Chanukah
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Yehudit
What is the meaning of the name Yehudit? Where is her name found in the bible? Yehudit means a Jewess. It is from the Torah and its male counterpart is Yehudah, which was one of the tribes is Israel, but…
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Judah Maccabee’s Family
Who are the sons of Mattisyahu? The most prominent was the third son, Judah Maccabee. His brothers were Jonathan, Elazar, Shimon, and Yochanan.
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Business Menorah
I would like to light the candles at work; however, my employer says that it will not be possible unless I have an electric menorah. Since I cannot find one here, he will only allow me to light the menorah…
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Hanukah and the Burning Bush
What are the similarities between the burning bush and the Hanukah candles? Fascinating question. The burning bush describes the difference between something that’s burning, and a wick. If the bush were to be its own fuel, it would be quickly…
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The Branches of the Menorah
I thougt that a Menorah had seven arms, but I saw several Menorah’s with nine arms. Would you be so kind to tell me, how many arms belong to the real menorah? In the Bible (Exodus 25:31) G-d explains to…
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Menorah Blessings
Two questions regarding the Chanukah Blessings for lighting the Menorah: 1. Who wrote them, and when? 2. The first one says in part: “…Who has sanctified us with His commandments, and has commanded us to Kindle the Chanukah light.” Where…
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History of the Dreidel
I saw a painting from 18th century Mexico at the L.A. County Museum in which a native-looking husband and wife are playing with a spinner that looks like a Dreidel. There are some nuts lying around; the husband is holding…
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Height of the Original Menorah
A friend of mine ,a retired engineer, ask the height of the menorah which stood in front of the original Temple in Jerusalem. I believe it was 18 tephachim, or three amos, about 5 feet tall. Rabbi Yaakov Rosenblatt Dallas,…
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Menorah – Lighting from the Right
Why do we put the candle on the right and light then from left to right. Answer: In Judaism, the right side is always primary. This may be so because mystically, the right side represents G-d’s attribute of mercy which…