- Q. See question above. What is the reason for the tradition to drink milk or milky foods on Chanuka?
A. A reason for the custom of drinking milk or eating milk products on Chanukah is that the Hebrew word for milk, חלב, (CHoLoV) hints to the three things that the Greeks wanted to remove and abstain from the Children of Israel; Namely, the observance of the New Month, circumcision and the keeping of Shabbos.
The Greeks hoped to conquer the Jews and take over Jerusalem by enacting decrees against compliance of these three basic mitzvos.
These are represented on the three letters of milk or חלב, as follows; “Ches, Lamed and Vais”, and they are portrayed in the following three mitzvos:
The first letter ח' is part of the word חדש – Also represents the New Month. The letter ל' , as in the word מילה is represented by the second letter of חלב. The third letter, represents the ב' in the word שבת . These three basic primary mitzvos, were what the Greeks wanted to prohibit and thus destroy, in order to domain our nation.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by, Horav Yaakov Hirschman Horav, Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller, Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu and Horav Kalman Ochs Shlit’a
Important Numbers
