Many have the practice to give gifts (to adults and children) on Chanukah.
Why isn’t this chukas akum?
One of the famous rituals associated with Chanukah is that of gift giving. Rabbi Yaakov Kamanetzky, zt”l, writes (Emes L’Yakov, page 670, footnote) that in all likelihood, this custom originated with us and was then copied elsewhere.
To be sure, the original tradition was that of giving Chanukah gelt or money. The exact origin of this custom is uncertain, but it is still practiced and certainly cherished, particularly by the recipients.
The significance of this custom relates to the fact that the real battle of Chanukah was a cultural one. The Greeks sought to assimilate us and inculcate us with Greek culture and philosophy. They sought to enforce Hellenism at the expense of Jewish ideals and education. Those that were most under threat were the Jewish children. It was they, more than any other, whom the Greeks wanted to influence with all sorts of alien ideas. Hence, they banned all means of Jewish education.
A little-known fact is that in response to this threat, following the victory of the Maccabees, Rabbi Yeshoshua Ben Gamla established a national network of Jewish educational systems which we benefit from till present day. Indeed, Chanukah contains the root word chinuch, which means education. We look to encourage our kids today to study their ancient traditions and incentivize them with Chanukah money, or, as a substitute we give them gifts. Rambam discusses the importance of using incentives and prizes until a child is old enough to understand the importance and beauty of Jewish values and rituals, and that’s what we do.
And let us remember that the Chanukah lights are kindled by the shamash. We, as parents, are that shamash. We are the central candle responsible for kindling the flames, and we do so by way of our own example, because however much we are watching our children to see what they are doing with their lives, they are watching us to see what we are doing with ours.
– Rabbi Yitzchak Schochet, popular Lubavitch lecturer, rabbi of London’s Mill Hill Synagogue.
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While the practice of giving gifts on Chanukah is presently very widespread throughout the Jewish community, its origins are not at all clear. There certainly are no indications in the Gemara or Midrashim which even recommend, let alone require, giving presents on Chanukah. Indeed, the custom does not seem to date back more than a few centuries. It would therefore seem that as Jews became more and more connected to the non-Jews with whom they regularly interacted, many were influenced, at least culturally, by the society around them, leading Chanukah, because of its calendric proximity to the non-Jewish holiday season when presents are customarily exchanged, to become a time of gift giving as well.
Independent of this, however, there is a mitzvah of simchas Yom Tov, rejoicing on a holiday, which the halacha teaches includes giving gifts to family members in order to increase the feelings of happiness. While not everyone agrees that this mitzvah is applicable on Chanukah, those who hold that it is can thereby justify the practice of giving presents on Chanukah (though it should thus not be limited to Chanukah).
As for chukas ha’akum, even assuming that this prohibition to imitate non-Jewish behavior extends beyond engaging in activities which are inherently religious by nature, which is not universally agreed upon, many assert that if there is a logical and sensible reason to observe a particular practice, such that we would readily institute it on our own, the prohibition is not violated. Based upon the consideration of simchas Yom Tov, gift giving on Chanukah may well fall into that category.
Some point out that the original practice on Chanukah was to distribute money, or Chanukah gelt. Initially, tzedakah money was given to poor children, who were likened to the poor, lone flask of oil which ultimately burned for eight days, and eventually to other children as well as a means of highlighting the miracle that great things can result from something small and seemingly insignificant.
In addition, a practice developed to give “bonus money” to the Torah teachers on this holiday (and the children were given some for themselves as the delivery people), perhaps to celebrate Torah study, which had been forbidden at the time of the Chanukah story, and because the word “Chanukah” is grammatically related to the word “chinuch,” meaning Torah education, the importance of which we wish to stress to our children on this holiday, and we can excite them by giving them presents.
In light of the above, although there is certainly no obligation to give gifts on Chanukah, if done for appropriate reasons and in the right spirit, the practice can enhance our observance of these joyous days.
– Rabbi Michael Taubes has been involved in Jewish education, formal as well as informal, for over 40 years, serving both in the classroom and in various administrative posts. He is presently a Rosh Yeshiva at RIETS and Yeshiva University High School for Boys. In addition, he is the spiritual leader of Congregation Zichron Mordechai in Teaneck, N.J.
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In answer to this question there are actually three groups of people that have addressed this issue.
The first group believes that indeed giving gifts on Chanukah is in the realm of chukas hagoyim since it resembles the gift giving during this season by non-Jews. These people, therefore, do not give any gifts on Chanukah.
The second group believes that to give Chanukah gelt (which has its history dating back to the seventeenth century and is indeed quoted by the Magen Avraham that this gelt was given to poor students who were attending yeshiva and also because it publicizes the miracle of Chanukah) is permitted, but not actual gifts.
The third group allows gifts to be given whether gelt or any other gifts in the spirit of Chanukah and the publicizing of this great miracle. Their reasoning is based on the argument that giving gelt probably predates the giving of gifts by non-Jews on their holiday, and by extension one can include the giving of gifts as well on Chanukah.
In my view all three groups have valid reasoning and it would depend on your family tradition as to what one should do.
–Rabbi Mordechai Weiss lives in Efrat Israel and previously served as an elementary and high school principal in New Jersey and Connecticut. He was also the founder and rav of Young Israel of Margate, New Jersey. His email is [email protected].
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Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De’ah 178:1) states that it is forbidden to “walk in the ways” of the gentiles, offering several examples of practices that are forbidden under this rubric: certain types of dress, certain hairstyles, and certain types of architecture used for places of worship. Rema, based on a teshuvah of Maharik (#78) and the commentary of Ran on Avoda Zarah, introduces two important reservations. The prohibition against following gentile customs applies only to customs that contain an element of immodesty or licentiousness, and only to things for which there is no reason, as we are concerned that the ultimate reason for giving the gift is rooted in idolatry. However, any practice for which there is a good reason is permissible.
Does the practice of giving gifts on Chanukah fall into either of these categories? There is certainly no immodesty inherent in giving gifts (though one should not give an immodest gift). On the other hand, there seems to be no real reason for giving gifts on Chanukah. Moreover, the Christian custom of giving gifts on their holiday may be rooted in their tradition that three wise men brought gifts to baby Jesus soon after his birth. So, it would seem that gift-giving on Chanukah, which is presumably an imitation of gift-giving on Christmas, is based on a custom that stems from a foreign religion.
Nevertheless, it seems that gift-giving on Chanukah is not problematic. Firstly, people give gifts all the time, for a variety of good reasons. Even if the timing of the gift-giving is linked to the Christian calendar, the essential act of gift-giving is something that has a reason and purpose. Moreover, the first Jews who gave gifts on Chanukah were presumably not motivated by the desire to imitate Christians. Rather, their children saw Christian children getting gifts and felt excluded, perhaps even jealous of their Christian peers. By giving them gifts on Chanukah, their parents diverted their attention from the Christian holiday and channeled their excitement toward a Jewish holiday. Over time, the custom caught on; after all, what child does not like getting gifts? Ultimately, this became a common practice in many different Jewish communities, even in Israel, where there is not much of a Christian community.
Some might choose to follow the stricter opinion of the Vilna Gaon on this matter, but the mainstream view follows Rema, Maharik, and Ran, and since the practice is rooted in sound reason, it is permissible, even for adults.
– Rabbi Elli Fischer is a translator, writer, and historian. He edits Rav Eliezer Melamed’s Peninei Halakha in English, cofounded HaMapah, a project to quantify and map rabbinic literature, and is a founding editor of Lehrhaus. Follow him @adderabbi on Twitter or listen to his podcast, “Down the Rabbi Hole.”
