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(Service compiled by Rabbi Amy R. Scheinerman)
The lights of Chanukah are the lights of freedom. In times of darkness, our ancestors found the courage to struggle for freedom: freedom to be Jews and to worship as Jews. Theirs was a victory of the weak over the strong, the few over the many, the committed over the arrogant. It was a victory for us, for had they not succeeded, we would not now be lighting theChanukah lights.
The lights of Chanukah are the light of God's presence in our lives, inspiring and strengthening us, as God inspired our ancestors to be courageous and strong.
The story of Chanukah is one of a great miracle. The sages recounted the miracle of a small jar of oil, only enough the burn for one day, which miraculously lasted for eight days. We know that the true miracle was the survival of our people and the Jewish way of life. The miracle continues and we are blessed to participate in it as we pass Jewish tradition along to the next generation.
MI Y'MA-LAYL G'VU-ROT YIS-RA-EL? O-TAN MI YIM-NEH? CHAYN B'CHOL DOR YA-KUM HA-GI-BOR GO-AYL HA-AM. SH'MA! BA-YA-MIM HA-HAYM BAZ-MAN HA-ZEH, MA-KA-BI MO-SHI-A U-FO-DEH U-V'YA-MAY-NU KOL AM YIS-RA-EL YIT-A-CHAYD YA-KUM L'HI-GA-EL.
Who can retell the things that befell us?
Who can count them?
In every age a hero or sage came to our aid.
Hark! In days of yore, in Israel's ancient land
Brave Maccabeus led the faithful band.
But now all Israel must as one arise,
Redeem itself through deed and sacrifice.
Long ago, the Syrians sought to end Judaism by forbidding Jewish learning. We kindle these lights in memory of all the Jews who disobeyed the edict and continued to study and teach Torah. They have bequeathed to us a tradition of peace and justice, compassion and charity. Study opens our minds and fortifies us against tyranny. Knowledge leads us to deeper understanding of God and greater observance as Jews. As we kindle these Chanukah lights, may we be inspired to seek the light of Jewish learning.
When the Syrians found that they could not extinguish Jewish learning, they attempted to extinguish Jewish living by forbidding our people from participating in our religious rituals of sacrifice and circumcision. Shabbat observance and observance of the dietary laws was forbidden. We were commanded to worship idols. Refusing to turn away from God's Torah, our people resisted and, led by the Maccabees, fought for the right to live as Jews. We are fortunate that we do not have to fight for our right to live as Jews today. Let us glory in that freedom by participating fully in the rich tradition we have inherited. May these Chanukah lights inspire us to seek a fuller Jewish life for ourselves, our family and our community.
The Maccabees were courageous leaders. But they did not fight alone. Ordinary people: farmers and shepherds, potters and tool-makers, joined the war against the Syrians. They lived in caves and fought with farm tools. People who were not soldiers found strength in God and in the belief that Jewish tradition must survive to be passed on to another generation of Jews. This strength brought them great courage. We, too, can find courage to overcome the battles in our lives if we look to God, to our tradition and to our community. As we kindle these Chanukah lights and recall the courage of our ancestors, may we find renewed courage within ourselves.
AL HA-NI-SIM V'AL HA-PUR-KAN, V'AL HA-G'VU-ROT V'AL HA-T'SHU-OT, V'AL HA-MIL-CHA-MOT, SHE-A-SI-TA LA-A-VO-TAY-NU BA-YA-MIM HA-HAYM BAZ-MAN HA-ZEH.
We thank You for the miraculous liberation, mighty deliverance and heroic victories which You helped our ancestors achieve in ancient days at this season.
We, like the Maccabees, have known fear and despair. But we have learned from the Maccabees that hope can conquer both fear and despair, and lead us to triumph over evil. May these Chanukah lights inspire us to work toward the realization of a Jewish vision of the world at peace, a place of justice.
The story of Chanukah is also the story of divisiveness within the People Israel. Today, we suffer the strains of discord within our religious family. Our futures are tied up, one with the other. We are our brothers' keepers. As we kindle these lights, let us rededicate ourselves to working to unite all Israel in the common bond of Ahavat Yisrael, a love of the People Israel.
Our tradition records that during the war against the Syrians, our people contributed not only toward the cause of defeating the enemy, but continued to practice tzedakah, taking care of those less fortunate than themselves. Today our enemies include hunger, disease, poverty, ignorance and tyranny. May these Chanukah lights inspire us to rededicate ourselves to carrying on the tradition of tzedakah in order to bring greater justice to our world.
The Syrians desecrated our Holy Temple with idols, but when our people won the war, they restored and rededicated the Temple to God. Let us rededicate ourselves this Chanukah to rejecting the idols of our age: status, money, and power. Let us rededicate ourselves to worshiping only God, as we kindle the Chanukah lights.
There is holiness when we strive to be true to the best we know.
There is holiness when we are kind to someone who cannot possibly be of service to us.
There is holiness when we promote family harmony.
There is holiness when we forget what divides us and remember what unites us.
There is holiness when we are willing to be laughed at for what we believe in.
There is holiness when we love--truly, honestly, and unselfishly.
There is holiness when we remember the lonely and bring cheer into a dark corner.
There is holiness when we share--our bread, our ideas, our enthusiasms.
There is holiness when we gather to pray to God who gave us the power to pray.
KA-DOSH, KA-DOSH, KA-DOSH, A-DO-NAI TZ'VA-OT,
M'LO CHOL HA-A-RETZ K'VO-DO.Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts.
May all the earth be filled with God's glory!
The story of Chanukah is a story of war fought to secure peace. It is a story of survival, for had our people refused to fight, we would not be here together on this Chanukah. As we kindle these lights, let us rededicate ourselves to pursuing peace in our own troubled world. And may our efforts culminate in the ultimate peace our tradition promises for the world: the messianic age.
May the lights we kindle here together shine forth for the world. May they fill us with gratitude that our tradition was saved from extinction by those who valued it enough to fight for it. And may these lights illumine our lives with the love of freedom. May we, by our lives, light the way toward freedom for all.
Blessed is the match consumed in kindling flame.
Blessed is the flame that burns in the secret places of the heart.
Blessed is the heart with strength to stop its beating for honor's sake.
Blessed is the match consumed in kindling flame.Hannah Senesh (1921--1944)
The sages taught: when our people came to clean out the Temple, they searched for jars of pure oil with the stamp of the High Priest, for only these were acceptable for lighting the ner tamid, the Eternal Light. Only one jar could be found, a one-day supply. The people relit the Eternal Light and lo! a miracle happened. The oil lasted not for one day, but for eight days. And so we light our Chanukiot for eight nights and celebrate our freedom for eight days.
The miracle of the oil is the miracle of our ancestors' courage to fight for their freedom.
The miracle of the oil is the miracle of our freedom to live as Jews.
The miracle of the oil is the miracle of the light of God's presence even in times of darkness.
The miracle of the oil is the miracle of the light of knowledge to free our spirits.
The miracle of the oil is the miracle of survival throughout countless dark nights.
The miracle of the oil is the miracle of the Jewish People which has survived countless centuries of persecution and dispersion, yet remains strong and vibrant.
The miracle of the oil is the miracle of the Jewish will to live.
We pass on the miracle to the next generation. May they carry it forward proudly to those who come after them.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, ruler of the universe, who makes us holy with commandments and has commanded us to light the Chanukah lights.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, ruler of the universe for having brought miracles for our ancestors in those days at that time.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, ruler of the universe, who has kept us, sustained us and allowed us to reach this joyous occasion.
MA-OZ TZUR Y'SHU-A-TI. L'CHA NA'EH L'SHA-BAY-ACH. TI-KON BET T'FI-LA-TI V'SHAM TO-DA N'ZA-BAY-ACH. L'AYT TA-CHIN MAT-BAY-ACH MI-TZAR HA-M'NA-BAY-ACH. AZ EG-MOR B'SHIR MIZ-MOR. CHA-NU-KAT HA-MIZ-BAY-ACH.
Y'VA'NIM NIK-B'TZU A-LA-Y A-ZA-Y BI-MAY HA-SH'MA-NI. U'FA-TZU CHO-MOT MIG'DA'LA-Y V'TI-M'U KOL HA-SH'MA-NIM. U-MI-NO-TAR KAN-KA-NIM NA-A-SAH NES L'SHO-SHA-NIM. B'NAY VIL-NA Y'MA SH'MO-NA KA-V'U SHIR U-R'NA-NIM.
Rock of Ages let our song ,
Praise Your saving power
You, amid the raging foes
Were our sheltering tower.
Furious they assailed us, but Your arm availed us
And Your word broke their sword, when our own strength failed us.Kindling new the holy lamps,
Priests approved in suffering,
Purified the nation's shrines,
Brought to God their offering.
And God's courts surrounding, hear, in joy abounding,
Happy throngs, singing songs, with a mighty sounding.Children of the Maccabees,
Whether free or fettered,
Wake the echoes of the songs,
Where you may be scattered.
Yours the message cheering, that the time is nearing,
Which will see all people free, tyrants disappearing.
Light one candle for the Maccabee children, give thanks that their light didn't die.
Light one candle for the pain they endured when their right to exist was denied.
Light one candle for the terrible sacrifice justice and freedom demand.
Light one candle for the wisdom to know when the peacemakers' time is at hand.Chorus:
Don't let the light go out, it's lasted for so many years.
Don't let the light go out, let it shine through our love and our tears.
(repeat)Light one candle for the strength that we need to never become our own foe.
Light one candle for those who are suffering the pain we learned so long ago.
Light one candle for all we believe in, let anger not tear us apart.
Light one candle to bind us together with peace as the song in our heart. CHORUSWhat is the memory that's valued so highly that we keep alive in that flame?
What's the commitment to those who have died when we cry out, "They've not died in vain!"
We have come this far always believing that justice will somehow prevail.
This is the burden and this is the promise and this is why we will not fail! CHORUS
CHANUKAH, CHANUKAH, CHAG YA-FE KOL KACH.
OR CHA-VIV MI-SA-VIV GIL L'YE-LED RACH.
CHANUKAH, CHANUKAH S'VI-VON SOV SOV
SOV SOV SOV, SOV SOV SOV, MA NA-IM VA-TOV.
S'VI-VON, SOV, SOV, SOV
CHANUKAH HU CHAG TOV
CHANUKAH HU CHAG TOV
S'VI-VON, SOV, SOV, SOVCHAG SIM-CHA HU LA-LAM
NES GA-DOL HA-YA SHAM
NES GA-DOL HA-YA SHAM
CHAG SIM-CHA HU LA-LAM
I have a little dreidel, I made it out of clay.
And when it's dry and ready, then dreidel I will play.CHORUS: Oh, dreidel, dreidel, dreidel,
I made it out of clay
And when it's dry and ready,
then dreidel I shall play.It has a lovely body, with a leg so short and thin,
And when it is all tired, it drops and then I win.
My dreidel is always playful; it loves to dance and spin.
A happy game of dreidel; come play, now let's begin.
"Where is Holiness?", Likrat Shabbat, The Prayer Book Press, p. 132.
"Rock of Ages", Gates of Prayer, Central Conference of American Rabbis, pp. 758-9.
"Light One Candle" by Peter Yarrow.