Messianic Jewish Haggadah. Messianic Jewish Haggadah Holiday of Thanksgiving. Festival of Lights. Shoresh David Messianic Synagogue

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1 Messianic Jewish Haggadah Holiday of Thanksgiving Shoresh David Messianic Synagogue Published by Shoresh David Messianic Synagogues of Tampa, Brandon, Lakeland, Wesley Chapel FL, and ConecTzion. Messianic Jewish Haggadah Festival of Lights Shoresh David Messianic Synagogue Published by Shoresh David Messianic Synagogues of Tampa, Brandon, Lakeland, Wesley Chapel FL, and ConecTzion. 31 1

2 1 Thanksgiving / Hanukkah Haggadah Our Vision Leader: Often times when celebrating holidays at home with our families, we perform the very shortest of customs and thus the time that would be so rich for our family s interaction and discussion is lost. In Judaism, every year at Passover, we sit down for a seder (order) meal and go through the Haggadah (the telling) which is a booklet that provides us history, customs, and a spiritual emphasis that leads us through a meaningful time of learning and sharing. God has called for us to remember Him through these special appointed times. Well, with such a wonderful benefit, why not have this for all our holidays? (This was a question of radio host, Dennis Prager.) Just think, the normal Thanksgiving meal includes everyone saying one thing they are thankful for, a prayer, and then lots of food. Hanukkah, isn t that different: say the blessings, light the Menorah, exchange gifts, and let s eat. However, these holidays should be a time for families to go deeper. Bringing God into everything we do is important. How much more important during the season that brings family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors together? In order for everyone to feel involved, alternate readers throughout this Haggadah. Because there are eight nights of Hanukkah, on pages 6-8, there are scriptures along with questions to answer each night. This should provide good discussion for you and your family. The second night of Hanukkah is Thanksgiving, so we are taking advantage of these holidays converging. May this Haggadah foster a great time of fellowship as we enjoy God and all that He has done for us throughout history and into this present time. Our prayer is; what God has done in the past will provide us with great hope for the future. May God richly bless you! 11/21/2013 1:30:08 May The Lord Bless You During This Wonderful Season of Thanksgiving and Hanukkah! Shoresh David Messianic Synagogues 4320 Bay to Bay Boulevard, Tampa FL Bell Shoals Rd, Valrico, FL E. County Rd 540-A, Lakeland FL State Road 54, Wesley Chapel FL

3 Coloring Feast of Hanukkah (also spelled Chanukah) The Hebrew word, Hanukkah, means dedication. The following is a short history of how the festival of Hanukkah began. Approximately 325 years before Yeshua (Jesus), Alexander The Great conquered Syria, Egypt and Israel, but allowed the lands under his control to continue observing their own religions. Everything was so good, many Jews assimilated into the Hellenistic culture, adopting the language, the customs and the dress of the Greeks. Sound familiar? It should, as Christians, Jews, and even Messianic Jews have assimilated into American culture. Antiochus IV came to power. He began to oppress the Jews. He put one of his priests in the Temple, he killed Jews, he made it against the law to practice the Jewish religion, and he had pigs sacrificed in the Temple. Mattathias and his son Judah Maccabee led a revolution, and even though they were greatly outnumbered, after many tough battles they won. They went to rededicate the Temple and found it was a mess. According to tradition as recorded in the Talmud (rabbi s commentary), at the time of the rededication, there was very little oil left to light the Temple menorah (candelabrum). There was only enough oil to burn for one day. Yet a miracle happened, it burned for eight days! An eight day festival was declared to remember this miracle. Hanukkah is not mentioned anywhere in the Hebrew scripture, just in the New Covenant: John 10:22 says, At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place at Jerusalem; it was winter, and Yeshua was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon. 29 2

4 We get much of our information about Hanukkah from the Apocrypha - a selection of 15 books which were published in the original 1611 King James Bible. These apocryphal books were positioned between the Old and New Testament. These 15 books are part of the Catholic canonization of the Bible, and therefore not part of the Protestant, Jewish, or Messianic Jewish Bible. Focusing on God and His Word Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. (Isaiah 40:31) Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the river and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the river, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. (Joshua 24:14-15) I am the LORD, I have called You in righteousness, I will also hold You by the hand and watch over You, and I will appoint You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations. (Isaiah 42:6). There are many important ideas that come from Hanukkah. Consider these five as we relate to God and man. 1. God delivered us. We received freedom. 2. We repent, we are cleansed, and God forgives us. 3. We dedicate our lives to God and He receives us. 4. We are a light to the world and people see Yeshua in us. 5. We become His servant and God receives the glory. Color By Numbers Challenge: Each person at the table, take one of these 5 phrases and tell the others what this means to you. (1-2 minutes each) And then have a season of prayer. 3 28

5 Lighting the Hanukkah Candles On the first night, begin by lighting the shammas (servant) candle (the highest one). Then light the candle furthest to the right using the shammas. Each night add one additional candle from right to left. Each time candles are lit, the shammas lights them. While holding the shammas candle, recite the following blessings. After reciting the blessings, use the shammas to light the candles from left to right (newest to oldest). Hanukkah Blessings Ba-ruch a-tah A-do-nai, E-lo-hei-nu Me-lech ha-o-lam, a-sher ki-du-sha-nu b -mitz-vo-tav vi-tzi-va-nu l -had-lik ner shel Cha-nu-kah Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the universe who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to light the candles of Hanukkah. Amen Ba-ruch a-tah A-do-nai, E-lo-hei-nu Me-lech ha-o-lam, she-a-sah ni-sim la-a-vo-te-un ba-ya-mim ha-hem baz-man ha-zeh Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the universe who performed miracles for our ancestors in those days at this time. Amen. Ba-ruch a-tah A-do-nai, E-lo-hei-nu Me-lech ha-o-lam, she-he-chi-ya-nu ve-ki-y -ma-nu ve-hi-gi-a-nu laz-man ha-zeh. A-men. (first night only) Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe who has kept us alive, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this season. Amen. (first night only) 27 4

6 Coloring Scriptures And Discussion Questions For Each Night Of Hanukkah Shammas: Service is a high calling as described in Matthew 20:26-28: But whoever wants to be great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you shall be your slave just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. What does it mean to be a servant? Whom are you serving? What changes would you need to make to become more of a servant? First Night Candle: Genesis 1:3-4 describes the creation of the first light: Then God said, Let there be light! and there was light. God saw that the light was good. So God distinguished the light from the darkness. Do you think that this light is only the physical light and darkness? What other meaning could it have? How does this make a difference in your life? Second Night Candle: Exodus 13:21-22 reveals that God is the source of Israel s light: ADONAI went before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead the way and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light. So they could travel both day and night. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night never departed from the people. Is God still with us both day and night? Does God still lead us? How do we recognize His leading and follow it? 5 26

7 AARONIC BENEDICTION (Numbers 6:24-26) 26) Y'va-re-ch'cha Adonai v'yish-m're-cha. Ya-air Adonai pa-nav ay-le-cha vi -chu-ne-ka. Yi-sa Adonai pa-nav ay-le-cha, v'ya-saim l'cha shalom. The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace. Third Night Candle: King David reminds us that God Himself is the source of our own individual light; ADONAI is my light and my salvation: whom should I fear? ADONAI is the stronghold of my life: whom should I dread? (Psalms 27:1) What does it mean that Adonai is my light and my salvation? Is Adonai your light and salvation? How does this make it possible for us to overcome fear? Fourth Night Candle: Psalm 119:105 and Psalm 119:130 describe the light that comes from God s Word: Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. The unfolding of Your words gives light, giving understanding to the simple. In what way does God s Word light up our path? How have you seen this in your own life? Do you need to spend more time in God s Word? Fifth Night Candle: Messiah Yeshua is the greatest light of all. Now this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you that God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5) Yeshua spoke to them again, saying, I am the light of the world. The one who follows Me will no longer walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. (John 8:12) What does it mean by light and darkness here? What is the light of life? Do you have the light of life? 25 6

8 Sixth Night Candle: As we come to know Messiah, we are to be a source of light for the world. Messiah tells us in Matthew 5:14-16: You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they put it on a lampstand so it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men so they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. In Isaiah 49:6 it says indeed He says, 'It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.' What does it mean to be a light to the world? Is this light to go only to the Jewish people or also the Gentiles? Do you hide your light, or let it shine? Are you a light to the world? Seventh Night Candle: The prophet Isaiah speaks of the future glory of a restored Israel in Isaiah 60:1-3: "Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. "For behold, darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples; But the LORD will rise upon you and His glory will appear upon you. "Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. What does it mean: the glory of the Lord has risen upon you? What is the darkness that will cover all the earth and the people? Do we need to be afraid at this time? Eighth Night Candle: Revelation 21:22-24 gives us a description of our glorious eternal dwelling place in the New Jerusalem: I saw no temple in her, for its Temple is ADONAI Elohei-Tzva'ot and the Lamb. And the city has no need for the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God lights it up, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations shall walk by its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory into it. What is the New Jerusalem? Why would we not need the sun or moon for light? How will the nations walk by its light? 7 Our Prayer Thanksgiving & Hanukkah Thanksgiving celebrates the freedom we have in America to thank God for all He has given us. Hanukkah celebrates the victory won by the Maccabees so that they had the freedom to worship God. Thank you God for allowing us to live in the United States of America where we have the freedom to worship You. May we not be complacent or apathetic in defending those freedoms yet help us always to be appropriate as we do everything with Your love. Thank you for our families. They are one of Your greatest gifts to us. We pray that our words and our actions will always show them our love. Thank You for each person sitting at our table today. May they be encouraged, filled with great faith, and always seeking to walk in Your ways. Blessed are You, Lord our God, Who is the Author of all blessings. Thank You Lord. The Shehecheyanu Ba-ruch a-ta A-do-nai E-lo-hei-nu me-lech ha-o-lam She-he-che-ya-nu v -ki-y -ma-nu v -hi-gi-a-nu laz-man ha-zeh. Amen Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe who has kept us alive, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this season. 24

9 Thank You for the opportunity to live in a nation where we are free. Thank You for healing us from physical and emotional pain. Thank You for providing us with a heavenly perspective, where we can focus on more than just ourselves. Thank You for forgiving us, as we have repented from our sins. Thank You for Your grace and mercy. Thank You for Your salvation in Yeshua which is the promise that we will live with You for eternity. The Hebrew word for salvation is Yeshua. (Jesus) We praise, honor, and glorify You. In Yeshua s name. Amen! In Psalm 92:1 it says It is good to give thanks to the Lord and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High. So let us give thanks to the Lord in song. All Sing: Oh Hanukkah Oh Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah come light the menorah Let's have a party we'll all dance the hora Gather round the table we'll give you a treat A shiny top to play with, and latkes to eat. And while we are playing the candles are burning low One for each night, they shed a sweet light To remind us of days long ago (repeat) Oh Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah festival of joy. A very special holiday for every girl and boy. Spin the whirling dreydels all week long. Eat the sizzling latkes, sing the happy song. Now light them tonight then, The flickering candles in a row. Retell the wondrous story, Of God in all His glory, And dance by the candles cheering glow. (repeat) All Sing: The Dredel Song All Sing (from Psalm 136) Ho-du la-do-nai, ki tov, ki le-oh-lam chas-do, (x2) Ho-du, Ho-du, Ho-du, Ho-du, Ho-du, la-do-nai, ki tov. (x2) Give thanks to the Lord He is good, His mercy forever endures. (2x) Give thanks, give thanks, give thanks, give thanks, give thanks to the Lord for He is good. (2x) Challenge: Each person at the table, take a moment and tell the others at your table one thing that you are thankful for. And then have a season of prayer. I have a little dreydel, I made it out of clay. And when it s dry and ready, then dreydel I shall play O dreydel, dreydel, dreydel, I made it out of clay O dreydel, dreydel, dreydel, now dreydel I shall play It has a lovely body, with leg so short and thin; And when my dreydel s tired, it drops and then I win. O dreydel, dreydel, dreydel, with leg so short and thin; O dreydel, dreydel, dreydel, it drops and then I win My dreydel is always playful. It loves to dance and spin; A happy game of dreydel, come play, now let s begin. O dreydel, dreydel, dreydel, it loves to dance and spin O dreydel, dreydel, dreydel, come play, now let s begin 23 8

10 9 All Sing: Ma Ma-oz Tzur Ma-oz tzur y -shu-a-ti L -cha na-eh l -sha-be-ach Ti-kon bet t -fi-la-ti Ve-sham to-dah n -za-be-ach L -et ta-chin mat-be-ach, Mi-tzar ham-na-be-ach Az eg-mor b -shir miz-mor Cha-nu-kat ha-miz-be-ach (repeat) Rock of ages, let our song Praise Your saving power; You among the raging foes Were our shelt ring tower. Furious they assailed us But Your help availed us, And Your word broke their sword When our own strength failed us. (repeat) All Sing: Ner Li I light my little candle on Hanukkah (2x) It will shine as I sing songs of joy that Hanukkah brings (2x) Ner li ner li ner li da-kik Ba-cha-nu-ka ne-ri ad-lik Ba-cha-nu-ka ne-ri ya-ir, Ba-cha-nu-ka shi-rim a-shir (2x) Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever... Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing (Psalm 107:1, 8-9, 22). Open to me the gates of righteousness; I shall enter through them, I shall give thanks to the LORD. This is the gate of the LORD; The righteous will enter through it. I shall give thanks to You, for You have answered me, and You have become my salvation. (Psalm 118:19-21) O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting. Then say, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us and deliver us from the nations, to give thanks to Your holy name, and glory in Your praise. Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting e v e n to everlasting. Then all the people said, "Amen," and praised the LORD. (I Chronicles 16:34-36) And in that day you will say, "Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name. Make known His deeds among the peoples; Make them remember that His name is exalted." (Isaiah 12:4) A second important characteristic of Thanksgiving is the idea of freedom. Our founding fathers came to America in order to enjoy their religious freedom. We should also be thankful that through God s Spirit we have also received emotional freedom. Freedom! Provision! Thanksgiving! All of these are terms that can summarize this day, this season! Let us give thanks to God for supplying us with His provisions and the freedom to enjoy them. Lord, thank You for everything You give us even though we are not deserving. Thank You for life and for keeping us safe. 22

11 We are prone to forget the Source from which [the blessings of fruitful years and healthful skies] come.... No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God.... I do, therefore invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States... to observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father Who dwelleth in the heavens. For the next seventy-five years, the Presidents that followed Lincoln, annually declared a national Thanksgiving Day. Then, in 1941, Congress permanently established the fourth Thursday of each November as a national holiday. As we celebrate Thanksgiving this year, let us remember its rich history and our gratefulness to God so that Americans everywhere will know the fullness and truth intended by our founding fathers. Lighting the Hanukkah Candles When it is time for the meal there are traditional foods. Because of the miracle of the oil, it is customary to eat foods cooked in oil, such as latkes (potato pancakes) and Sufganiot (Israeli doughnuts). Another reminder of the miracle of this holiday is the game of dreydels. These wooden or plastic tops have different Hebrew letters on each of their four sides: Nun, Gimel, Hey, and Shin standing for the phrase Nes Gadol Hayah Sham (A Great Miracle Happened There) There is an interesting story behind the dreydel. It is said that the Jewish children of Judea during the Maccabean period wanted to study Torah (first 5 books of Moses) but the anti-semetic policies of the Syrians made this difficult. They came up with a creative answer: They would study the scrolls in the streets until a foreign soldier came. Then they would quickly hide the scroll, bring out the dreydels, and pretend to be engrossed in a game of tops. When the soldier left, the Torah study would begin again. Focusing on God and His Word 21 God is why we are here. He brought us to America. He gave our founders a government based on His Word. He gave us abundance in this Land. It is through God that we are free. May the following readings remind us that God requires us to be thankful: Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. For the Lord is the great God, and the great King above all gods. (Psalm 95:2-3) Add One Win Half How To Play The Dreydel Game Win Everything Win Nothing 1. Give each person the same amount of candy, nuts, or Hanukkah gelt (chocolate money), etc. 2. Each player puts one piece in the pot. 3. The first player spins the dreydel and does what the dreydel says. 4. After a player gets a gimel, everyone adds one piece to the pot. 5. Everyone gets a turn. When you are finished playing, enjoy your candy, nuts or chocolate. 10

12 The resolution was delivered to President George Washington, who agreed with the congressional request, declaring: Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor... Now, therefore, I do appoint Thursday, the 26th day of November that we may all unite to render unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection. National Thanksgiving Proclamations didn t happen often until Prior to 1863, most official Thanksgiving observances occurred at the state level. That changed due to the perseverance of Mrs. Sarah Josepha Hale. For over twenty years, she promoted the idea of a national Thanksgiving Day, contacting President after President until Abraham Lincoln responded in He set aside the last Thursday of November, declaring: 11 20

13 [I] appoint... a day of public Thanksgiving to Almighty God... to [ask] Him that He would... pour out His Holy Spirit on all ministers of the Gospel; that He would... spread the light of Christian knowledge through the remotest corners of the earth;... and that He would establish these United States upon the basis of religion and virtue. (Governor of Virginia: Thomas Jefferson, 1779) I.. appoint... a day of public thanksgiving and praise... to render to God the tribute of praise for His unmerited goodness towards us... [by giving to] us... the Holy Scriptures which are able to enlighten and make us wise to eternal salvation. And [to] present our supplications...that He would forgive our manifold sins and... cause the benign religion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to be known, understood, and practiced among all the inhabitants of the earth. (Governor John Hancock of Massachusetts, 1790) The first national Thanksgiving occurred in 1789 immediately after approving the Bill of Rights. Mr. [Elias] Boudinot said he, could not think of letting the [congressional] session pass without offering an opportunity to all the citizens of the United States of joining with one voice in returning to Almighty God their sincere thanks for the many blessings He had poured down upon them. With this in view, he brought forth the following resolution: Resolved, That a joint committee of both Houses be directed to wait upon the President of the United States to request that he would recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer

14 Day of Thanksgiving The tradition of Thanksgiving is a time to focus on God and His blessings. It dates back to The Pilgrims sailed to America, a two month trip in a storm-tossed sea. In November, when they arrived at Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts, they had a prayer service. Then they began building shelters, but were unprepared for the harsh New England winter. Nearly half died before spring. Yet, persevering in prayer, and assisted by helpful Indians, they reaped a bountiful harvest the following summer. The grateful Pilgrims then declared a three-day feast in December 1621 to thank God and to celebrate with their native friends. This was America's first Thanksgiving festival. It began an annual tradition in the New England Colonies that slowly spread into other settlements. Throughout history, we see our nation s leaders speaking about the need for a day of thanksgiving. Here are some examples! [Congress] recommended [a day of]... thanksgiving and praise [so] that the good people may express the grateful feelings of their hearts and join their supplication that it may please God, through the merits of Jesus [the Messiah] to forgive [our sins] and...to enlarge [His] kingdom which consisteth in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. (Continental Congress, Written by Signers of the Declaration: Samuel Adams and Richard Henry Lee)...That he would keep all Sin out of our camps, as well as from the whole Community, and make us a penitent and reformed people That he would Inspire our officers with conduct and resolution, and our soldiers with faithfulness and courage; and that as the Captain of our Salvation, he would lead them on to Success and Victory That he would graciously Divest our the Counsels and prosper the Just arms of these States for restoring and establishing Peace and that the divine Promises and predictions of the universal and Spiritual Reign of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the prince of Peace, may be speedily accomplished. And all Servile Labor is forbidden on Said day. (State of New Hampshire, November 19th, By order of the Council & Assembly, E. Thompson, Secretary; M Weare President; John Langdon, Speaker - God save the United States of America) 13 18

15 Word Find 17 14

16 Connect The Dots 15 16