The first night of Hanukkah...
Those of you who have been with me a while know that I celebrate Hanukkah up close and personal on my journal. It reminds me of times growing up and I do enjoy this ritual. I try to post nightly during the Festival of Lights, over the eight nights and share what I am doing. I am not devoutly Jewish but creatively so. I also celebrate Christmas and decorate for that. I am an adult and can do what I want. I have my own beliefs and hold to those, such as they are.
Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah and I was supposed to light the candles at sundown but I was out at the mall. Oh wells. I lit them when I got home and took pictures of them for the blog-o-sphere. Over the next eight nights, I will post a bit about this holiday and its meaning and personal stuff etc.
Tonight, just the menorah which symbolizes the ceremonial lamps that are in the temples or synogogues. More on this later. Each night you light a candle for a night of the holiday, adding one to the menorah while there is also a "worker candle" (shamash) used to light the symbolic candle. The worker candle is the center candle on the menorah...lit first, it is used to light the candles from left to right. Tonight, I lit two candles...the shamash and then the far right candle representing the first night of this holiday.
Sooo...I took pictures. Three this time so you could see the progression. Most nights I will just post the one of the fully lit menorah.
You light the menorah while singing the blessing over the Hanukkah candles:
English:
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us by His commandments, and has commanded us to kindle the lights of Hanukkah.
Sfaradi/Modern Israeli:
Barukh Atta Adonay Eloheynu Melekh Ha-olam Asher Kiddeshanu Be-mitsvotav Ve-tsivanu Lehadlik Ner Shel khanuka
You leave the candles until they burn out naturally. I am watching mine go down now. It is best not to leave them untended...more on that another night.
Cheers to all and happy weekend, happy Hanukkah.
by hoarilysatan
Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah and I was supposed to light the candles at sundown but I was out at the mall. Oh wells. I lit them when I got home and took pictures of them for the blog-o-sphere. Over the next eight nights, I will post a bit about this holiday and its meaning and personal stuff etc.
Tonight, just the menorah which symbolizes the ceremonial lamps that are in the temples or synogogues. More on this later. Each night you light a candle for a night of the holiday, adding one to the menorah while there is also a "worker candle" (shamash) used to light the symbolic candle. The worker candle is the center candle on the menorah...lit first, it is used to light the candles from left to right. Tonight, I lit two candles...the shamash and then the far right candle representing the first night of this holiday.
Sooo...I took pictures. Three this time so you could see the progression. Most nights I will just post the one of the fully lit menorah.
You light the menorah while singing the blessing over the Hanukkah candles:
English:
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us by His commandments, and has commanded us to kindle the lights of Hanukkah.
Sfaradi/Modern Israeli:
Barukh Atta Adonay Eloheynu Melekh Ha-olam Asher Kiddeshanu Be-mitsvotav Ve-tsivanu Lehadlik Ner Shel khanuka
You leave the candles until they burn out naturally. I am watching mine go down now. It is best not to leave them untended...more on that another night.
Cheers to all and happy weekend, happy Hanukkah.
by hoarilysatan