1

Here are some additional texts that will help you teach Chanukah in a creative and
inspiring way.
The commandment of Chanukah- A candle, man and his home. Beit Shammai say, On the first day you
light eight, and from this point on you subtract one light each day of the holiday Beit Hillel say, On
the first day you light one and from this point forward you add one light each day of Chanukah
-Talmud Bavli, Masechet Shabbat, Daf 20B

. -
. - , :
... , :
, , ,

In the name of my father, my dear teacher, that solved the disagreement between Beit Hillel and Beit
Shamai about adding or subtracting candles (on each day of Chanukah). And he said that the candle has
two attributes, it lights and it burns, and it burns the waste and lightens our internal-ness, the fire of
passion for God. And Beit Shamai taught that the most important thing is to turn away from evil and
that is why he starts with 8 candles and decreases, and Beit Hillel taught that the most important thing is
to add light, and the excitement and light within the persons body purifies him and burns the waste
away as well And there are truly two ways- People who surrender their bodies and limit their passion
and there are people who add light from within and this is one increases and one decreases
-Sfat Emet (Rabbi Yehudah Leib Alter, The Gur Rebbe), on Chanukah, 1893, pg. 233

, ,] " [=
. ,
,
' ...
" ,
'. .
233 ' , ",

You light eight and from this point on you subtract one light. With Gods help, I suggest, that Beit
Shamai is bravery and Beit Hillel is Hesed (benevolence)
-Rabbi Yosef Chaim- Ha Ben Ish Chai, Ben Yehoyada, Part 1 B

... " . , []
,' ,' , ,

Rabbi Yosef Chaim also known as the Ben Ish Chai (1835-1909) was a leading
Iraqi hakham (Sephardi Rabbi), authority on halakha (Jewish law), and Master Kabbalist. He is best known as
author of the work on Halakha Ben Ish ai ("Son of Man (who) Lives"), a collection of the laws of everyday life
interspersed with mystical insights and customs, addressed to the masses and arranged by the
weekly Torah portion.

Piyutim or Liturgical Poems are common is Sephardi and Mizrachi synagogues around
the world. It is customary to sing specific piyutim depending on the holiday. Ya Hazel
Yona is a Piyut for Chanukah:
God Save the Dove/ Poet unknown
God save the dove that is waiting, and her tears
are pouring.
And she will be happy in You, her King on the
eight days of Chanukah.
Praise the proudest of the proud, the awesome
of the awesome.
Save the Hasmoneans from the hands of the
enemy that attacked them.
And she will be happy in you, her king on the
eight days of Chanukah.
And they will sing with you songs, melodies more
precious than gold, while they light the candles
on the eight days of Chanukah.
And she will be happy in you, her king on the
eight days of Chanukah.
Seek God all hearts for He has bestowed good on
us, be happy sons and fathers in your tradition
which is older than the sea.
And she will be happy in you, her king on the
eight days of Chanukah.
God renew the days of old, and take vengeance
on our foes
Your support will come from a holy place and
from Zion he will sustain you.
And she will be happy in you, her king On the
eight days of Chanukah.

/
. .
: .
.

:
: .
. .
: .

. .
: .
. .
:
.