Hebrew Vocabulary for Hanukkah
We thought you might like to light up your Hanukkah festivities with some Hebrew holiday related vocabulary. Here is the important word list to remember and start using on Hanukkah Eve! Enjoy!
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Word in Hebrew
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Transliteration
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Meaning
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Anecdotes
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כִּסְלֵו
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Kislev
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3rd month in the Jewish Calendar
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Hanukkah, the Feast of Light is celebrated on the 25th of Kislev.
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חֲנוּכָּה
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Hanukkah (Chanukkah)
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Dedication, Hebrew name of the Jewish Festival of Lights
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The word Chanukah can be divided into two: Chanu-they rested, and Kah-which has the numerical value of 25. On the 25th day of Kislev, the Maccabees rested from their battle, and triumphantly marched into the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, ready to rededicate it.
Chanukah is also called "The Festival of Lights" referring to the candles kindled on each night. It is also called "The Festival of Light" as Chanukah is the victory of the forces of "light" - which include faith and loyalty to G-d and the Jewish tradition and the will to fight for these beliefs - over the forces of "darkness," represented by the lifestyle of the ancient Syrian-Greeks.
It is also an acronym for "Heth Nerot VeHalacha KeBeit Hillel" (Eight candles and the Jewish law according to House of Hillel tradition.)
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בֵּית הֲמִּקְדָּשׁ
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Beit Ha'Mikdash
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The Holy Temple
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יְרוּשָלַיִם
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Yerushalayim
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Jerusalem
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אוֹר
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Or
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Light
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The word "Light" appears 36 times in the Bible. This is also the numerical value of the question "Ayeka?" which G-d asked Adam after he ate from the forbidden fruit. איכה?)) The question means: "Where are you?" or metaphorically, "Where is your light?", "Where does your soul reside?"
This equation reminds us that we need light in order to see where we stand at any given moment. It also implies that we should constantly evaluate our contribution to this world by bringing more light into our intentions and daily actions.
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חֲנֻּכִּיָה
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Hanukkiah (Chanukkiah)
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The nine-branched Hanukkah lamp
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The Hanukkah version of the Menorah with eight branches, one for each day of the holiday and another branch to carry the Shamash.
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נֵר
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Ner
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Candle
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שַׁמָשׁ
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Shamash
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Literally, "the used" candle. It is the ninth candle used to light the Hanukkah candles.
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Sits a bit higher or lower than the rest of the eight candles. Helps preserving the Mitzvah of the Hanukkah candles which are not to be used for any practical reason, not even for lighting each other.
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מָעוֹת
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Maot
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Money, small change
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On Chanukah, it is traditional to give all children money and/or presents. It affords parents an opportunity to give children positive reinforcement for exemplary behavior and teach them about the value of money.
Maot should be given to children after lighting the Chanukiah. The children should be encouraged to give charity from a portion of their Maot.
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סְבִיבוֹן
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Sevivon
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Dreidel
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Why is the Dreidel played in Hanukkah? During the Antiochian rule, The Syrian-Greeks decreed that the teaching or studying of Torah was a crime punishable by death. But the children defiantly studied in secret; and when Syrian-Greek patrols were spotted, they would pretend to be playing an innocent game of dreidels.
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סוּפְגָנִיוֹת
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Suphganiot
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Doughnuts
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Notice the resemblance of the word Suphgania (Singular of Suphganiot") to the Hebrew word "Sphog" (="Sponge"). Indeed, "Saphag", the root of the word "Suphgania" means, to absorb (the oil which it was fried in, of course.)
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לְבִיבוֹת
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Levivot
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Synonymous with doughnuts
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Lev, means heart. Suggestive of the fact that perhaps in Biblical days these doughnuts had the shape of a heart.
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שֶׁמֶן
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Shemen
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Oil
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It is a custom to eat fried food during Hanukkah in commemoration of the miracle of the oil.
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נֵס
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Nes
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Miracle
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Hanukkah celebrates the Miracle of the Oil: One small jug of pure oil was left in the defiled Holy Temple. When the Macabees rededicated the Temple, they realized the oil would only be sufficient for lighting the Temple Menorah for a single night. Nevertheless, the oil sufficed for eight full nights and days, until a fresh supply of pure olive oil arrived at the Temple.
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