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
Rabbi Avraham ben David of Posquieres (Provence), known by the acronym "Raavad">, wrote the famed hagaot critical notations to Maimonides' Mishneh Torah. Born approximately 1120, he passed away on the 26th of kislev of the year 4959 from creation (1198).
Links: The Lubavitcher Rebbe's analysis of
a famous dispute between Maimonides and Raavad
on the subject of free choice.
A Biography of the "Raavad"
On this date, the "Touro Synagogue" was dedicated in Newport, Rhode Island. The synagogue, named after Isaac Touro, its first officiating rabbi, is the oldest American synagogue still standing in its original structure.
In commemoration of the miracle of Chanukah we kindle the Chanukah lights—oil lamps or candles—each evening of the eight-day festival, increasing the number of lights each evening. Tonight we kindle three lights. (In the Jewish calendar, the day begins at nightfall; this evening, then, commences the 3rd day of Chanukah).
The lights—which ideally should be kindled soon after sunset—must burn for at least half an hour after nightfall. Learn more about the proper lighting time.
Links:
Text and Audio of the Menorah Blessings
Additional Chanukah observances and customs are listed below:
Special prayers of thanksgiving -- Hallel (in its full version) and V'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.
On Chanukah we eat foods fried in oil—such as latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiot (doughnuts) -- in commemoration of the miracle of the oil.
It is also customary to eat dairy foods in commemoration of Judith's heroic deed.
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...)
Links: How to Play Dreidel
It is an age-old custom to distribute gifts of Chanukah gelt ("Chanukah money") 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.)
Links:
Why the Chanukah Gelt?
In last night’s evening prayers we began inserting the request for rain, “v’tein tal umatar,” in the amidah. We continue adding this request into the weekday prayers until the holiday of Passover.
Creativity is an exercise in paradox.
On the one hand, creativity is the artist’s expression of self.
Yet, on the other hand, the artist must remove himself from his art, with discipline and with skill, so that his creation will appear real, as though it has a life of its own.
Creation of a universe from the void is the absolute paradoxical act.
It is the absolute expression of absolute existence, as existence emerges without bounds.
And it is the absolute of restraint, as the Creator conceals His presence so that this creation will perceive itself as its own being, and not simply a fantasy of its Creator.
In the very existence of this universe is manifest the ultimate oneness: That light and darkness, being and not-being converge at a point where all is one.
So that even when there is a heaven and an earth, there is nothing else but that elusive point we know as G‑d.