Questions

1. Which miracle do we celebrate with the lighting of candles?
2. How did they know that the oil found was uncontaminated?
3. Who led the battle against the Hellenites?
4. During which of the "four exiles" did the miracle of Chanukah take place?
5. Name two non-halachic customs connected with Chanukah.
6. How many blessings are made before lighting candles?
7. Why do we light the extra candle, what is it called and why?
8. What is added to our regular prayers at least three times a day?
9. What is the special reading of the Torah each day?
10. Is it obligatory to eat a meal as it is on Purim?
11. When do we have occasion to use three Sifrei Torah on Chanukah?
12. What three mitzvot did the Hellenites decree against?
13. What damage did the Hellenites do to the Beit Hamikdash?
14. What two military advantages did the Hellenite army have over the Jews?
15. Is it permissible to do work on Chanukah?
16. Why is there no Mussaf prayer on Chanukah except for Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh?
17. How does the name Chanukah indicate the date when this holiday begins?
18. What special prayer do we add to the morning services?
19. What did the Jews do after victory that explains the name Chanukah?
20. Which regular prayers in the morning service do we omit on Chanukah?

All references are to the verses and Rashi's commentary, unless otherwise stated.

Answers

1. Which miracle do we celebrate with the lighting of candles?
   The oil for lighting the menorah in the Beit Hamikdash after the victory over the Hellenites was only enough for one day and it miraculously lasted for eight days until a new supply of pure oil was available. (Rambam, Laws of Chanukah 1:1)
2. How did they know that the oil found was uncontaminated?
   Its container had the seal of the kohen gadol. (Mesechta Shabbat 21b)
3. Who led the battle against the Hellenites?
   Matityahu, the kohen gadol and his sons. (Rambam, Laws of Chanukah 1:1, and the “Al Hanissim” prayer in the Siddur)
4. During which of the "four exiles" did the miracle of Chanukah take place?
   The third exile under Hellenite oppression during the era of the second Beit Hamikdash. (Rambam, Laws of Chanukah 1:1)
5. Name two non-halachic customs connected with Chanukah.
   Eating either donuts or potato pancakes made with oil and playing with the sivivon (dreidel).
6. How many blessings are made before lighting candles?
   Three blessings the first night and two the other nights. (Rambam, Laws of Chanukah 1:4)
7. Why do we light the extra candle, what is it called and why?
   Since it is forbidden to benefit from the light of the candles, we light an extra one called the shamash so that if we do derive benefit, it will be from the ‘shamash’, which means the ‘servant’ candle, i.e., the one we are allowed to use. (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 673:1)
8. What is added to our regular prayers at least three times a day?
   The "Al Hanissim" prayer (Ibid. 682:1)
9. What is the special reading of the Torah each day?
   We read about the gifts of the nesi’im (heads of the twelve tribes at the inauguration of the Mikdash (Bamidbar 7:1-8). (Ibid. 684:1)
10. Is it obligatory to eat a meal as it is on Purim?
    No. But if the meal is accompanied by songs of praise to Heaven it is considered a seudat mitzvah. (Ibid. 670:2)
11. When do we have occasion to use three Sifrei Torah on Chanukah?
    If Rosh Chodesh Tevet occurs on on Shabbat, we read selections for Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh and Chanukah. (Ibid. 684:3)
12. What three mitzvot did the Hellenites decree against?
    Shabbat, circumcision and Rosh Chodesh. (Midrash)
13. What damage did the Hellenites do to the Beit Hamikdash?
    They made breaks in the walls and contaminated the sacred items. (Rambam, Laws of Chanukah 1:1)
14. What two military advantages did the Hellenite army have over the Jews?
    They were stronger, more numerous, and despicably evil. (“Al Hanissim” Prayer)
15. Is it permissible to do work on Chanukah?
    Work is allowed, but women have a custom to refrain from work for the first half hour that the candles are burning. (Mishna Berurah 670:1)
16. Why is there no Mussaf prayer on Chanukah except for Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh?
    Because there were no additional sacrifices offered in the Beit Hamikdash during Chanukah. (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 682:2)
17. How does the name Chanukah indicate the date when this holiday begins?
    If we break up the word into two parts — Chanu, and the letters chaf and hei, it can be read as “they rested (from the war) on the 25th (day of the month)”.
18. What special prayer do we add to the morning services?
    Hallel (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 683:1)
19. What did the Jews do after victory that explains the name Chanukah?
    They rededicated the altar in the Beit Hamikdash, which the Hellenites had defiled. ("Chanukah"means inauguration.)
20. Which regular prayers in the morning service do we omit on Chanukah?
    Tachanun and Psalm 20 before Uva Letzion. (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 683:1)

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