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Other rituals
==Ritual==
==Ritual==
The primary ritual, according to Jewish law and custom, is to light a single light each night for eight nights. As a universally practiced "beautification" of the [[mitzvah]], the number of lights lit is increased by one each night.<ref>''Shulkhan Arukh'' ''Orach Chayim'' 671:2</ref> An extra light called a ''shamash'', meaning ''guard'' or ''servant'' is also lit each night, and is given a distinct location, usually higher or lower than the others. The purpose of the extra light is to adhere to the prohibition, specified in the Talmud, against using the Hanukkah lights for anything other than publicizing and meditating on the Hanukkah story. This differs from [[Shabbat|Sabbath]] candles which are meant to be used for illumination.
The primary ritual, according to Jewish law and custom, is to light a single light each night for eight nights. As a universally practiced "beautification" of the [[mitzvah]], the number of lights lit is increased by one each night.<ref>''Shulkhan Arukh'' ''Orach Chayim'' 671:2</ref> An extra light called a ''shamash'', meaning ''guard'' or ''servant'' is also lit each night, and is given a distinct location, usually higher or lower than the others. The purpose of the extra light is to adhere to the prohibition, specified in the Talmud, against using the Hanukkah lights for anything other than publicizing and meditating on the Hanukkah story. This differs from [[Shabbat|Sabbath]] candles which are meant to be used for illumination.
==Other Rituals==
Other Hanukka rituals include the giving of presents and the eating of fried food such as latkes (potato pancakes). The fried foods are used to represent the miraculous oil that burned eight times longer than it was supposed to.
==Dreidel==
==Dreidel==