Chanukah with the Rebbe

Chanukah celebrates the Jews’ battle for G-d’s Torah to prevail. But the Mitzvah which they established to immortalize their triumph – the kindling of the Chanukah Menorah – sheds light on the true nature of “Jewish victory.”

The Chanukah battle and victory were immortalized by the Sages. The candles evoke the memory of the small group of Jews who fought those who had opposed the Torah. Today, we each battle our own evil inclination as well.

When a Jew celebrates Chanukah, he may be confronted: “You Jews are so few compared to the nations of the world. Yet you hold fast to your customs and commandments, ignoring what the billions of non-Jews around you think and do… Wherein lies your strength to stand in the face of such odds?”

On Chanukah, Jewish children receive Chanukah Gelt. The charity given by children has special significance because they don’t make money of their own; they are limited to what their parents give them. Nevertheless, Jewish children eagerly open their pockets to those in need, and increase the amount they give, every single day.

An address at the Chanukah Live worldwide satellite hookup at 770: "Everything G-d created, He created for His glory." The ultimate purpose of science is to discover new ways to facilitate and increase our ability to serve G-d. This we see clearly here at this gathering: Jews in every corner of the globe were able to tune in, via satellite, and to watch as one little child kindled the Chanukah flames.

Why we give children money, known as Chanukah gelt, to spend as they wish.

At a children’s rally the Menorah is lit, the children sing the prayer after the lighting and recite the 12 Torah passages. The Rebbe tells the children to “listen to what the candles have to tell us.”

Children’s rally at 770 on the last night of Chanukah, 1987.

At a Farbrengen on the last night of Chanukah, Chassidim sing Haneiros Hallalu.

The Rebbe joins in a Chanukah rally at 770 for public school children.

The words of this Niggun recount the miracles of G-d, which are evoked by the Chanukah lights. It is sung each night of Chanukah, after lighting the Menorah.

Afternoon Prayers and Menorah lighting in the Rebbe’s house on President Street.

There is a special lesson when both the first and last days of Chanukah fall out on Shabbos. It teaches us that every aspect of a Jew’s life must be completely permeated and saturated with “the Shabbos spirit,” with extra holiness and transcendence over the mundane.