The Mitzvot and Minhagim of Chanukah

When you think about Chanukah, you might picture  the glow of the menorah in the window, the   sizzle of latkes in the pan, or donuts that are  impossible to eat without getting powdered sugar   all over your face. But what does it all mean? Chanukah is a time dedicated to recognizing and   celebrating miracles, and every mitzvah and minhag  we practice over the course of these 8 days helps   us do just that. 1. The Menorah  The central mitzvah of Chanukah is lighting  the menorah, starting with one candle on the   first night and adding another each subsequent  night, lighting them from left to right. The   menorah symbolizes the small portion of oil  that burned for eight days instead of one,   so we place it by the window so that the  whole world can be reminded of this miracle  While the lights brighten our homes, we don’t  use them for any purpose apart from remembering   the miracle. That’s where the shamash comes in —  an extra candle that stands apart from the others   so that we can use its light. 2. Songs & Tefillot  After lighting the menorah, we sing Haneirot  Halalu and Maoz Tzur. Haneirot Halalu reminds   us of the miracles these lights represent,  while Maoz Tzur traces Jewish history through   moments of danger and deliverance. In tefillah, we add Al Hanisim and   recite the full Hallel, celebrating not only the  miracle of the oil but also our spiritual victory   over the oppression of the Greeks. 3. Minhagim  Beyond the mitzvot, Chanukkah is filled with  traditions that increase our celebration of   these miracles. Perhaps the most popular is the  dreidel, whose letters stand for “nes gadol haya   sham,” “a great miracle happened there.” Some say  this game began as a clever way for Jews to hide   their Torah learning under Greek oppression and  persists today as a celebration of that devotion.  We also eat foods fried in oil, like  latkes and sufganiyot, to recall the   miracle of the olive oil… and because,  let’s face it, donuts and fried potatoes   feel a lot more festive than a bowl of olives. From lighting the menorah to spinning the dreidel,   each and every aspect of Chanukah reminds  us to recognize the miracles that constantly   surround us and that even the smallest amount  of light can break through the darkest of times.