The Story of Chanukkah
Hanukkah (some use the spelling Chanukka), the Hebrew word meaning
dedication, is celebrated for eight days in the Hebrew month of Kislev,
beginning on the 25th day. This year it is celebrated beginning
the evening of December 7th, and continues for eight nights. It
is not a Biblically mandated holy-day, however it carries a timeless
message of dedication, re-dedication, and commitment to the ways of
YHVH.
A reference to it does appear in the Apostolic Writings (New
Testament). By the time of Y'shua, Hanukkah had become a regular
holiday, as is mentioned in the Gospel of John “And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the
dedication (i.e., Hanukkah), and it was winter." - John
10:22. Apparently Y'shua was there, at the Temple, in recognition
of this annual remembrance. It is also described prophetically in
the writings of the Prophets.
In the eighth chapter of the Book of Daniel, the prophet describes an
incredible dream that he had in the year 551 BC, in the Days of
Belshazzar, king of Babylon. This dream prophesied the coming of
Alexander the Great, and the desecration of the Temple by
Antiochus. Read through this passage, and witness the incredible
accuracy of the Prophets words.
Daniel 8
IN THE third year of the reign of
King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after the one that
appeared to me at the first. And I saw in the vision and it
seemed that I was at Shushan the palace or fortress [in Susa, the
capital of Persia], which is in the province of Elam, and I saw in the
vision and I was by the river of Ulai. And I lifted up my eyes
and saw, and behold, there stood before the river a [single] ram which
had two horns [representing two kings of Medo-Persia: Darius the Mede,
then Cyrus]; and the two horns were high, but one [Persia] was higher
than the other, and the higher one came up last.
I looked and saw the ram [Darius -the
King of Medo-Persia] pushing and charging westward and northward and
southward; no beast could stand before him, neither could anyone rescue
from his power, but he did according to his [own] will and pleasure and
magnified himself. As I was considering, behold, a he-goat [the
king of Greece] came from the west across the face of the whole earth
without touching the ground, and the goat had a conspicuous and
remarkable horn between his eyes [symbolizing Alexander the
Great]. And he came to the ram that had the two horns which I had
seen standing on the bank of the river and ran at him in the heat of
his power. [In my vision] I saw him come close to the ram
[Medo-Persia], and he was moved with anger against him and he
[Alexander the Great] struck the ram and broke his two horns; and there
was no power in the ram to stand before him, but the goat threw him to
the ground and trampled on him. And there was no one who could rescue
the ram from his power. And the he-goat [Alexander the Great]
magnified himself exceedingly, and when he was [young and] strong, the
great horn [he] was [suddenly] broken [Alexander the Great died at age
32]; and instead of [him] there came up four notable horns [to whom the
kingdom was divided, one] toward [each of] the four winds of the
heavens. Out of littleness and small beginnings one of them came
forth [Antiochus Epiphanes], a horn whose [impious presumption
and pride] grew exceedingly great toward the south and toward the east
and toward the ornament [the precious, blessed land of Israel].
And [in my vision this horn] grew
great, even against the host of heaven [God's true people, the saints],
and some of the host and of the stars [priests] it cast down to the
ground and trampled on them, Yes, [this horn-Antiochus Epiphanes]
magnified itself, even [matching itself] against the Prince of the host
[of heaven]; and from Him the continual [burnt offering] was taken away
and the place of [God's] sanctuary was cast down and profaned.
And the host [the chosen people] was
given [to the wicked horn-Antiochus] together with the continual burnt
offering because of the transgression [of God's people--their abounding
irreverence, ungodliness, and Torah-less-ness lawless ways]. And
righteousness and truth were cast down to the ground, and it [the
wicked horn] accomplished this and prospered. Then I heard a holy
one speaking, and another holy one said to the one that spoke, For how
long is the vision concerning the continual offering, the transgression
that makes desolate, and the giving over of both the sanctuary and the
host [of the people] to be trampled underfoot? And he said to him
and to me, for 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary shall be
cleansed and restored. When I, even I, Daniel, had seen the
vision, I sought to understand it; then behold, there stood before me
one [Gabriel] with the appearance of a man. And I heard a man's voice
between the banks of the [river] Ulai which called and said, Gabriel,
make this man [Daniel] understand the vision.
So he came near where I stood, and
when he came, I was frightened and fell on my face. But he said to me,
Understand, O son of man, for the [fulfillment of the] vision belongs
to [events that shall occur in] the time of the end. Now as he
[Gabriel] was speaking with me, I fell stunned and in deep
unconsciousness with my face to the ground; but he touched me and set
me upright [where I had stood]. And he said, Behold, I will make
you know what will be in the latter time of the indignation [of God
upon the ungodly], for it has to do with the time of the end. The
ram you saw having two horns, they are the kings of Media and
Persia. And the shaggy and rough he-goat is the king of Greece,
and the great horn between his eyes is the first king [who consolidated
the whole realm, Alexander the Great]. And as for the horn which
was shattered, in whose place four others arose, four kingdoms shall
arise out of his nation but not having his [Alexander's] power.
And at the latter end of their kingdom, when the transgressors [the
apostate Jews] have reached the fullness [of their wickedness, taxing
the limits of God's mercy], a king of fierce countenance and
understanding dark trickery and craftiness shall stand up [Antiochus
Epiphanes]. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own
power; and he shall corrupt and destroy astonishingly and shall prosper
and do his own pleasure, and he shall corrupt and destroy the mighty
men and the holy people (the people of the saints). And through
his policy he shall cause trickery to prosper in his hand; he shall
magnify himself in his heart and mind, and in their security he will
corrupt and destroy many. He shall also stand up against the Prince of
princes, but he shall be broken and that by no [human] hand.
This, the vision of the evenings and
the mornings which has been told you is true. But seal up the vision,
for it has to do with and belongs to the [now] distant future.
And I, Daniel, fainted and was sick [for several] days. Afterward I
rose up and did the king's business; and I wondered at the vision, but
there was no one who understood it or could make it understood.
The ram with two horns "pushing westward and northward and southward"
is "the kings of Media and Persia." The goat coming from the west that
smote the ram is "the king of Greece," its great horn being "the first
king."
The historical record reveals that the Persian kingdom pushed westward
into what is now the Land of Israel, northward into Syria, and
southward into Egypt. Then came Alexander the Great, the Greeks' first
king, who defeated the Persians and destroyed their power in the east. "And the he-goat magnified himself
exceedingly: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for
it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven."
(Verse 8)
Four kingdoms shall stand out of the
nation, but not in his power (Verse 22)
The four kingdoms that arose out of the empire of Alexander at his
death were those of "the Seleucids at Antioch, of the Ptolemies in
Egypt, of Lysimachus in Thrace, and of Cassander in Macedonia."
Further, "out of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding
great," and profaned the altar in the sanctuary. (Verses 9-14) This
refers to "a king of fierce countenance" (verses 23-25) whose name was
Antiochus Epiphanes, the great persecutor of the Jews in the second
century B.C. Antiochus desecrated the altar in Jerusalem by erecting on
it a heathen altar. This altar remained for three years.
Finally, the Temple was once again purified and the altar of the Lord
dedicated at a feast that lasted seven days, the 'first
Hanukkah'.
A record of these events is found in the Books of the Maccabees in the
Apocrypha. We encourage you to read at least the 1st 4 chapters
of the Book of Maccabees during the Hanukkah season.
You may also be interested in ordering Michael Rood's Hanukkah teaching
(2-cassette album)
at
http://www.michaelrood.com
Daniel 8 represents an amazing prophecy. Here we see the rise and
fall of Alexander the Great, and the desecration of the Jewish people
and the Land of Israel at the hand of Antiochus Epiphanes.
"It [Antiochus] vaunted itself
against the very chief of the host [army]; on its account the regular
offering was suspended [in the Temple], and His holy place [the Temple]
was abandoned" How long will the regular offering be forsaken and the
Temple desecrated because of the transgression? 2,300 evenings
and mornings; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed." -- Daniel
8: 9-14.
Another astonishing fact is revealed . . . that it was exactly 2,300
evenings and mornings later, after the defeat of Antiochus that the
Temple was cleansed and rededicated. This commemorates the first
Hanukkah.
This prophecy reveals three separate prophetic events. (1) The
onslaught of Antiochus in 170 BCE, (2) the destruction of the Temple in
70 AD, and (3) the remaining prophetic events of the soon coming
Anti-Messiah.
Antiochus Epiphanes and the Jews
Epiphanes' name means God made manifest. What were his goals? Following
are the major areas of restriction and observance that were
particularly targeted an emphasized:
Hellenism; To force Greek culture and lifestyle on the
Jews
To force the Jews to abandon the faith of their
forefathers and become 'westernized' [the western, Gentile mindset that
Michael Rood often speaks about].
The introduction of Hellenistic cults and the worship of a
multitude of pagan gods.
In 170 BCE a law was announced requiring all citizens to
present themselves four times a year to pay formal homage to Antiochus
Epiphanes as the senior 'god' of the Seleucids. The day chosen for
these periodic submissions was Shabbat.
No observance of the Sabbath Day
No observance of Rosh Chodesh or the Hebrew months, which
marked the appointed moedim (holydays).
Fathers were forbidden to circumcise their sons
All were forbidden to study, or even possess a Torah
Nashim (Jewish Brides) were required to spend one night
with the Greek general before she was permitted marriage.
The introduction of sports, sporting events, and physical
competition into the Hebrew culture
In addition, Antiochus Epiphanes dared to occupy Jerusalem, enter the
Holy of Holies, desecrate the sanctuary by offering unclean animals
(swine) upon the alter of burnt-offerings, pollute the entire building
by sprinkling it with water in which flesh had been boiled, dedicated
the Temple itself to Jupiter Olympius, and erected the statue of that
deity in the Temple and plundered the Temple treasures.
The Anti-Messiah- Hanukkah and the
Last Days
THE HISTORY OF ASSIMILATION
THE HASMONEAN WAR
The Apostolic Writings (New Testament), though written after the time
of Antiochus and the Maccabees, makes allusions to the book of Daniel
that show similar events would occur again.
Y'shua himself warned about "the
abomination that causes desolation spoken of through the prophet Daniel"
as something yet to take place. (Matt 24:16) Indeed, in 70 AD the
Romans again desecrated the Temple, first by placing pagan images
there, and then by completely destroying the building. The New
Testament book of Revelation refers to images of "the beast"
(Anti-Messiah, or the ultimate false Messiah) which will be erected.
(Rev. 13:14).
On the surface, the celebration of Hanukkah recalls the struggle for
religious freedom, practice and conviction. Hanukkah commemorates the
victory of the Jews over the Hellenistic Syrians in the year 165
BCE. For the believer, it also symbolizes two powerful
adversarial concepts, one political, the other spiritual.
The political aspect is represented by the persecution and harassment
received by those who desire to live a Torah based life. The spiritual
aspect is represented by the assimilation of one's heart to seek a
return to Egypt.[1]
This concept may arise out of the Hebrew meaning of the term Hanukkah
or dedication. The Greek concordance uses the word consecration,
a synonym to sanctification. Certainly the meaning of
sanctification and dedication goes much further than a political
oppression by the Greeks over the Hebrew nation and peoples. An
investigation of the history and the context reveals that the real
conflict was that of the consecration of the soul of mankind to the
submission to Torah, as opposed to the soul's Hellenization. This
battle rages in the souls of men today . . . do we walk in the ways of
Torah, as revealed by our Messiah Y'shua, or do we walk in the
pleasures that life affords us? The battle that remains is that of a
Torah based Hebraic worldview as set against a Hellenistic view of God,
life, living, and eternity.
To explore this concept further, we must start with the definitions.
Hellenism is an interest in, devotion to, and imitation of the culture
and ideals of ancient Greece, especially as developed in Athens in the
5th and 4th centuries BCE, and followed by the expansion of Jewish
Hellenism into Alexandria Egypt from the 3rd to 1st centuries BCE.
Hellenism implies an unrestricted love of life, and the development of
a religious system in full support of a pleasure-seeking
lifestyle. An illustration of the distinction between Hellenized
civilization and the 1st century Follower of Messiah and Torah would be
that the Hellenized culture molds its religious system after what
the population and/or ruler desires. This concept is most often
referred to as a linear thinking. One's needs are to be met in or
through religious compartmentalization. For example: the
Hellenized mind molds all things to fit its own needs, thinking, and
culture. This worldview separates things. It puts religion
in one box, family in another box, vacations in another box, and
careers in yet another box. Everything is compartmentalized.
Among this perspective's various components is: a rational approach to
life, use of reason rather than authority, appreciation for a
humanistic value system, the search for the ideal in every field, and a
communal mind expressed as ideal harmony between individual and state.
In the earliest congregation, however, it was impossible to view life
and living in this manner. The Believers had a mindset that was
totally Hebraic. There were prescribed and commanded ways to walk
(halacha), and one would never mold their religion to fit their own
desires. For the earliest Believers, this was their nature; it
was part of their culture, a part of who they were. To the
earliest Believers, God, family, work, and life itself was all one
concept, intermingled together, centered on the Torah and the life that
it promises those who possess the faith to walk it out. This concept is
most often called circular thinking, meaning that everything in life
revolves around the concept that God and His Torah and Messiah Y'shua
are at the center of all aspects of reality. That Creation was
begun, and is now sustained by the Mighty One of Abraham, Yitzhak,
Ya'akov, and Messiah Yeshua, and that all things created find their
meaning, purpose, and existence in Him and His plans. Man's
greatness is in participating in Creation as a partner with God. His
greatness is in viewing himself in terms of a higher moral authority,
something greater than the dictates of his own moral conscience.
For the true Believer, man is created in the image of God. For the
Greek, God is created in the likeness of man. Their gods are supermen
who can eat, drink and indulge in every physical excess.
The story of Hanukkah starts in 319 BCE when the Greek dominance of the
world began. When King Solomon ruled Israel, most of Europe was
uninhabited. By the time of the Second Temple, people from the East had
migrated to and settled Europe, and, as chronicled in "The Iliad" and
"The Odyssey" of Homer, the Greeks were valiant warriors. The Greeks
are credited with amazing advances in the areas of science and politics
(they introduced democracy), as well as beauty, art, architecture and
philosophy. However, the people continued to believe in the existence
of gods who behaved like humans, and the Greeks lacked the Hebraic
beliefs in justice and charity as taught in Torah.
When Alexander the Great, of Macedonia, conquered the world, he was at
first friendly toward the people of Israel and respected their
religion. After his death at the age of 33, his kingdom was divided
into three parts, controlled by Egypt, Greece and Syria. The Ptolemies
of Egypt ruled over Israel for about 100 years, and then the Syrians
(beginning with Antiochus III). However, the predominant culture during
all this time was Greek Hellenism. Hellenism was unique in that
it stood for a set of ideals as well as an historical culture.
Hellenism was spread throughout the Mediterranean as a result of
Alexander the Great's conquests from 334-325 BCE. The term is also
applied to the ideals of later writers and thinkers who draw their
inspiration from ancient Greece. Frequently it is contrasted with
Hebraism; Hellenism, meaning pagan joy, freedom, and love of life as
contrasted with the austere morality and monotheism of the Hebrew
TaNaKh.
The root of the Maccabean uprising was this: Greek cities were built
throughout Syria, Egypt and Israel, and they included pagan temples and
sports arenas, which were outrages for the Jews. Nevertheless, many
Jews assimilated . . . some going so far as to have cosmetic surgery in
order to remove the mark of circumcision. These Hellenistic Jews joined
forces with their rulers and betrayed their own people.
The foreign rulers of Israel had no intention of exterminating the
Jewish people, but they were bent on forcing the Jewish people to
accept their culture and refute their faith, God and the Torah.
At the beginning of the Syrian rule, loyal Jews maintained control of
the Temple. About 100 years later, Antiochus IV (he added the
second name of Epiphanies, meaning 'God manifest' . . . In other words,
Antiochus didn't just think he was Gods gift, he in fact thought he was
God himself) succeeded to the throne. Soon thereafter, a
Hellenized Jew who called himself Jason bribed the king for control of
the Temple, and was installed as the Priest over Israel. Various
political conspiracies took place after this, culminating on the 15th
of Kislev, 168 BCE, when an idol was erected in the Temple. On the 25th
of that month, hogs were offered on the Altar to a pagan idol.
In spite of the legal rule, a large number of Jews continued to
practice the religion of their fathers. Babies were secretly
circumcised and families who were caught were executed. A most
notable incident of persecution occurred at this time. It is the
story of Channa and her seven sons. Each son was commanded to bow
down to the king. They were told that refusal to obey would result in
instant death. Rather than commit this desecration, each young man
preferred to die. One by one they refused to bow down and were killed
on the spot.
Finally the King and the executioner came to the youngest son.
Even the king was moved to compassion. He removed his ring and tossed
it to the floor. "Don't bow down to me," intoned the monarch, "merely
pick up my ring and hand it to me and I will consider it as if you had
bowed down." The young boy looked up at the king and told him, "It is
better that you slay me as you have slain my brothers rather than I
even give the impression that I fear you more than the Living God of
Israel." And with that he joined his martyred brothers in death.
Mattityahu the Hasmonean was of a priestly family, and, refusing to
yield to the Greeks, he fled from Jerusalem, after slaying a fellow Jew
who had submitted to Jason, the Hellenized Priest, and offered the
swine to YHVH. He took his sons and other loyal Jews with him, but the
king's forces pursued them. Mattityahu decided to fight back, together
with his five sons, Shimon, Yehudah the Maccabee ("Maccabee" is an
acronym from the first initials of the Hebrew words "Who is like You
among the heavenly powers, God"), Eleazar, Yochanan and Yonatan. These
men believed that they could not free Israel from foreign rulers, but
they were willing to risk their lives so that the Jewish people could
enjoy spiritual freedom and control of their Temple. Mattityahu died,
but the sons continued to fight under the leadership of Yehudah the
Maccabee.
The Maccabees, with four battalions of 1,000 men each, defeated an army
of 40,000 soldiers and 7,000 cavalry. Then in 165 BCE, Yehudah gathered
a force of 10,000 Jews and defeated an army of 60,000 soldiers and
5,000 cavalry. The Greek-Syrians, who had to deal with problems in
other parts of their Empire, gave up control of the Temple and returned
to their capital, Antioch in what is now Turkey.
When the Maccabees and their followers returned to the Temple, they saw
it was desolate and defiled. They had to clean the Temple and replace
the Alter and all of the utensils. A new Menorah was built, but the
olive oil necessary to light it was contaminated. A search was made
and, surprisingly, a flask of pure oil was found, sealed by the High
Priest. This was amazing because the High Priest was not in the habit
of sealing, or even handling, the oil. On the 25th of Kislev, 165 BCE,
the Menorah was lit and the daily offerings were resumed. There was
only enough oil, however, for one day, and it would take another week
to procure more oil. It was not clear that a military miracle had
occurred. However, when the single flask of oil lasted for eight days,
enough time for the Jews to replenish their supply of pure oil,
everyone knew that God had participated in this victory. One year
later, the miracle of Hanukkah was proclaimed a holiday.
How do we celebrate or recognize
Hanukkah?
Blessings for Lighting the Candles
We kindle these lights (to commemorate) the saving acts, miracles and
wonders which You have performed for our forefathers, in those days at
this time.
You will need a Hanukkiah (an 8 branched menorah) and a box of Hanukkah
candles. Also, most libraries or bookstores have a good selection
of illustrated books telling the story of Hanukkah for children.
Have festive meals for the eight days, say silent prayer three times a
day and each night while lighting the menorah, talk to your children
about Y�shua being the light of the world, and that without him, we
would still be walking in darkness, enslaved by the wicked kings of
this world.
Blessed are you,
Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us by His
commandments, and has blessed us to remember our victory over darkness
and allowed us to kindle the lights of Chanukah.
Blessed are you,
Lord our God, King of the universe, who wrought miracles for our
fathers in days of old, at this season.
The following blessing is said only on the first evening
(or the first time one kindles the lights this Chanukah): Blessed are
you, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has kept us alive, and has
preserved us, and enabled us to reach this season once again.
After Kindling the Lights the Hallalu is Recited.
The Hallalu:
Throughout the eight days of
Chanukah, these lights are set apart, and we are not permitted to make
use of them, but only to look at them, in order to offer thanks and
praise to Your great Name for Your miracles, for Your wonders and for
Your salvations.
Try to spend a few minutes in silence, in the darkness, looking
intensely at the light of the candles, meditating on the Great God we
serve, His Torah of life, and the salvation that we have through our
Messiah.
The first blessing thanks God for the commandment to "kindle the
Hanukkah lights." We therefore recite the blessing before lighting the
candles, and then proceed to carry out the commandment. The second
blessing praises God for the miracle the candles publicize, and is
therefore said as the candles are being lit.
Hold the lit shamash (the 9th candle, the 'servant.' Usually the center
candle, or the highest one-and recall the Messiah, the servant who
brings light into the darkness) in your right hand and say:
Ba-ruch a-ta A-do-nai,
E-lo-hei-nu me-lech ha-olam, a-sher kid-sha-nu be-mitz-vo-tav
ve-tzi-va-nu le-had-lik ner shel cha-nu-kah. Blessed are you, Lord our
God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with his commandments
and enables us to kindle the lights of Hanukkah. Ba-ruch a-ta A-do-nai,
E-lo-hei-nu me-lech ha-olam, she-a-sa ni-sim la- avo-tei-nu ba-ya-mim
ha-hem ba-zman ha-zeh. Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the
universe, who performed miracles for our ancestors, at this season, in
days past. On the first night of Hanukkah we add the following
"shehechiyanu" blessing, signifying that it is the first time that we
have lit the Hanukkah lights this season: Ba-ruch a-ta A-do-nai,
E-lo-hei-nu me-lech ha-olam, she-he-chi-yanu ve-kiy'manu ve-higi-anu
la'zman ha'zeh Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe, who
gave us life and kept us and delivered us to this time.
Lighting the Menorah (Hannukiah) On the first night of Hanukkah, a
single candle (or oil wick) is lit, on the far right side of the
menorah. On each successive night an additional candle is added, from
right to left (two candles lit on the second night, three on the
third...) until finally, on the eighth night, all eight candles are
lit. It is customary to light from left to right, with the newest
candle lit first. Also, allow the candles to burn themselves out. The
candles are lit by a "shamash" or service candle, which after being
used to light the other candles, takes its own special place on the
menorah - usually in a place slightly set apart from the rest.
When the candles are lit starting at nightfall, and should burn for at
least half an hour-but preferably should burn themselves out. On Friday
afternoon, the candles are traditionally lit before sunset, to avoid
lighting on the Sabbath. By putting longer candles in the menorah (or
thick Shabbat candles on tin foil), the lights will still be burning
after it grows dark.
Where We Are Advertising the Miracles
of God
The traditional home places the Hanukkiah in a window where all can see
the light of this season, glowing in this, the darkest time of the
year.
What are the customary foods served on
Hanukkah?
The underground growth of the potatoes and onions reminds us of the
plight that is so often a part of the human condition: so far down we
are looking up to the earthworms, made from the dirt and soon to return
there. Yet in our deepest distress, God's Spirit (represented by the
olive oil) is still right there for us. We can safely trust Him to
bring us through our darkest, coldest night into His magnificent Light.
By the power of the Holy Spirit, He took our darkness upon Himself, and
died and was buried for us in the ground. But He came back to life for
us to enjoy, by following Him, God's Light and Life, and the
fulfillment of all His promises.
POTATO LATKES -
Yield: 4 servings
2-1/2 pound Idaho or Russet potatoes (don't bother to peel)
1 large onion,
quartered 2 eggs
1/4 cup matzo meal
1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Oil, for frying
Applesauce (homemade is best)
If you are not peeling the potatoes, it is important to scrub them well
with a veggie brush or a scotch brite pad. Place the onions and the
eggs in a food processor. Zap the mixture a few times until the onion
is diced into crunchy bits, or gone (Papa prefers it that GONE way).
Pour the contents of the food processor into a large bowl for mixing.
Cut the potatoes lengthwise to fit in the food processor feed tube. I
use the medium grating blade and shred the potatoes. When the potatoes
are shredded, put them in a collander over the sink and squeeze. Let
the mixture drip for a few minutes. Pour the contents of the collander
into the bowl with the onion and egg mixture. Add the matzo meal, salt
and pepper. In a large cast-iron skillet, pour in 1/4" of the oil. Over
high heat get the oil VERY HOT.
Using a 1/4 cup measure or a long-handled serving spoon, start spooning
the batter into the skillet. Flatten each with a metal spatula to a
diameter of 3" to 4". Cook the latkes until golden brown on one side.
Then turn over and fry them some more. When crispy on the outside and
most inside, about 5 minutes per side, remove and place on several
thickness of paper towels or clean paper supermarket bags. Keep doing
this until you run out of batter. Serve the latkes immediately with
applesauce or with apple butter.
SUFGANIYOT (Jelly Donuts)
1 tablespoon dry yeast (1 pkg)
4 tablespoon sugar
3/4 cup lukewarm milk
2-1/2 cups flour
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs, separated
2 tablespoon butter
Apricot, strawberry or some type of preserves
Sugar
Vegetable oil
Mix yeast, 2 tablespoons sugar and milk. Let sit till it bubbles. Sift
flour, mix in remaining sugar, salt, cinnamon, egg yolks and yeast
mixture. Knead dough until it forms a ball. Add butter or margarine,
knead until butter is well absorbed. Cover with a towel and let rise
overnight in fridge.
The next morning: Roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Cut
dough into 24 rounds with a juice glass or other object about 2 inches
in diameter. Place1/2 teaspoon of preserves in center of 12 rounds. Top
with the other 12. Press down at edges, sealing with egg whites.
Crimping with the thumb and second finger is best. Let rise for about
30 minutes. Heat 2 inches of oil to about 375 degrees. Drop the
doughnuts into the hot oil, about 5 at a time. Turn to brown on both
sides. Drain on paper towels. Roll in sugar. Makes 12
What is the history of the dreidel
game and how do you play it?
The "dreidel" is a spin-top that children use on Hanukkah to play a
game of betting and winning pieces of chocolate called 'gelt' or candy.
It is said that since no work should be performed during the time that
the candles are lit, this game helps to pass the time, and so even the
adults joined in this family activity. During the siege of Jerusalem by
Antiochus, the Jews were forbidden to study Torah. Often, however, some
would study the Torah together as a group, and when soldiers came to
crack down on their activity, they would pull out the dreidel top and
pretend to be playing a game.
Some say that Torah challenge games were developed based on the
dreidel, with players striving to invent phrases following the Hebrew
letters. The game consists of spinning the metal or wooden top, on the
four sides of which the Hebrew letters Nun, Gimel, Heh and Shin are
engraved, and forming the initials of the words Nes Gadol Hiyah Sham a
great miracle happened THERE. The same letters however, form another
word found in Bereshit (Genesis) 46:28, which is read on Shabbat
Hanukkah and whose numerical value (358) is the same as that of
"Mashiach." But, once the State of Israel was reestablished, the "Shin"
on the dreidel was changed to a "Peh," changing the meaning to "a great
miracle happened HERE."
To play, everyone contributes to a central "pot" an equal bet of
chocolate pieces. The spinner (each participant in turn) then spins the
top, and the letter that appears on top when the dreidel falls over
determines his/her winnings or losses.
Nun -- Wins nothing in the pot
Gimel -- Wins everything in the pot
Heh -- Wins half in the pot
Peh -- Loses half of what you have left to the pot
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[1] A study of 'belach . . . to harass the Saints' is available.
Daniel 7:25. Please let us know if you would like this written teaching
am_ha_sefer@earthlink.net
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