Chanukah III It’s All Up to Us – Spreading the Light
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he first Morasha class on Chanukah discussed the nature of the conflict with Greece and the decrees they imposed. The second Morasha class addressed the nature, symbolism, and implications of the Chanukah miracles. This third and final shiur seeks to understand why God wanted the Temple’s rededication to be accomplished through a miracle in the lighting of the Menorah, as well as what the Temple Menorah itself symbolizes. The class also addresses why and how we commemorate Chanukah today by lighting a menorah and by expressing Hoda’ah and Hallel – thanking and praising God in our prayers. Finally, we discuss the customs of eating foods containing oil and cheese, and playing dreidel.
This class seeks to understand: If the Chanukah miracles came in response to a small number of Jewish leaders, why is the mitzvah to commemorate Chanukah mandated for each Jewish person? Why did God select the Menorah as the source of the Chanukah miracle in the rededication of the Temple? What does the Menorah symbolize? How does our Chanukah observance demonstrate the essential role of Rabbinic authority? How do we commemorate the Chanukah miracles? What is behind the customs of eating latkes and spinning the dreidel?
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Jewish Calendar