What is Your Intention Tonight?
Kavanot Across Communities For Each Night of Hanukkah
NIGHT 1
During Hanukkah we remember a story of miracles. The miracles in our lives keep us going through the darkest time of year, whether you believe miracles are supernatural, or unusual, or an everyday incredible occurrence. Hanukkah reminds us that there is the potential to see the miracle in this moment. I like to think of this as noticing the wow. When we bless the candles, the words of the bracha invite us to notice the wow of our world. It’s like putting on miracle glasses, so that during this time, everywhere you look, you say wow. The hanukkiah whispers “nes gadol kore po” a great miracle is happening here, in this moment, as we light the candles. Just as the Shabbos candles remind us of the miracle of creation, the hannukiah reveals to us the miracles of our everyday lives. ~Ma’alot
NIGHT 2
The beauty of a candle's flame is that every flicker is different from one to the next. Each flicker illuminated by our Hanukkah candles reflects the diversity of the individuals within our Jewish community. Our community is whole because of every single flicker - the thousands of them - that create one burning flame. As you light your Hanukkiah tonight, we invite you to think about the ways you, and we as a Jewish people, can work to ensure every individual - every flicker - within our community is illuminated and noticed. When each of us sees every flicker as equal in contributing to the brightness of our Jewish community, we will be stronger because of it. ~Honeymoon Israel
NIGHT 3
Each Friday as the sun is about to disappear from the sky, we light candles to bring Judaism’s inner light into our homes. Hanukkah candles are lit by a window--shining our Jewish pride and values out into the world. May each of us be emboldened to share our unique light and to give the world the gift that only we can give. ~Devorah Lowenstein, Ramah Darom
NIGHT 4
When you light the candles tonight, on the fourth night of this holiday, do not let the striking of the match become an automatic task. Capture this moment with the present and be intentional with your ritual. As you bring forth the flame, the light that brightens our homes and our streets, beckoning, I hope that you call out with your heart back to your ancestors, ancient and near. Think of the lineage that you carry and hold the enormity of our shared tradition inside of you. As you strike the match, I hope that you can feel the strength of our ancestors cradling this spark, and guiding your hand as you guide the flame to the shamash. And, as you invoke them, you also invoke another light, ever-giving, b’yachad - togetherness. ~Casey Rosner, Moishe House Buckhead
NIGHT 5
Even though the rabbis of old have determined that Hanukkah is a minor holiday, for so many of our young people it is their favorite holiday. Part of the reason for that is because the ritual is fun: the dreidels, the gifts, the family time, the foods – all come together to make wonderful, positive Jewish memories. So, too, are we dedicated at Camp Coleman: the creation of positive Jewish memories. As you light the hannukiah tonight, share what special activities or foods you love in this holiday, and one special memory from years past. ~Todd Gordon, Camp Coleman
NIGHT 6
Six Chanukah candles tonight. Every other time that we Jews light 6 candles, we somberly remember the 6 million. Yet on the 6th night of Chanukah, we celebrate a great miracle. But perhaps the greatest miracle of all is the continuity of these very candles over generations and continents, languages and cultures. So as we light THESE six, we revisit not only the victory of the Maccabees, we also recall the enduring power of the Six-pointed Magen David, the pride of the Six Day War, the embracing Six directions in which we shake the lulav, the wisdom of the Six tractates of the Mishna, and the wonder of the Six days of creation. Va’yhi erev, va’yhi boker – Yom shishi. And there was evening, and there was morning – a 6th day. ~Howie Slomka, LIMMUD Atlanta & SE
NIGHT 7
“This is the season when people of all faiths and cultures are pushing back against the planetary darkness. We string bulbs, ignite bonfires, and light candles. And we sing.” —Anita Diamant
Creating light during the darkest days of winter is an ancient Jewish practice, amplified by a tradition that invites every member of a household to light their own menorah. Everyone creates their own light, and the flames are shared for all to see, an intentional amplification of our joy. We do this to fulfill the mitzvah of pirsum ha’nes, publicizing the miracle of Hanukkah. Tonight, we add to our gratitude the lights of Shabbat, and invite you to imagine each flame as a voice in the ongoing chorus of Jewish song. Music shapes our past and reminds us that the flames that dance to our songs tonight can animate our future — a symbol of a brighter year to come, beginning this evening at our Shabbanukkah dinner tables. ~OneTable
NIGHT 8
This is a tale of two rabbis: It was around the year 10 BCE.Rabbi Shamai and Rabbi Hillel were embroiled in a battle over how to light the candles for Hannukah. Rabbi Shamai declaired that on the first night of Hannuakah, to truly capture the spirit of the holiday, those who light the candles should light all 8 candles on the first night. Then, each night, one less candle is lit. Finally, on the last night, ONLY 1 candle is lit. This is to celebrate the ONE-ness of Gd who is the source of the miracle of Hannukah.
Rabbi Hillel replied, no no no no. You’ve got it all wrong, Shamai. Those who light the candles for the holiday, should light only one candle on the first night. And then, every night they should add another candle. Then, on the last night of Hannukah, ALL 8 candles are lit to celebrate the holiness of the day.
While the majority of Jews follow the teachings of Rabbi Hillel, both methods of candle lighting remind us that during this time of physical darkness, there is light. We are heading into the heart of “winter” here in Atlanta. The days are getting shorter. The night’s darkness is deepening. Right after Hannukah ends, we celebrate the Winter solstice, the darkest day of the year. Solstice—promise of light to come. Each year at this time, it is easy for me to despair, to believe that the light will never return. And that much more so during this pandemic. At times of darkness, it is hard not to believe that it will always be this way. How can we connect with the Holy Spark in times of darkness, pain and despair?
As we celebrate this holiday with the lighting of the candles, we are reminded of a deep truth about life; that there is light amidst the darkness. At the darkest time there is light and there will be light. In fact, the light shines even brighter because of the darkness that surrounds it. We light our lights to say we know that Light still lives within us and will soon return outside us.
May your candles, on this last day of Hannukah, bring your light, hope and peace. ~Rabbi Malka Packer-Monroe, 18Doors
