Chanukah as practiced by Spanish and Portuguese Jews

Chanukah as practiced by Spanish and Portuguese Jews


The berachah over the oil (which is preferred) or wax candles is Lehadrik ner shel chanukah. a candle is used to light the Shamash and the regulah chanukah lights, since these are oil and the shamash could not be used to light another oil wick with ease.

For purposes of pirsumei nisa (proclamation of the miracle), the Chanukah lights are placed in, or near, a window. This is the procedure followed in America and in Holland. The longer version of Hanerot halalu is recited. This is followed by the recition of Psalm 30, Mizmor shir Chanukat habayit leDavid.

In the Shacharit service, the words Mizmor shir chanukat habayit leDavid of Psalm 30, which are left out all year, are added to the Aromimchah Hashem.

Although the Maoz tzur prayer is not known as a part of the chanukah ceremony for kindling the lights, its melody is used in the chanting of Ein K' Elokeinu in the synagogue service. This is a tradition which has long been observed in America, but it was not known in Holland, even though it appeared first in the Birkat hamazon, Etias edition, Amsterdam, 1702, by Mordecai.

In synagogue, at the first Amida of chanukah in the Arbit, the Chazan announces, "Omerim al hanisim" to signal the congregants to include this special prayer of thanksgiving in their silent recitation of Amida.

The chanukah lamp use in the synagogue is of beaten brass and originated in Holland a few hundred years ago.
The blessing over the Hallel on Chanukah is Ligmor et hahallel.

There is a difference in the way the Torah reading from Parashat Naso is allocated on each of the day of Chanukah. For example, on the second day, the Spanish and Portuguese will read Bayom hasheni until zahav melea ketoret (Numbers 7:18-20).

For the second person called on the day, the chazan will continue with Par echad until the end of Netaneel ben Tzuar (Numbers 7:21-23) Then for the third person called, the entire section for the day, Numbers 7:18-23, is read. This general procedure followed by all Sephardim is different from the manner in which the Ashkenazim allocate the aliyot during the days of Chanukah.