From The Rabbi’s Study… December 12, 13/22, 23 Kislev 5786
Hanukkah will be on Sunday Night and the First candle. Instructions after the Torah Drash.
The Torah continues with Joseph’s dreams causing jealousy among his brothers. Joseph is sold into slavery to a caravan of Ishmaelites. The interesting story of Judah and Tamar (*Warning: not for children under 18years old), Joseph rejects Poiphar’s wife, Joseph is then thrown into prison and interprets the dreams of Pharaoh’s chief cupbearer and chief baker.
Joseph was the younger brother of TEN, and Benjamin was Joseph’s baby brother. While the coat of many colors is symbolic of being the head of the Israelites, Joseph wore it under a plain cloth coat. He was not showing it off or flaunting it to his brothers, however it was his dreams that infuriated his older brothers (Benjamin was too young), father and mother.
Even though Joseph interpreted dreams he never stated it was his; always he stated they were from G-d. (Genesis 40:8)
Throughout the Torah our ancestors and leaders of the Tribes were all handsome strong men and beautiful women. Joseph refused the invitation to commit adultery because “it is a sin before G-d” (Genesis 39:9).
Since we do not have an editor for the Newsletter, I am including the information about Hanukkah in this Torah Drash.
There are three prayers on the first night.
Blessing over the candles (each night). Use the Shamash/Helper candle to light Candles with the NEWEST candle first. Place candles Right to Left. Kindle LEFT to RIGHT!
1.Blessing: Baruch Atah Adonai, Elohaynu, Melekh Haolam, asher kiddushanu b’mtzvotav v’tzivanu, l’hadlich ner shel Hanukkah.
- Blessing for Hanukkah:
Baruch Atah Adonai, Elohaynu Melekh HaOlam, She’asah nissim la avotaynu ba’yamim ha hem baz’man hazeh. Blessed…who performed miracles for our ancestors in days gone by in this season of the year.
3.Blessing of the Sheheyanu because it is the first time reaching this special moment. This prayer is recited ONLY on the FIRST NIGHT!
Baruch Atah Adonai, Elohaynu Melekh HaOlam Sheheheh’yanu,
V’Ki’manu, V’Higiyanu Laz’man Hazeh.
Blessed…who has kept us in life and enabled us to reach this day.
Shabbat (Friday night): kindle the Hanukkah candles and open gifts; if you are lighting a Yurzit candle do this before lighting your Sabbath candles with the ending Ner Shel Shabbat v’Yom Tov.
Saturday night…Havdallah is recited ending the Sabbath, then kindle the Hanukkah menorah and open gifts.
Traditions are of eating food fried in oil, potato latkes, jelly donuts, and other foods. Singing songs and playing dreidel is also a fun tradition. The dreidel game kept Judaism alive because we pretended that we were gambling and not teaching our faith! Our people became a FREE Nation and minted coins, and the chocolate coins are symbolic of this currency (see them in museums).
May each night and each candle bring more LIGHT into the Darkness of the world. May we remember the brave Maccabees who realized they could fight back against being Hellenized by the mighty Greek Empire, and it came to them as a lightning bolt!
May each of us be reminded that our Jewish faith and each of us doing mitzvot/righteous actions continues to bring LIGHT to help repair the world.
Shabbat Shalom v’Hag Urim (Happy Festivals of Lights),
Rabbi Helene Ainbinder
