Hanukkah is celebrated
with a series of rituals that are performed every day throughout the 8-day
holiday, some are family-based and others communal. There are special additions
to the daily prayer service, and a section is added to the blessing
after meals.
Hanukkah is not a
"Sabbath-like" holiday, and there is no obligation to refrain
from activities that are forbidden on the Sabbath. Adherents go to
work as usual, but may leave early in order to be home to kindle the lights at
nightfall. There is no religious reason for schools to be closed, although, in
Israel, schools close from the second day for the whole
week of Hanukkah. Many families exchange gifts each night, such as books or
games and "Hanukkah Gelt" is often given to children. Fried foods are eaten to commemorate the
importance of oil during the celebration of Hanukkah. Some also have a custom
to eat dairy products to remember Judith and how she overcame Holofernes by feeding him cheese, which made him thirsty,
and giving him wine to drink. When Holofernes became very drunk, Judith cut off
his head.
The
festival is observed by the kindling of the lights of a unique candelabrum, the nine-branched menorah or Hanukkah, one additional light on
each night of the holiday, progressing to eight on the final night. The typical
menorah consists of eight branches with an additional visually distinct branch.
The extra light, with which the others are lit, is called a shamash and is given a distinct
location, usually above or below the rest.
0 comments:
Post a Comment