Some customs for the holiday of Hanoukah

1)The custom in Egypt was not to say Sidouq HaDin all 8 days of Hanoukah.

2)The custom amongst all Middle Eastern and North African Jewish communities
is to only use pure olive oil for the Hanoukah lights. The reason being that
this is considered to be the best way to fulfill the commandment and because
the holiday miracle occurred through olive oil.

3)When lighting, the custom as brought down by Maran, Hakham Yosef Karo, in
his Shoulhan 'Aroukh, is to start with the light on the right.
Meaning that on the first night when you are going to light, you begin with
the wick closest to your right hand.

On the second night, you begin with the wick adjacent to the one you lit on
the first night, them you light the one of the first night.
On the 3rd night, you begin with the newest wick, and work your way back to
the right.
And such is the manner on each night.
By the last night you'll be lighting that closest to your left hand first
and moving to your right. In the same manner that we write English or any
Western language.
Since the custom is to use oil wicks and not candles, we light with a candle
and after the obligatory lights are kindled, the Shamash, or extra wick is
kindled with the candle. The candle is then extinguished.

4)If you can safely light near your entranceway in order to publicize the
Hanoukah miracle to those who pass by in the street that is great. If not
you can feel comfortable knowing that you can follow the custom to light
inside the house where it will be publicized to the family members. This is
based upon MaHaRYQaSh ,in his gloss to the Shoulhan 'Aroukh, chapter 671.

5)The custom is to follow the qabalah of the AR"I (as brought down in the
Shoulhan 'Aroukh) for the berakhah and to say "Lehadliq Ner Hanoukah" and
not "....... shel hanoukah" even though that's the way it's mentioned in the
Gemara and among the Rishonim.
There are many reasons for this based upon both grammatical and mystical
interpretations.

6)On Mossae Shabbat (Saturday night), the Shoulhan 'Aroukh decreed that in
the synagogue the Hanoukah lights should be kindled first then habdalah
should be recited. And this is the way the law and custom was practiced in
Aleppo, Syria. On the other hand many posqim, rishonim and aharonim,
disagree with Maran regarding this, therefore there are variant customs.
The custom in both Cairo and Alexandria was to say Habdalah first, both in
the synagogue and at home.
The custom in Jerusalem, according to Hakham Mosheh Pardo who was Ab Bet Din
there, in his Shemo Mosheh, was also to say habdalah first even in the
synagogue.

7)The custom on Friday afternoon/evening of Hanoukah as brought down in the
HID"A's Birke Yosef in the name of Hakham Shemouel Abohab is to pray Minhah
in the synagogue the go home to kindle the Hanoukah lights, then to light
the Shabbat wicks, the to return to synagogue for Qabalat Shabbat and
'Arbit.

The question of course arises that since we do not consider the lighting of
shabbat lights as the acceptance of Shabbat, why must we light Hanoukah
prior to shabat lights? Isn't there a well lnown rule that Tadir ve She-eno
Tadir, Tadir Qodem, meaning that something that is done regularly done must
take precedance over something that is not usually done. Any interesting
comments?

8)On the Shabbat Eve occurring during Hanoukah, Bameh Madliqin is not
recited.

9)In the synagogue the Hanoukah lights need to be placed against the
Southern most wall. On the 1st night the Western most light will be lit
first, etc... This is based upon an old responsa of HaRaDBa"Z, Hakham David
Ibn Abi Zimra.

10)The custom in both Egypt and Jerusalem is to also light the Hanoukah
lights in the synagogue during the daytime. This of course is done without a
berakhah. The reason for this lighting is strictly for the sake of
proclaiming the miracle since the light of these wicks is not needed during
the day. It is also to help remind those who may not have lit at night for
whatever reason what day of the holiday it is so they could light the proper
number at night.
In Egypt this was done before the commencement of prayers, in Jerusalem
before Aromimkha.

11)The custom in Egypt during daily morning services of Hanoukah, is to
recite the Hanoukah holiday mizmor (Psalms 30), immediately after the Sefer
Torah is returned to the Heikhal and Qadish Titqabal is said. The Mizmor is
said, followed by Qadish Yehe Shelema, the Qaveh and the qetoret are said.
No other mizmorim are recited after qadish titqabal!

12)If prayers are being held in the house of a mourner during Hanoukah. Both
the mourner and all those in attendance say Halel in the house of the
mourner. The reason for this is that the Hanoukah Halel was established by
the Hakhamim and we are commanded to recite it. On Rosh Hodesh the law would
be different as Rosh Hodesh Halel is only a custom.

13)The custom in Tunisia is that all the while that the lights are burning
the ladies do not do any work.

14)In Tunisia and Libya, Rosh Hodesh Tebet, is called Rosh Hodesh of the
girls in remembrance of the heroics of Yehoudit. On this day parents send
gifts to the girls and grooms to their brides to be.

15)The custom in Aleppo an in many other Sephardic cities was that prior to
Hanoukah the shamash of the synagogue would give out a tall wax candle to
each man which he would use for lighting the Hanoukah wicks. They in return
would give him a small donation.

16)Rabbi Shem Tob Gaguine in his Keter Shem Tob mentions that the custom in
Israel, Syria, Turkey, and Egypt would be to say the 1st berakhah of
Lehadliq Ner Hanoukah then to light while saying the other berakhot. This is
still the custom among most traditional families but there are already many
who say all the berakhot prior to lighting.

17)The custom on Hanoukah is to eat a type of sweetened fried dough.
In Egypt it was called Zalabya or Loqmat El Qadi.
In Iraq and Syria it was called Zingol.
In Turkey it was called Bilmuelos.
In Greece it was called Lokomades.
This was the only traditional Sephardic item shared by almost all
communities for Hanoukah.

18)The custom was never to give out presents or spin a top (dreydel/sevivon)
on Hanoukah. these are traditions that came from Germanic lands and from
living among Christians who exchanged presents for the Xmas holiday which
usually coincided with hanoukah.

19)The berakhot are Lehadliq ner hanoukah and She'asah nisim. On the first
night we also add the berakhah of shehehiyanou. After that we recite Hanerot
Halalou (the version that has 51 words not 36 words) then we recite Mizmor
shir hanoukat habayit ledavid (psalm 30). Ma'oz Sour is not sung!

20)The law and custom for Sepharadim is that only 1 Hanoukah is used for the
entire family. Not like the Ashkenazi custom of each member of the family
lighting their own personal Hanoukah. In most traditional families in order
to share in the love of the missvah, the head of the household will give
each member of the family a chance to light.
On the 1st night he will light the 1st wick and he'll let his wife light the
shamash. On the 2nd night he'll light the newest wick, his wife the next,
then the oldest child the shamash, etc.. for all 8 nights.

21)Sepharadim until recently never called the Hanoukah lights by the name of
Menorah or Hanoukiyah it was simply refered to as Hanoukah.


Did I miss anything??


Happy Hanoukah,
Joseph Mosseri
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I am not a Rabbi or a Poseq.
I am just interested in discussing Halakhot & Minhagim, laws and customs.
I invite your insights, comments, criticisms, etc..
Please let me know if you would like me to forward the same to my list.
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Joseph Mosseri