tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040911.post6850251084908311983..comments2024-03-27T16:27:03.093+02:00Comments on Shiloh Musings: Should Chanukah Be About Shopping for Presents?Batyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09402874037427009327noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040911.post-38338050087798450042011-12-21T21:07:18.708+02:002011-12-21T21:07:18.708+02:00Oops, Shy Guy. I guess I made a slip of the "...Oops, Shy Guy. I guess I made a slip of the "Mao Tse Tongue" in my spelling..... Chanukah Sameach!Leahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00338022892863788418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040911.post-67139380739006333962011-12-16T18:05:51.639+02:002011-12-16T18:05:51.639+02:00Okay,so what! if we give presents,if we decorate w...Okay,so what! if we give presents,if we decorate with lights and menorah, so what! in the end our light shines brighter, I do not know how many times children who happen by our home during Chanukah say they wish they could celebrate our holiday instead of theirs. We have food, draidle, lights, joy, presents, for eight nights.Our religion and our light outshines all the rest... Emunah tells us that if it were not for our G-d we would have none of this. It is all from HaShem if we can give gifts if we celebrate its all HaShem. Yes our children should be as blessed as any other child and so in the end I say SO WHAT!, it means nothing I am sure children through out history have received gifts for Chanukah I can say this because at one time candy of any sort was a welcomed delightful gift. Especially in the days when even a piece of fruit was welcomed with delight. So again SO WHAT!. Enjoy, be thankful, do not forget the reason why we do what we do and shine your light of JOY! Just one last thing if you in your heart associate any of our Holidays to pagan rituals then you are not celebrating our holidays with the right intent which nulls your effort before HaSHem. HOPE everyone gets that! Celebrate and Celebrate with thankfulness and JOY! Forget the rest of the world and their doing's. ShalomAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040911.post-47665738409588025582011-12-16T14:30:00.409+02:002011-12-16T14:30:00.409+02:00Shangchai?Shangchai?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040911.post-84041988275318398492011-12-16T10:30:49.792+02:002011-12-16T10:30:49.792+02:00Leah, how nice...
Shy, shhhh...Leah, how nice...<br />Shy, shhhh...Batyahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09402874037427009327noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040911.post-56424751182385219732011-12-16T07:12:43.992+02:002011-12-16T07:12:43.992+02:00Leah said...
"... and sing Mao Tzur ..."...<i>Leah said...<br /><br />"... and sing <b>Mao</b> Tzur ..."</i><br />---------------------------------<br><br />Happy Chinakah!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040911.post-15767785143471382732011-12-16T00:20:36.398+02:002011-12-16T00:20:36.398+02:00I do combinational things on Chanukah. I do buy th...I do combinational things on Chanukah. I do buy the kids one present or give gelt. This year an organization gave us some gifts to give our children. I am incredibly grateful for their kindness. We light the Chanukiah and sing Mao Tzur and we have a funny traditional dance step (if you can call it that) We also make sufganiyot- ok, that isn't true. We make donuts- ;) and we learn about the the relation to oil in the events of Chanukah. We read stories about our holiday. Let's see....we spin the dreidel and most of all we spend time together as a family. I love Chanukah! I feel so proud to be a jew during Chanukah - and of course during the other holidays, too.<br />So, I guess the answer to your question is a resounding, "No." It shoudl nto be about present shopping. It should be about the humble pride that jews have for our nation- our people and our strength in jewish character and the will and determination and desire to keep it going and to connect to Hashem.<br />sorry so long worded....Leahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00338022892863788418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040911.post-47900424559398784792011-12-15T22:33:06.658+02:002011-12-15T22:33:06.658+02:00a, it is frustrating, trying to go against the maj...a, it is frustrating, trying to go against the majority. Just like I dont' believe in rewarding with food, instead of a bought "present" try special experiences. The knowledge and thrill last much longer.Batyahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09402874037427009327noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040911.post-65529983150620707782011-12-15T21:53:53.392+02:002011-12-15T21:53:53.392+02:00Thank you for addressing this issue. It's one...Thank you for addressing this issue. It's one of my pet peeves. As a truth seeker, I abandoned my family's xian faith and its attendant holidays at great personal sacrifice and had to fight to keep my children unaffected by it. So, imagine my disgust when I see Judaism being turned into Judeo-xianity.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040911.post-35184579206167392072011-12-15T11:04:02.832+02:002011-12-15T11:04:02.832+02:00Hadassa, thanks for the info. Why don't you b...Hadassa, thanks for the info. Why don't you blog for me?Batyahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09402874037427009327noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040911.post-3574804354123017342011-12-15T09:04:17.581+02:002011-12-15T09:04:17.581+02:00Shalom!
From the Midrash Ben Ish Chai http://www.m...Shalom!<br />From the Midrash Ben Ish Chai http://www.midrash.org/halakha/hanukkah.html<br /><br />The children are trained in the Miswah of giving money in charity. Ashkenazim have the minhagh of giving Hanukkah money [and presents] to the children. Although there is a source for it, this is not the prevalent custom among Sephardim.)Hadassanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040911.post-79394448541710160552011-12-15T09:00:33.635+02:002011-12-15T09:00:33.635+02:00another link
http://www.kolel.org/pages/holidays/C...another link<br />http://www.kolel.org/pages/holidays/Chanukah_customs.html<br /><br />I'll quote the last paragraph here:<br />It is should be noted that the practice of gift-giving was only added in modern times in communities where Christmas was predominantly observed, with its associated custom of giving Christmas presents. Traditionally, Chanukah "gelt" (now chocolate coins) were distributed. Jews adopted the practice of gift giving as a way of avoiding their children's jealousy of their Christian friends. Today, especially in North America, it has become a fairly widespread practise, extending, in extreme cases, to the giving of an additional gift each of the eight nights. Some families have a tradition to make one night "book night" one night "arts & crafts night", one night "tzedakah night" etc.Hadassanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040911.post-67655376281187205992011-12-15T08:52:01.513+02:002011-12-15T08:52:01.513+02:00Shalom!
http://www.aish.com/h/c/b/48965221.html
R...Shalom!<br />http://www.aish.com/h/c/b/48965221.html<br /><br />Read the comments too. The first comment outlines the deterioration of the way in which Hanuka is celebrated.Hadassanoreply@blogger.com