so glad. The only presents given were to their Hebrew School teacher and a couple of the older ladies at shul who have helped my older daughter with Hebrew and some Torah study.

 

[Talmidah]

We are also still new to Channukah observance (is it Khannukah? What is the preferred spelling?) This will be our second Channukah

There are soooo many spellings because it is transliterated from the Hebrew. I usually go with Chanukah, but when doing an online search, its best to try a variety of spellings

We homeschool our children, so we've been discussing a lot of things in preparation for the festival.

I also homeschool. May I ask what 'grades' your children are in? Officially mine are in 4th, 2nd, and K, but of course their actual levels vary depending on the subject. Have you found any good materials for teaching according to Hebraic ways of thought? Feel free to answer via PM since this is off-topic.

I'm not sure if this is in line with what you were wanting, but one of the things that we've been discussing is how Channukah is the festival of lights (and discussing the same type of thing as S_T mentioned -- comparing pagan christmas to the miracle of G-d at Channukah). We've been chatting with our children about how Yeshua is the light of the world, that the Jews were chosen to be a light to the nations, that we are to let our "light" shine before men, etc.... I love that the Shamash/servant is set apart on the channukiah, and that it is lit first, and then the servant is where the light comes from to light the other Channukah lights... it seems to me to be so poignant! ... One of the things I feel is impacting me more this year than last year (because of the journey into Torah that HaShem has had my family on) is the part of the Channukah history of how the Greeks sought/tried to water-down and eventually do away with the Torah, and replace It with their pagan belief-system. I strongly believe that we (everyone in general) are people who mark times and seasons *because* G-d, Who created this world, is a G-d Who marks times and seasons and He created us this way... and then He gave us the times and seasons and feasts and festivals, in His Torah, that we are to follow... but certain men in their infinite wisdom (can you see my raised eyebrow and my tongue jutting firmly out my cheek here?) first denied Believer's the teaching of G-d, then forbade them to observe G-d's teaching including regarding the feasts and times, and then sought to replace those holy days with a confooseled paganistic human-created practice so we can have feasts and *holi*days to celebrate.

Just have to say I agree with you've said here. When studying this time, my oldest daughter was very quick to pick up basically what you've said in the last part of your post. It just seemed so obvious to her and she can't understand why people who profess to love and obey G-d, intentionally do differently than what He has outlined for us.