Chanuka presents- a sad state of affairs

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  • #616912
    Notamod
    Member

    Having grown up with it, it never occured to me that there could be anything wrong with it. Every year we would wait eagerly as my mother handed out colorfully wrapped gifts(usually the latest games and gadgets). It was just part of the family tradition.

    Then, this year not long after the big family Chanuka party I happened upon an opinion price in one of the frum magazines bemoaning the fact that Chanuka has become very similar to antother unrelated holiday which stands for the exact opposite values.

    I came to the realisation that Chanuka prsents are indeed chukat hagoi , so my question is; how do I return the assur bhanaha gifts without offending the givers?

    #1118894
    👑RebYidd23
    Participant

    Send them by mail with no mention. Pretend it never happened.

    #1118895
    Joseph
    Participant

    I meant to start thread asking everybody what Christmas presents they received this Chanukah.

    #1118896

    Calling ubiquitin….

    #1118897
    TheGoq
    Participant

    Donate it.

    #1118898
    ubiquitin
    Participant

    I’m here!

    Having grown up with it, it never occured to me that there could be anything wrong with it. Every year we would wait eagerly as my mother served a wonderful yom tov seuda(usually delicous meat and side dishes). It was just part of the family tradition.

    Then, this year not long after the big yom tov seudah I happened upon an opinion price in one of the frum magazines bemoaning the fact that yom tov has become very similar to other unrelated holidays which stands for the exact opposite values.

    I came to the realisation that Yom Tov seudahss are indeed chukat hagoi , so my question is; how do I return the assur bhanaha food without offending the givers?

    #1118899
    ubiquitin
    Participant

    Joseph

    did you get christmas chocolate this chanukah?

    #1118900
    WolfishMusings
    Participant

    assur bhanaha

    Please provide a cite that things that are gained through chukos hagoi (as opposed to actual avoda zara) are, in fact, assur b’hana’ah.

    The Wolf

    #1118901
    Joseph
    Participant

    ubiq: Did your continue your family tradition this year of hanging a red stocking on the family Chanukah tree for everyone to secretly deposit your presents into?

    #1118902
    zahavasdad
    Participant

    If R’L you got a Rolex Watch for your Chanukah Present. I would be willing to suffer and remove it from your hands and give it a new home

    #1118903
    Joseph
    Participant

    How about a diamond studded golden cross, ZD?

    #1118904
    ubiquitin
    Participant

    Joseph

    no absolutly not, that would be chukas akum unlike Presents which are a basic human expression of celebration/thanks/appreciation/joy etc. much like having a party/singing/eating/smiling etc non of which are assur on chanukah even though Goyim may do it on their holidays

    (You also lied when you said it was my family tradition. You can easier make a case that lying is chukas akum more than chanukah presents)

    Now your turn:

    did you get christmas chocolate this chanukah?

    #1118905
    Joseph
    Participant

    Whaaaat, beautifying ones home with a nice tree, plants, flowers lkovod Chanukah is chukas akum? It’s a basic human expression of celebration/joy much like having a party/singing/eating/smiling!!

    #1118906

    What’s a goy?

    #1118907
    ubiquitin
    Participant

    Joseph

    More lies: “It’s a basic human expression of celebration/joy much like having a party/singing/eating/smiling”

    Please tell me what holiday or special occasion is celebrated by placing a tree or stocking in a house. (we arent talking about flowers, and as For Shavuos well I have a surprise for you though I dont want to change the subject to much)

    It is ok to be wrong, I understand you like assering things with minimal knowledge (both halacha and general) it is much easier than thinking or researching. That is ok, Im happy to help educate you.

    Lying however is not ok, you told two lies on this thread.

    As for presents here are occasions when presents are routinly given:

    Birthdays

    Aniversaries

    Graduations

    to a host

    as a general thank you

    Christmas

    Afikomen

    Chanukah

    Engagments

    Bar mitzvahs

    Retirement

    Marriage

    Having a baby

    Feel free to add your own…

    Oh and for the third time:

    did you get christmas chocolate this chanukah?

    #1118908
    Joseph
    Participant

    Many people all the time put out flowers, plants, trees, etc. to beutify their home or celebrate an occasion or general happiness.

    I didn’t c”v ask you if you put colorful lights on your Chanukah tree. I would never be choshed…

    #1118909
    Notamod
    Member

    Zahavasdad: As a matter of fact it was a Rolex that I was given. My dad took out a morgage for it, giving Chanuka presents is an important minhag in my family. (sarcasm off)

    It’s time to put an end to this mishegas! Chanuka was always about donuts, latkes and family time. Out ancestors were Moser nefesh for latkes not goishe presents.

    #1118910
    Notamod
    Member

    What next, matzah bunnies?

    #1118911
    ubiquitin
    Participant

    Joseph

    Slow down your are losing your train of “thought”

    You wanted to know if I was “hanging a red stocking on the family Chanukah tree”

    I replied, that unlike presents which are a ubiquitous and innocuous act, the above (stocking and tree) are not.

    I hlpfully supplied multiple occasions when presents are given.

    We arent talking about “beutifying homes” with “flowers, plants, trees etc” which you are right about and of course is complelty muttar.

    We are talking about Celebrating. You said “Many people all the time put out …trees… to … celebrate an occasion”

    Granted I edited it to make it relevant to the subject at hand. I never heard of this, is it true? Did you mean the flowers are for celebrating and trees for beautifying? OR is it your third lie on this thread? (That would have to be a record even for you 3/5 of your posts containing lies).

    And for the fourth time

    did you get christmas chocolate this chanukah?

    Why the reluctance to answer?

    #1118912
    Joseph
    Participant

    Forget the stocking stuffers and stick to your Chanukah tree.

    #1118913
    ubiquitin
    Participant

    Notamod

    “What next, matzah bunnies? “

    Probably not, but stay tuned for after Pesach for Hot cross buns aka Schlissel Challah!!! yuuuuum

    “Chanuka was always about donuts, latkes and family time. Out ancestors were Moser nefesh for latkes not goishe presents. “

    Lol that isnt what it was “always about” Both Latkes and donuts came later, with time more minhagim were added including eating milchings (which I believe is actually older than latkes) dreidel, Gelt (first to rabbeim then kids) and now presents

    #1118914
    Notamod
    Member

    Ubiquitin: lol? Litzones has no place here.

    #1118915
    shimen
    Participant

    ubiquitin

    Yom tov seudas is halacha… Chanukah seudas are reshus..(rema beginning hilchos chanika). please dont compare to presents

    #1118916
    ubiquitin
    Participant

    Joseph

    Gladly

    Slow down your are losing your train of “thought”

    You wanted to know if I was “… family Chanukah tree”

    I replied, that unlike presents which are a ubiquitous and innocuous act, the above (a tree) is not.

    I hlpfully supplied multiple occasions when presents are given.

    We arent talking about “beutifying homes” with “flowers, plants, trees etc” which you are right about and of course is complelty muttar.

    We are talking about Celebrating. You said “Many people all the time put out …trees… to … celebrate an occasion”

    Granted I edited it to make it relevant to the subject at hand. I never heard of this, is it true? Did you mean the flowers are for celebrating and trees for beautifying? OR is it your third lie on this thread? (That would have to be a record even for you 3/5 of your posts containing lies).

    And for the fifth time

    did you get christmas chocolate this chanukah?

    for the second time

    Why the reluctance to answer?

    #1118917
    ubiquitin
    Participant

    Notamod

    This whole thread is litzanos, with a touch of ama haaratzos and dishonesty to spice it up.

    Shimen

    Halacha can change if it becomes a goyish act. Bamos being the classic example.

    But, i hear so here is a non-halachic example:

    Having grown up with it, it never occured to me that there could be anything wrong with it. Every year we joyfully wish each other “have a gut yontiff” It was just part of the family tradition.

    Then, this year not long after the a hearty gut yontiff I happened upon an opinion price in one of the frum magazines bemoaning the fact that yom tov has become very similar to other unrelated holidays which stands for the exact opposite values.

    I came to the realisation that wiching each other “gut yontiff” are indeed chukat hagoi , so my question is; how do I return the assur bhanaha greetings without offending the givers?

    #1118918
    Joseph
    Participant

    ubiq, I’ll give you a hand at your bar mitzvah.

    #1118919
    👑RebYidd23
    Participant

    In the future I plan to have a tree in my house every winter. Because it’s cold outside and the tree I plan to have can’t tolerate such cold temperatures, so it will have to be in the house in winter and outside in summer.

    #1118920
    writersoul
    Participant

    FWIW, in a Monsey weekly there was a letter to the editor about how Chanukah parties are totally chukas hagoyim…

    #1118921
    Notamod
    Member

    Uboquitin: Shlissel Challa hot cross buns?

    I didn’t have time to research it yesterday.

    I’m surprised you would buy into that nonsense theory there is absolutely no evidence to prove that one.

    #1118922
    ubiquitin
    Participant

    Schlissel Challah

    the evidence for the two is pretty similar namely a temporal relationship.

    Goyim made loaves with a cross marked on them around Easter time first then we made loaves with a key marked on them around PEsach (lehavdil!)

    Goyim gave presents christmas, we give presents Chanukah (lehavdil!)

    The only differecne is that presents is more recent. And as I said over there Give it(i.e. presents) a few hundred years, as it enters minhagim seforim and reasons are given eg the wrapped present represents the hidden pach shemen or some clever gematriya, or that Matanah stands for Mitzvos, Torah, nisism and Hashem which is what really won the war agaisnt the yevanim. At that time our descendants will have the exact discussion regarding presents as we did regarding the “ancient minhag” of shlissel Chalah

    #1118923

    The goyim made loaves with a cross so we mad loaves with a key. Huh?

    Noyamod: We were Moser nefesh for latkes huh?

    #1118924
    ubiquitin
    Participant

    DYDT

    Read this thread http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/coffeeroom/topic/schlissel-challah

    or look at google images of medieval keys

    or better yet have a look at the symbol of the vatican…

    #1118926
    Notamod
    Member

    As you may have caught on by now , my post about Chanuka presents was purely satirical in nature. However, when all is said and done there is absolutely no mekor for Chanuka presents ( that still doesn’t make it ossur) schlissel Challa on the other hand, does have a strong mekor in chassidshe seforim and in kabballah.

    To suggest that schlissel Challa is somehow related to hot cross buns, based on some flimsy theory is simply preposterous and quite frankly a bit of a chutzpah too.

    #1118927
    Notamod
    Member

    I know links aren’t allowed but it was a link to an article by the YWN rabbi in residence Rabbi Yair Hoffman so I thought you’d let it past.

    #1118928
    ubiquitin
    Participant

    Lol Notamod

    I did not catch on (Poe’s law) (My only suspicion was the assur bhanah part)

    Its too early for Shlissel Chalah. The article you allude to is addressed in the thread above.

    Keep in mind while today there is no mekor for Chanukah presents if things stay this way in a few centuries there will be.

    #1118929
    Notamod
    Member

    Lol? Litzones again! 🙂

    Lol sorry for any harsh words.

    #1118930
    Notamod
    Member

    Seriously though, Chanuka presents are a perfectly harmless way to get kids excited about Chanukah nothing wrong with that but I don’t think anyone seriously considers it a minhag.

    Shlissel challah is accepted as minhag and suggesting that it originates from cross loaves is heading down a dangerous path.

    I agree that we should be wary of strange new minhagim but at the same time we must be careful not to fall prey to the skewed thinking of pluralism and the likes of it.

    #1118931
    Joseph
    Participant

    In a few centuries, if things stay this way, you’re gonna have mekors for chanukah trees, chanukah presents, pesach bunnies, purim ash, etc.

    #1118932

    Joseph: And Succah-treating of course.

    #1118933
    WolfishMusings
    Participant

    However, when all is said and done there is absolutely no mekor for Chanuka presents

    There’s also no mekor for our having baked tilapia in lemon sauce on Friday nights instead of gefilte fish. So what?

    The Wolf

    #1118934
    Notamod
    Member

    Wolf: You’re right read the second half of the post.

    #1118935
    ubiquitin
    Participant

    Notamod

    “Seriously though, Chanuka presents are a perfectly harmless way to get kids excited about Chanukah nothing wrong with that”

    Agreed

    ” but I don’t think anyone seriously considers it a minhag.”

    yet. Though some do equate it with money, both are a minhag

    see here: http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=872&st=&pgnum=251

    (source provided by DY)

    “Shlissel challah is accepted as minhag”

    among some – present company included

    ” and suggesting that it originates from cross loaves is heading down a dangerous path.”

    I’m not suggesting it, Iam outright saying it

    “I agree that we should be wary of strange new minhagim but at the same time we must be careful not to fall prey to the skewed thinking of pluralism and the likes of it.”

    Sure why not

    Joseph

    “In a few centuries, if things stay this way, you’re gonna have mekors for chanukah trees, chanukah presents, pesach bunnies, purim ash, etc.”

    You may be right. And of course your Grandchild will defend the “Millenia old” minhag of Chanuka trees

    Care to respond to any of the many questions posed to you? BTW I see dishonesty is your MO here. A year ago you posted under a different name “This isn’t chukas akum but it certainly is in the “spirit” of it. So whilst it may not be technically assur, I wouldn’t do everything that is technically muttar.” see here: http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/coffeeroom/topic/what-is-the-origin-of-chanukah-gifts

    “And Succah-treating of course.”

    Sukkah hops already exist

    #1118936
    Zev7
    Member

    Why does Christmas stand for the exact opposite values as Chanukah?? I think they stand for very similar values actually.

    #1118937
    Joseph
    Participant

    Zev, you seem to be agreeing with ubiq.

    Btw, why don’t the people who give so many Chanuka presents to all their family members do the same on Succos and Pesach and Shavuos and give all their family members similar presents, in quantity and quality to all the same people, they do on Chanukah?

    Is it, dare we say, because there is no Christmas gift-giving season during the other yomim tovim?

    #1118938
    ubiquitin
    Participant

    Joseph

    “Btw, why don’t the people who give so many Chanuka presents to all their family members do the same on Succos and Pesach and Shavuos and give all their family members similar presents, in quantity and quality to all the same people, they do on Chanukah?”

    Nope, it is because the minhag of giving gelt is a Chanukah one so with time the gelt became Presents.

    BTW Im not saying we didnt copy goyim. We did! But that doesnt make it assur. Please see the Rema, alos see this quote of yours from last year:

    “”This isn’t chukas akum but it certainly is in the “spirit” of it. So whilst it may not be technically assur, I wouldn’t do everything that is technically muttar.””

    Care to respond to any of my questions posed throughout this thread?

    Ive posed several. I assume you have no answer.

    I have one more. Do you have any source forbidding Chanukah presents, or is it your boich sevara?

    #1118939
    Notamod
    Member

    Mods: please change the name of this thread to Joseph vs. Ubiquitin

    Who’s the referee?

    🙂

    #1118940
    Joseph
    Participant

    Notamod: I’m the referee. 😉

    ubiq: As I told you after our experiences in previous threads, as a general rule I will decline to respond to your repeated questions as you don’t accept responses not to your liking – and then you go on and pretend to have not received a response as you re-post the same question a half dozen more times after slightly altering the wording of the question (and claiming it is a new question that was not previously addressed).

    And, as you know, I’m not the only one who has had this experience with you and told you as much.

    #1118941
    Joseph
    Participant

    Nope, it is because the minhag of giving gelt is a Chanukah one so with time the gelt became Presents.

    There’s a real minhag to give one’s spouse a gift for the shalosh regalim.

    But, then again, it isn’t Christmas season so perhaps some don’t hold much of it.

    #1118942
    ubiquitin
    Participant

    “I’m the referee. ;)”

    Ah so thats why you dont need to reply to my points.

    “As I told you after our experiences in previous threads, as a general rule I will decline to respond to your repeated questions as you don’t accept responses not to your liking”

    This is no fewer than your fourth demonstrable lie in this thread. You did not repy to my very first question posed to you

    You dont reply becasue you cant, but arent man enough to admit it. This has occured on multple threads mostly becasue you have knee jerk reactions and havent though things through or researched a topic.

    a perfect example of this is in this thread:

    http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/coffeeroom/topic/changing-neighborhoods-and-anti-semitism#post-589393

    where you display an elementary lack of understanding of the subject at hand. (I explained (with sources) why you were wrong. YOU repeated yourself without actually responding)

    I’d be happy to provide more similar examples.

    Can you provide an example of a question you feel was answered. Id be more than happy to explain why your answer was factually incorrect (which in my view isnt an answer) or concede.

    Besdies, in this thread you told multiple lies. You did not respond to my questions at all.

    “And, as you know, I’m not the only one who has had this experience with you and told you as much.”

    Nope just you and DY.

    “There’s a real minhag to give one’s spouse a gift for the shalosh regalim.

    But, then again, it isn’t Christmas season so perhaps some don’t hold much of it”

    Who doesnt?

    Here are questions posed in this thread that you havent (cant) answer

    Feel free to point out where you “already answered”

    “did you get christmas chocolate this chanukah?” (5 times)

    “You said “Many people all the time put out …trees… to … celebrate an occasion”

    Granted I edited it to make it relevant to the subject at hand. I never heard of this, is it true?” (twice)

    ” Do you have any source forbidding Chanukah presents, or is it your boich sevara?”

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