Why is the number 7 special in Judaism?
7. The sabbath year (shmita; Hebrew: שמיטה, literally “release”), also called the sabbatical year or shǝvi’it ( שביעית, literally “seventh”), is the seventh year of the seven-year agricultural cycle mandated by the Torah for the Land of Israel and is observed in contemporary Judaism.
What are the three Hanukkah prayers?
(to be said prior to lighting the candles) Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melekh ha’olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav, v’tzivanu l’hadlik ner shel Hanukkah. Blessed are you Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, who has made us holy through God’s commandments, and commanded us to light the Hanukkah candles.
Why do Jews touch the door?
After the blessing, the mezuzah is attached. Whenever passing through the doorway, many people touch a finger to the mezuzah as a way of showing respect to God. Many people also kiss their finger after touching it to the mezuzah.
Is menorah in the Bible?
The menorah is first mentioned in the biblical book of Exodus (, according to which the design of the lamp was revealed to Moses by God on Mount Sinai.
What does the 7 branch menorah mean?
Since biblical times, the seven-branched menorah has symbolized Judaism. For many Jews in antiquity, the menorah’s seven branches represented the five visible planets, plus the sun and the moon, and its rounded branches suggested their trajectories across the heavens.
Is it OK to say Happy Hanukkah?
What is the proper greeting for Hanukkah? To wish someone a Happy Hanukkah, say “Hanukkah Sameach!” (Happy Hanukkah) or simply “Chag Sameach!” (Happy Holiday). Or if you want to show off your Hebrew skills, say “Chag Urim Sameach!” (urim means “lights”).
Why is it called Chanukah?
Etymology. The name “Hanukkah” derives from the Hebrew verb “חנך”, meaning “to dedicate”. On Hanukkah, the Maccabean Jews regained control of Jerusalem and rededicated the Temple.
Why do Jews Rock when they pray?
Every time a Jew engages with the Torah, the light of his or her soul ignites, which is why he or she moves like the flame of a candle. This striking image illustrates the desire of many religious Jews to connect directly with God by learning and praying.
What does mezuzah mean?
doorpost
Does the menorah have 7 or 9 candles?
A menorah, which has only seven candleholders, was the lamp used in the ancient holy temple in Jerusalem — now a symbol of Judaism and an emblem of Israel. A Hanukkiah, however, has nine candlesticks — one for each night of Hanukkah and an extra one to light the others.
What do the 8 nights of Hanukkah mean?
Festival of Lights
What is the difference between a 7 and 9 candle menorah?
A seven branch menorah must be part of every Jewish home and lit as sign of enlightenment and symbol to temple menorah. A Kosher Hanukah menorah is when 8 candle holders are in one line with a ninth Shamash, out of placed in height or position on the 9 branched menorah.
Why do we light the menorah?
A child lights a menorah with oil for Hanukkah. A menorah, the Hebrew word for lamp, has seven branches. It was originally used in the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem. With nine branches, it is lit each night to celebrate the miracle of oil lasting eight days.
Do you give gifts for Hanukkah?
Gift-giving is a relatively new tradition during Hanukkah, so when bringing gifts, don’t go overboard. Books, jewelry, and food can be appropriate Hanukkah presents. Family gifts are always appreciated. You can personalize puzzles with family portraits or pictures of the grandkids.
How is Hanukkah different from Christmas?
Christmas celebrates the birth of Christ, while Hanukkah is in remembrance of past miraculous event, when Jews reclaimed their temple after Syrians forced them to worship false gods. The lighting of the menorah for eight days is a part of celebrating Hanukkah.
How old is the menorah?
The original Hanukkah menorah dates to 164 B.C.E., when a band of Jews, led by Judah the Maccabee, defeated its Syrian oppressors in a hard-fought battle. As the Jews reclaimed their temple and lit its golden candelabrum, their only supply of oil, which should have run out after one day, miraculously lasted for eight.
Why do Jews break glass?
The breaking of the glass holds multiple meanings. Some say it represents the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. Others say it demonstrates that marriage holds sorrow as well as joy and is a representation of the commitment to stand by one another even in hard times.
Why do Hasidic wives wear wigs?
Orthodox women do not show their hair in public after their wedding. With a headscarf or a wig – referred to in Yiddish as a sheitel – they signal to their surroundings that they are married and that they comply with traditional notions of propriety.
Is Hanukkah like Christmas?
Hanukkah is often thought of as the Jewish Christmas because of its close proximity to the Christmas season, but it’s not the same. Jews and Christians celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas with lights, family, presents, and food, but the two holidays are not the same.
What kind of holiday is Hanukkah?
Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the dedicating of the second temple in Jerusalem. When is this day celebrated? Hanukkah lasts eight days starting on the 25th day of the Hebrew month Kislev. This day can occur anytime from late November to late December.
Why do Hasidim wear fur hats?
According to Rabbi Aaron Wertheim, Rabbi Pinchas of Koretz (1726–1791) stated that “[t]he acronym for Shabbos is: Shtreimel Bimkom Tefillin – the shtreimel takes the place of tefillin.” Since wearing special clothing on Shabbat is a form of sanctification, among the Hasidim of Galicia and Hungary the shtreimel is …
What is the Israeli national bird?
Hoopoe
What do the 8 candles of Hanukkah mean?
Eight candles symbolize the number of days that the Temple lantern blazed; the ninth, the shamash, is a helper candle used to light the others. Families light one candle on the first day, two on the second (and so on) after sundown during the eight days of Hanukkah, while reciting prayers and singing songs.
What lesson did you learn from the story the olive tree?
The story is about two children who have to learn how to share together and work together. It also is about understanding what a family goes through after they have to leave their home due to being “different.”
What is the middle candle on a menorah called?
Shamash
Does Jesus celebrate Hanukkah?
The word “Hanukkah” means dedication and is celebrated each year as the Feast of Dedication or the Festival of Lights. Jesus made sure he was in Jerusalem during Hanukkah, The Feast of Dedication, in John chapter 10. He did not ignore it, or any of the prescribed feasts.
What does the olive tree represent in the Bible?
It is first mentioned in Scripture when the dove returned to Noah’s ark carrying an olive branch in its beak (Gen. 8:11). Since that time, the olive branch has been a symbol of “peace” to the world, and we often hear the expression, “extending an olive branch” to another person as a desire for peace.
What is the Hanukkah prayer?
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b-mitzvotav, v-tzivanu l’hadlik ner shel Hanukkah. Blessed are you, Our God, Ruler of the Universe, who makes us holy through Your commandments, and commands us to light the Hanukkah lights.
What does the Bible say about a fig tree?
The parable of the barren fig tree is a parable of Jesus recorded in the Gospel of Luke 13:6–9. A vinekeeper holds out hope that a barren fig tree will bear fruit next year. Mark includes an account of Jesus cursing the fig tree: The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry.
What does Hanukkah mean in Hebrew?
The Hebrew word Chanukah means “dedication,” and this holiday commemorates the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.
Why is the Star of David 6 points?
The six-pointed symbol is commonly referred to as the Star of David, a reference to the Biblical king and his legendary “shield.” (There are more complicated interpretations of the symbol based on the beliefs of Jewish mystics, but you can read more about those here.)
What does Israel’s flag symbolize?
The basic design recalls the Tallit (טַלִּית), the Jewish prayer shawl, which is white with black or blue stripes. The symbol in the center represents the Star of David (Magen David, מָגֵן דָּוִד), a Jewish symbol dating from late medieval Prague, which was adopted by the First Zionist Congress in 1897.
Why are there 9 candles on a menorah?
The ninth lamp is called a shamash, a “servator,” and it symbolically differentiates the eight holy flames from other, mundane light sources. It is usually used to light the other eight.
What is Israel’s symbol?
Emblem of Israel
What tree represents Israel?
olive tree
What does Mossad stand for?
Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations
Why is it called a menorah?
Name. English speakers most commonly call the lamp a “menorah” or “Hanukkah menorah” (the Hebrew word menorah simply meaning “lamp”).
Is the olive tree the tree of life?
Olive, symbol of wealth, fame and peace, is also found in four holy books. The olive tree is referred to as the tree of life, because of the white pigeon that returned to Noah’s ark after the flood had an olive branch in its mouth.
What is the symbol of Jerusalem?
The Emblem of Jerusalem is the official symbol of the city of Jerusalem. The emblem’s main figure is a Lion, shown rampant, which represents the “lion of Judah”, the symbol of the Tribe of Judah and later the Kingdom of Judah, whose capital was Jerusalem….
| Emblem of Jerusalem | |
|---|---|
| Adopted | 1950 |
What is the menorah used for?
A menorah, the Hebrew word for lamp, has seven branches. It was originally used in the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem. Menorahs were lit daily using olive oil of the purest quality. A hanukkiyah is a Hanukkah menorah used specifically to light the candles (often used today instead of oil) on Hanukkah.
How old is Israel?
The State of Israel is born On 14 May 1948, Israel proclaimed its independence. Less than 24 hours later, the regular armies of Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq invaded the country, forcing Israel to defend the sovereignty it had regained in its ancestral homeland.
Who created the Israeli flag?
Jacob Askowith
What does the 7 candles in a menorah stand for?
The seven lamps allude to the branches of human knowledge, represented by the six lamps inclined inwards towards, and symbolically guided by, the light of God represented by the central lamp. The menorah also symbolizes the creation in seven days, with the center light representing the Sabbath.
In what order do you light the Hanukkah candles?
A: The candles are lighted in the opposite direction from how they are placed in the chanukiah. They are lighted from left to right, so that the newest candle is always lighted first. The helper candle, or shamash, is lighted first, and that candle is used to light all the other candles.
What is the symbolism of the olive tree?
Olive Tree is a symbol of peace, wisdom, fertility, prosperity, health, luck, victory, stability and tranquillity. Moreover, the olive tree symbolizes the eternal link between man and the earth.