Sunday, December 25, 2005

TODAY IN JUDAISM: Monday, December 26, 2005

B"H

Kislev 25, 5766 * December 26, 2005

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T O D A Y I N J U D A I S M
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* Laws * Customs * Jewish History * Daily Quote * Daily Study *

Today is: Monday, Kislev 25, 5766
Chanukah Day 1

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Today's Laws & Customs
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• Kindle Two Chanukah Lights tonight

Today is the first day of the eight-day festival of Chanukah [http://www.chabad.org/6218]. In commemorartion of the miracle of the oil (see "Today in Jewish History [http://www.chabad.org/225034]") we kindle the Chanukah lights -- oli lamps or candles -- each evening for eight days, increasing the number of lights each evening.

In the Jewish calendar, the day begins at nightfall; thus, the first Chanukah light is kindled on the preceding evening, which is when the Hebrew date of Kislev 25 begins. Tonight is the eve of the 2nd day of Chanukah, so we kindle two lights in the Chanukah menorah.

The icon below displays the ideal Chanukah lighting time for your location; the lighting can be done, however, later in the evening as well. For more on Chanukah lighting times, click here [http://www.chabad.org/224506]. (If no time is displayed, click on icon to set your location.)

For more a more detailed guide to Chanukah lighting click here [http://www.chabad.org/103868]. For text and audio of the blessings recited before lighting, click here [http://www.chabad.org/219029].

Additional Chanukah observances and customs are listed below:

• Hallel & Al HaNissim

Special prayers of thanksgiving -- Hallel (in its full version) and Al HaNissim -- are added to the daily prayers and Grace After Meals on all eight days of Chanukah. Tachnun (confession of sins) and similar prayers are omitted for the duration of trhe festival.

• Latkes, Sufganiot & Dairy Foods

On Chanukah we eat foods fried in oil -- such as latkes (potato cakes) and sufganiot (doughnuts) -- in commemoration of the miracle of the oil.

It is also customary to eat dairy foods in commemoration of the Judith's heroic deed [http://www.chabad.org/103019].

• Dreidel

It is customary to play dreidel -- a game played with a spinning top inscribed with the Hebrew letters Nun, Gimmel, Hei and Shin, which spell the phrase Nes Gadol Hayah Sham, "a great miracle happened there." (It is said that when the Greeks forbade the study of Torah, Jewish children continued the study with their teachers in caves and cellars; when the agents of the king were seen approaching, the children would hide their scrolls and start to play with spinning tops...)

• Chanukah Gelt

It is an age-old custom to disribute gifts of Chanukah gelt ("Chanukah money [http://www.chabad.org/search/keyword.asp?kid=228]") to children on Chanukah. (It was the custom of the rebbes of Chabad-Lubavitch to give Chanukah gelt to their children and other family members on the fourth or fifth night of Chanukah; more recently, however, the Lubavitcher Rebbe encouraged the giving of Chanukah gelt every day of the festival -- except for Shabbat, when handling money is forbidden.)

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Today in Jewish History
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• Cain Kills Abel (3720 BCE)

The first murder of history occurred on the 25th of Kislev in the year 41 from creation (3720 BCE), when Adam and Eve's eldest son, Cain, killed his younger brother, Abel, as recounted in the 4th chapter of Genesis.

Link: From the Midrash

• Mishkan completed (1312 BCE)

The vessels, tapestries, wall sections and other components of the Mishkan (the portable sanctuary or "Tabarnacle" built under Moses' direction to house the Divine Presence during the Israelites' journeys through the desert) were completed on the 25th of Kislev in the year 2449 from creation (1312 BCE). The Mishkan was not assembled, however, until 3 months later, when, beginning on Adar 25 of that year, it was erected and taken down daily for a 7-day "training" period prior to its dedication on the 1st of Nissan. Our Sages tell us that the day of Kislev 25 was compensated 12 centuries later, when the Maccabees dedicated the Holy Temple on Kislev 25, 3622 (139 BCE -- see below).

Links: The Mishkan described [http://www.chabad.org/2682] in the Torah and commentaries; from the Chassidic masters on the Mishkan [http://www.chabad.org/1314]

• Chanukah Miracle (139 BCE)

On the 25th of Kislev in the year 3622 from creation, the Maccabees liberated the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, after defeating the vastly more numerous and powerful armies of the Syrian-Greek king Antiochus IV, who had tried to forcefully uproot the beliefs and practices of Judaism from the people of Israel. The victorious Jews repaired, cleansed and rededicated the Temple to the service of G-d. But all the Temple's oil had been defiled by the pagan invaders; when the Jews sought to light the Temple's menorah (candelabra), they found only one small cruse of ritually pure olive oil. Miraculously, the one-day supply burned for eight days, until new, pure oil could be obtained. In commemoration, the Sages instituted the 8-day festival of Chanukah, on which lights are kindled nightly to recall and publicize the miracle.

Link: The Story of Chanukah [http://www.chabad.org/102816]

• R. Chizkia Medini (1904)

Kislev 25 is the yahrtzeit (date of passing) of Rabbi Chaim Chizkiah Medini (1832-1904), author of the Halachic encyclopedia Sdei Chemed.

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Daily Study
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Chitas and Rambam for today:

Chumash: Mikeitz, 2nd Portion Bereishit 41:15-41:38 with Rashi
• English Text:
http://www.chabad.org/parshah/rashi/default.asp?tDate=12/26/2005&src=ds

Tehillim: Chapter 119, Verses 1-96
• Hebrew text:
http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/tehillim.asp?tDate=12/26/2005&Lang=HEB
• English text:
http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/tehillim.asp?tDate=12/26/2005

Tanya: Likutei Amarim, beginning of Chapter 3
• Lesson in Tanya:
http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tDate=12/26/2005
• RealAudio:
http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/audio.asp?what=tanya&tDate=12/26/2005&format=rm
• Windows Media:
http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/audio.asp?what=tanya&tDate=12/26/2005&format=m3u

Rambam:
• Sefer Hamitzvos:
http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/seferHamitzvos.asp?tDate=12/26/2005
• 1 Chapter: Mechirah Chap. 7
http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/rambam.asp?tDate=12/26/2005&rambamChapters=1
• 3 Chapters: Nezirut Chap. 6, 7, 8
http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/rambam.asp?tDate=12/26/2005&rambamChapters=3

Hayom Yom:
• English Text:
http://www.chabad.org/dailystudy/hayomyom.asp?tDate=12/26/2005

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Chanukah is just around the corner!

Our extensive Chanukah website has how-to’s, stories, lessons, games and even recipes! It's sure to make your holiday more meaningful and insightful! All this at:

http://www.Chanukah.org

Tip: Join a public menorah lighting or Chanukah event in your area too!

http://www.chabad.org/103839

Send Chanukah Greeting Cards to friends and family:

http://www.chabad.org/225487

New! Featured Chanukah Videos:

SEASONS: A Chanukah Thought: http://www.chabad.org/335975
MIRACLES: A Chanukah Film: http://www.chabad.org/329867
MIRACLE LIGHTS: An Animated Production: http://www.chabad.org/339352

Wishing you and your family a Happy Chanukah!

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Check out our other Calendar Tools:

Candle Lighting anywhere: http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=6226
Zmanim - Halachic Times: http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=143790
Jewish/Civil Date Converter: http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=6225
Jewish Birthday Calculator: http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=6228
Bar/Bat Mitzvah Calculator: http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=6227
Yahrtzeit Calculator: http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=6229

Copyright © Chabad.org, 2005

For more Torah study and inspiring articles, please visit:
http://www.chabad.org/magazine

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