250 Hanukkah Quotes: Inspiring Words for the Festival of Lights

This collection brings together 250 hanukkah quotes drawn from the Hebrew Bible, the Talmud, the Hanukkah liturgy, beloved festival songs, and the words of rabbis, poets, and thinkers across the centuries — on light, faith, courage, hope, and family. If you’d like to explore the holiday’s history and customs, My Jewish Learning’s Hanukkah guide is a wonderful place to start.

Whether you’re writing a card, preparing a speech, or simply looking for inspiration as you kindle the menorah, these words will help you share the light. Browse by theme below, and don’t miss our Editor’s Picks for the very best of the collection.

Hanukkah Quotes About the Miracle of Light

The miracle at the heart of Hanukkah is a miracle of light: a single cruse of oil, enough for one day, burning for eight. These verses from the Hebrew Bible celebrate light overcoming darkness — the theme the festival returns to every winter.

1. “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” — Hebrew Bible (Isaiah 9:2)
2. “He is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings grass from the earth.” — Hebrew Bible (2 Samuel 23:4)
3. “For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light.” — Hebrew Bible (Proverbs 6:23)
4. “Light shines on the righteous and joy on the upright in heart.” — Hebrew Bible (Psalm 97:11)
5. “You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.” — Hebrew Bible (Psalm 18:29)
6. “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good.” — Hebrew Bible (Genesis 1:3-4)
7. “But all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.” — Hebrew Bible (Exodus 10:23)
8. “Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light, so that the lamps may be kept burning.” — Hebrew Bible (Exodus 27:20)
9. “When you set up the lamps, see that all seven light up the area in front of the lampstand.” — Hebrew Bible (Numbers 8:2)
10. “I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it.” — Hebrew Bible (Zechariah 4:2)
11. “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty.” — Hebrew Bible (Zechariah 4:6)
12. “The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord.” — Hebrew Bible (Proverbs 20:27)
13. “The light of the righteous shines brightly.” — Hebrew Bible (Proverbs 13:9)
14. “When His lamp shone on my head, and by His light I walked through darkness.” — Hebrew Bible (Job 29:3)
15. “Life will be brighter than noonday, and darkness will become like morning.” — Hebrew Bible (Job 11:17)
16. “The moon will shine like the sun, and the sunlight will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days.” — Hebrew Bible (Isaiah 30:26)
17. “Send me Your light and Your faithful care, let them lead me.” — Hebrew Bible (Psalm 43:3)
18. “The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.” — Hebrew Bible (Psalm 19:9)
19. “For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light.” — Hebrew Bible (Psalm 36:10)
20. “The Lord is God, and He has made His light shine on us.” — Hebrew Bible (Psalm 118:27)
21. “If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will hide me,’ even the darkness will not be dark to You; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to You.” — Hebrew Bible (Psalm 139:11-12)
22. “The integrity of the upright guides them.” — Hebrew Bible (Proverbs 11:3)
23. “Wisdom is better than folly, just as light is better than darkness.” — Hebrew Bible (Ecclesiastes 2:13)
24. “Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.” — Hebrew Bible (Ecclesiastes 11:7)
25. “Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord.” — Hebrew Bible (Isaiah 2:5)
26. “I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth.” — Hebrew Bible (Isaiah 42:16)
27. “Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear.” — Hebrew Bible (Isaiah 58:8)
28. “If you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.” — Hebrew Bible (Isaiah 58:10)
29. “See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and His glory appears over you.” — Hebrew Bible (Isaiah 60:2)
30. “Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.” — Hebrew Bible (Isaiah 60:3)
31. “Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.” — Hebrew Bible (Micah 7:8)
32. “When evening comes, there will be light.” — Hebrew Bible (Zechariah 14:7)

The Maccabees: Courage of the Few Against Many

Hanukkah remembers the Maccabees, a small band who stood against an empire. These passages — from the Books of Maccabees, the historian Josephus, and the Hebrew Bible — honor the courage of the few.

1. “What is Hanukkah? When the Greeks entered the Sanctuary they defiled all the oils, and when the Hasmoneans prevailed and defeated them, they searched and found only one cruse of oil bearing the seal of the High Priest. It held enough for one day’s lighting, yet a miracle occurred and they lit from it for eight days.” — Talmud (Shabbat 21b)
2. “It is better for us to die in battle than to see the misfortunes of our nation and of the sanctuary.” — Book of Maccabees (1 Maccabees 3:59)
3. “Then Judas and his brothers and all the assembly of Israel determined that every year at that season the days of the dedication of the altar should be observed with joy and gladness for eight days.” — Book of Maccabees (1 Maccabees 4:59)
4. “They celebrated it for eight days with rejoicing, in the manner of the festival of booths.” — Book of Maccabees (2 Maccabees 10:6)
5. “Now, my children, show zeal for the law, and give your lives for the covenant of our ancestors.” — Mattathias, in 1 Maccabees 2:50
6. “It is easy for many to be hemmed in by few, for in the sight of Heaven there is no difference between saving by many or by few.” — Judas Maccabeus, in 1 Maccabees 3:18
7. “Do not fear their numbers or be afraid when they charge.” — Judas Maccabeus, in 1 Maccabees 4:8
8. “And from that time to this we celebrate this festival, and call it Lights. I suppose the reason was, because this liberty beyond our hopes appeared to us; and that thence was the name given to that festival.” — Josephus (Antiquities 12.7.7)
9. “Take courage! We must be strong for our people and the cities of our God.” — Hebrew Bible (2 Samuel 10:12)
10. “As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise You more and more.” — Hebrew Bible (Psalm 71:14)
11. “Now fear the Lord and serve Him with all faithfulness.” — Hebrew Bible (Joshua 24:14)
12. “The battle is the Lord’s.” — Hebrew Bible (1 Samuel 17:47)
13. “The battle is not yours, but God’s.” — Hebrew Bible (2 Chronicles 20:15)
14. “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life.” — Hebrew Bible (Deuteronomy 30:19)
15. “Each helps the other and says to a companion: Be strong!” — Hebrew Bible (Isaiah 41:6)
16. “Do not be afraid, for I am with you.” — Hebrew Bible (Isaiah 43:5)
17. “He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” — Hebrew Bible (Micah 6:8)
18. “In a place where there are no men, strive to be a man.” — Pirkei Avot 2:5
19. “It is not your responsibility to finish the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.” — Pirkei Avot 2:16
20. “Be bold as a leopard, light as an eagle, swift as a deer, and strong as a lion to do the will of your Father in heaven.” — Pirkei Avot 5:23
21. “The day is short, the work is great, the workers are lazy, the reward is great, and the Master of the house is insistent.” — Rabbi Tarfon (Pirkei Avot 2:15)
22. “Do not separate yourself from the community.” — Hillel the Elder (Pirkei Avot 2:4)
23. “All Israel are responsible for one another.” — Talmud (Shevuot 39a)
24. “Whoever saves a single life is considered to have saved an entire world.” — Talmud (Sanhedrin 37a)
25. “There is hope for your future, declares the Lord.” — Hebrew Bible (Jeremiah 31:17)
26. “Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope.” — Hebrew Bible (Zechariah 9:12)
27. “I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you: Do not fear; I will help you.” — Hebrew Bible (Isaiah 41:13)
28. “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are Mine.” — Hebrew Bible (Isaiah 43:1)
29. “He will take great delight in you; He will rejoice over you with singing.” — Hebrew Bible (Zephaniah 3:17)
30. “For the revelation awaits an appointed time. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come.” — Hebrew Bible (Habakkuk 2:3)
31. “You turned my wailing into dancing; You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.” — Hebrew Bible (Psalm 30:12)

Kindling the Menorah: Blessings and Traditions

Kindling the menorah is the central act of Hanukkah. These blessings, Talmudic teachings, and verses accompany the lighting, night by night, as the flames increase.

1. “The mitzvah of the Hanukkah lamp is a very precious mitzvah, and one must be careful in its observance in order to publicize the miracle.” — Maimonides (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Hanukkah 4:12)
2. “The Hanukkah lamp should be placed at the entrance of one’s house, on the outside, in order to publicize the miracle.” — Talmud (Shabbat 21b-22a)
3. “The school of Shammai says: On the first day one kindles eight lights, and thereafter they are decreased. The school of Hillel says: On the first day one kindles one light, and thereafter they are increased.” — Talmud (Shabbat 21b)
4. “These and these are the words of the living God, but the law follows the school of Hillel.” — Talmud (Eruvin 13b)
5. “One who is careful in kindling the lights will have children who are scholars.” — Talmud (Shabbat 23b)
6. “Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to kindle the Hanukkah light.” — Hanukkah liturgy (the kindling blessing)
7. “Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who performed miracles for our ancestors in those days, at this time.” — Hanukkah liturgy (the miracles blessing)
8. “Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion.” — Hanukkah liturgy (Shehecheyanu)
9. “These lights we kindle are for the miracles, the wonders, the salvations, and the battles which You performed for our ancestors in those days at this time.” — Hanukkah liturgy (Hanerot Halalu)
10. “These lights are holy, and we are not permitted to make ordinary use of them, but only to look at them, in order to give thanks and praise to Your great Name for Your miracles, Your wonders, and Your salvations.” — Hanukkah liturgy (Hanerot Halalu)
11. “For the miracles, and for the salvation, and for the mighty deeds, and for the victories, and for the wars which You performed for our ancestors in those days at this time.” — Hanukkah liturgy (Al HaNissim)
12. “In the days of Mattathias, son of Yochanan the High Priest, the Hasmonean, and his sons, when the wicked Greek kingdom rose up against Your people Israel to make them forget Your Torah and transgress the statutes of Your will.” — Hanukkah liturgy (Al HaNissim)
13. “A great miracle happened there.” — Hanukkah tradition (the letters on the dreidel)
14. “Chag Urim Sameach — Happy Festival of Lights!” — Traditional Hanukkah greeting
15. “When Aaron saw the dedication offerings of the tribal leaders, he felt disheartened that he had no part in them. God said to him: By your life, your portion is greater than theirs, for you will kindle and prepare the lamps of the menorah.” — Midrash Tanchuma (Beha’alotecha)
16. “Why is Israel likened to the olive? As the olive gives forth its oil only after being crushed, so Israel’s finest qualities emerge through trial — and from that oil comes light.” — Midrash (Shemot Rabbah)
17. “One who sees a place where miracles were performed for Israel recites: Blessed are You, Lord our God, who performed miracles for our ancestors in this place.” — Talmud (Berakhot 54a)
18. “The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.” — Hebrew Bible (Numbers 6:26)
19. “By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light.” — Hebrew Bible (Exodus 13:21)
20. “He reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him.” — Hebrew Bible (Daniel 2:22)
21. “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.” — Hebrew Bible (Daniel 12:3)
22. “The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light.” — Hebrew Bible (Isaiah 60:19)
23. “From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.” — Hebrew Bible (Psalm 113:3)
24. “Not to us, Lord, not to us but to Your name be the glory, because of Your love and faithfulness.” — Hebrew Bible (Psalm 115:1)
25. “Let Israel say: His love endures forever.” — Hebrew Bible (Psalm 118:2)
26. “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” — Hebrew Bible (Psalm 118:22)
27. “Lord, save us! Lord, grant us success!” — Hebrew Bible (Psalm 118:25)
28. “Your right hand, Lord, was majestic in power. Your right hand, Lord, shattered the enemy.” — Hebrew Bible (Exodus 15:6)
29. “Better is the end of a thing than its beginning.” — Hebrew Bible (Ecclesiastes 7:8)
30. “One should see the world, and see himself, as a scale with an equal balance of good and evil. When he performs one good deed, he tips the scale — for himself and for the whole world — toward the good.” — Maimonides (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Repentance 3:4)
31. “Make for yourself a teacher, and acquire for yourself a friend.” — Pirkei Avot 1:6

Songs and Music of the Festival

Every festival has its music. These are the songs sung around the menorah — ancient liturgy, folk songs in Hebrew, Yiddish, Ladino, and English, and modern classics.

1. “Rock of Ages, let our song praise Your saving power; You, amid the raging foes, were our sheltering tower. Furious, they assailed us, but Your arm avenged us, and Your word broke their sword when our own strength failed us.” — Maoz Tzur (Rock of Ages), attributed to Mordecai ben Isaac, 13th century
2. “Greeks gathered against me then, in Hasmonean days; they broke down the walls of my towers and defiled all the oils. But from the last remaining flask a miracle was wrought for Your people, and the sages of that time ordained these eight days of song and praise.” — Maoz Tzur (Rock of Ages), attributed to Mordecai ben Isaac, 13th century
3. “Who can retell the things that befell us, who can count them? In every age, a hero or sage came to our aid.” — Traditional Hanukkah song (Mi Yimalel)
4. “Hear! In days of yore in Israel’s ancient land, brave Maccabeus led the faithful band. But now all Israel must as one arise, redeem itself through deed and sacrifice.” — Traditional Hanukkah song (Mi Yimalel)
5. “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: dreidels to play with and latkes to eat.” — Traditional Hanukkah song (Oh Hanukkah)
6. “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.” — Traditional Hanukkah song (Oh Hanukkah)
7. “I have a little dreidel, I made it out of clay, and when it’s dry and ready, then dreidel I shall play.” — Traditional Hanukkah song (I Have a Little Dreidel)
8. “Oh, dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made it out of clay. Oh, dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, then dreidel I shall play.” — Traditional Hanukkah song (I Have a Little Dreidel)
9. “Sevivon, sov, sov, sov — Hanukkah hu chag tov. Dreidel, spin, spin, spin — Hanukkah is a good and happy holiday.” — Traditional Hebrew Hanukkah song (Sevivon), lyrics by Levin Kipnis
10. “Light one candle for the Maccabee children, with thanks that their light didn’t die. Light one candle for the pain they endured when their right to exist was denied.” — Peter Yarrow (Light One Candle, 1982)
11. “Light one candle for the terrible sacrifice justice and freedom demand. Light one candle for the wisdom to know when the peacemaker’s time is at hand.” — Peter Yarrow (Light One Candle, 1982)
12. “Don’t let the light go out! It’s lasted for so many years. Don’t let the light go out! Let it shine through our love and our tears.” — Peter Yarrow (Light One Candle, 1982)
13. “Put on your yarmulke, here comes Hanukkah. It’s so much fun-akkah to celebrate Hanukkah.” — Adam Sandler (The Hanukkah Song, 1994)
14. “Hanukkah is the festival of lights. Instead of one day of presents, we have eight crazy nights.” — Adam Sandler (The Hanukkah Song, 1994)
15. “When you feel like the only kid in town without a Christmas tree, here’s a list of people who are Jewish, just like you and me.” — Adam Sandler (The Hanukkah Song, 1994)
16. “Ocho kandelikas para mi — eight little candles for me; Hanukkah linda sta aki — beautiful Hanukkah is here.” — Traditional Ladino Hanukkah song (Ocho Kandelikas), popularized by Flory Jagoda
17. “Hanukkah, Hanukkah, chag yafeh kol kach — Hanukkah, Hanukkah, a holiday so beautiful.” — Traditional Hebrew Hanukkah song
18. “For all these blessings, may Your name be blessed and exalted continually, our King, forever and ever.” — Jewish liturgy (V’al Kulam, the thanksgiving prayer)
19. “May He who makes peace in His heights make peace for us and for all Israel, and let us say: Amen.” — Jewish liturgy (Oseh Shalom)
20. “Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.” — Jewish liturgy (Kiddush blessing)
21. “Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.” — Jewish liturgy (HaMotzi blessing)
22. “Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.” — Hebrew Bible (Isaiah 12:6)
23. “The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” — Hebrew Bible (Psalm 121:8)
24. “I will exalt You, Lord, for You lifted me out of the depths. A psalm for the dedication of the Temple.” — Hebrew Bible (Psalm 30:1-2)
25. “When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed.” — Hebrew Bible (Psalm 126:1)
26. “Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.” — Hebrew Bible (Psalm 126:5)
27. “When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; He brought me into a spacious place.” — Hebrew Bible (Psalm 118:5)
28. “The hope of two thousand years, to be a free people in our land, the land of Zion and Jerusalem.” — Hatikvah (The Hope), lyrics by Naftali Herz Imber
29. “Jerusalem of gold, and of bronze, and of light — I am a violin for all your songs.” — Naomi Shemer (Jerusalem of Gold, 1967)
30. “Am Yisrael chai — the people of Israel live!” — Traditional Hebrew song of endurance
31. “Rock, from whom we have eaten, bless Him, my faithful friends; we have eaten and been satisfied, as His word declares.” — Jewish table song (Tzur Mishelo), sung at festive meals

Faith That Endures: Rabbinic Wisdom

For centuries, rabbis and sages have taught that the Hanukkah lights point inward as well as outward. Their wisdom on faith, character, and perseverance follows.

1. “Be among the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving people and bringing them closer to Torah.” — Hillel the Elder (Pirkei Avot 1:12)
2. “Do not trust in yourself until the day of your death.” — Hillel the Elder (Pirkei Avot 2:4)
3. “Do not say, ‘When I am free I will study,’ for perhaps you will never be free.” — Hillel the Elder (Pirkei Avot 2:4)
4. “Say little and do much, and receive every person with a cheerful face.” — Shammai (Pirkei Avot 1:15)
5. “The world stands on three things: on Torah, on worship, and on acts of loving-kindness.” — Pirkei Avot 1:2
6. “Who is wise? One who learns from every person.” — Pirkei Avot 4:1
7. “Who is strong? One who conquers his own impulses.” — Pirkei Avot 4:1
8. “Who is honored? One who honors others.” — Pirkei Avot 4:1
9. “Beloved is man, for he was created in the image of God.” — Pirkei Avot 3:14
10. “When three eat at one table and speak words of Torah, it is as if they ate at the table of the All-Present.” — Pirkei Avot 3:3
11. “Love your neighbor as yourself — this is the great principle of the Torah.” — Rabbi Akiva (Sifra)
12. “The whole world is a very narrow bridge, and the main thing is not to be afraid at all.” — Rabbi Nachman of Breslov
13. “It is a great mitzvah to always be joyful.” — Rabbi Nachman of Breslov
14. “Never despair! Never give up hope!” — Rabbi Nachman of Breslov
15. “The Exodus from Egypt occurs in every human being, in every era, in every year, and in every day.” — Rabbi Nachman of Breslov
16. “From every human being there rises a light that reaches straight to heaven.” — The Baal Shem Tov
17. “The world is full of wonders and miracles, but man takes his little hand and covers his eyes and sees nothing.” — Attributed to the Baal Shem Tov
18. “The purely righteous do not complain of the dark, but increase the light; they do not complain of evil, but increase justice.” — Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook
19. “The old shall be renewed, and the new shall be sanctified.” — Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook
20. “A little light dispels much darkness.” — Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (Tanya)
21. “If I am I because I am I, and you are you because you are you, then I am I and you are you. But if I am I because you are you, and you are you because I am I, then I am not I and you are not you.” — Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk
22. “Truth does not become more true by virtue of the fact that the entire world agrees with it, nor less so even if the whole world disagrees with it.” — Attributed to Maimonides
23. “The greatest level of charity is to support a person by giving him a gift or a loan, entering into partnership with him, or finding him work, so that he need never depend on others.” — Maimonides (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Gifts to the Poor)
24. “My heart is in the east, and I in the uttermost west — how can I find savor in food? How shall it be sweet to me?” — Judah Halevi
25. “If you see what needs to be repaired and how to repair it, then you have found a piece of the world that God has left for you to complete.” — Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson (the Lubavitcher Rebbe)
26. “We are closer to God when we are asking questions than when we think we have the answers.” — Attributed to Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
27. “Worship is a way of seeing the world in the light of God.” — Attributed to Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
28. “A religious man is a person who holds God and man in one thought at one time, at all times.” — Attributed to Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
29. “In a free society, some are guilty, but all are responsible.” — Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
30. “All real living is meeting.” — Martin Buber
31. “Through the Thou a person becomes I.” — Martin Buber (I and Thou)
32. “Faith is not certainty. Faith is the courage to live with uncertainty.” — Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
33. “The greatest single antidote to violence is conversation.” — Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
34. “For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again.” — Hebrew Bible (Proverbs 24:16)

Hope in Darkness

Hanukkah is kindled in the darkest month of the year. These voices — from the Hebrew Bible, from witnesses to history’s darkest hours, and from poets — testify that hope outlasts darkness.

1. “I want to go on living even after my death!” — Anne Frank (The Diary of a Young Girl)
2. “If you’re going to tell people the truth, be funny or they’ll kill you.” — Billy Wilder
3. “I don’t want to have lived in vain like most people. I want to be useful or bring enjoyment to all people, even those I’ve never met.” — Anne Frank (The Diary of a Young Girl)
4. “There is no despair in the world at all.” — Rabbi Nachman of Breslov
5. “How noble and good everyone could be if, every evening before falling asleep, they were to recall the events of the whole day.” — Anne Frank (The Diary of a Young Girl)
6. “I see the world gradually being turned into a wilderness, I hear the ever approaching thunder — and yet, when I look up at the sky, I somehow feel that everything will change for the better.” — Anne Frank (July 15, 1944)
7. “On the twenty-fifth of Kislev begins Hanukkah, eight days, on which lamenting and fasting are forbidden.” — Megillat Taanit
8. “Wherever men and women are persecuted because of their race, religion, or political views, that place must — at that moment — become the center of the universe.” — Elie Wiesel (Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, 1986)
9. “If I can’t dance, I don’t want to be part of your revolution.” — Attributed to Emma Goldman
10. “To forget the dead would be akin to killing them a second time.” — Elie Wiesel
11. “Because I remember, I despair. Because I remember, I have the duty to reject despair.” — Elie Wiesel (Nobel lecture, 1986)
12. “Those who do not move, do not notice their chains.” — Rosa Luxemburg
13. “No human race is superior; no religious faith is inferior. All collective judgments are wrong.” — Elie Wiesel (Nobel lecture, 1986)
14. “The salvation of man is through love and in love.” — Viktor Frankl (Man’s Search for Meaning)
15. “The meaning of our existence is not invented by ourselves, but rather detected.” — Viktor Frankl
16. “Man is capable of changing the world for the better if possible, and of changing himself for the better if necessary.” — Viktor Frankl
17. “Ever more people today have the means to live, but no meaning to live for.” — Viktor Frankl
18. “Blessed is the match consumed in kindling flame; blessed is the flame that burns in the secret fastness of the heart.” — Hannah Senesh
19. “My God, my God, I pray that these things never end: the sand and the sea, the rush of the waters, the crash of the heavens, the prayer of man.” — Hannah Senesh (A Walk to Caesarea)
20. “You open Your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.” — Hebrew Bible (Psalm 145:16)
21. “It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” — Hebrew Bible (Lamentations 3:26)
22. “They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion; they will rejoice in the bounty of the Lord.” — Hebrew Bible (Jeremiah 31:12)
23. “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” — Hebrew Bible (Isaiah 43:19)
24. “You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace.” — Hebrew Bible (Isaiah 55:12)
25. “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him.” — Hebrew Bible (Jeremiah 17:7)
26. “Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream.” — Hebrew Bible (Amos 5:24)
27. “The new always happens against the overwhelming odds of statistical laws and their probability.” — Hannah Arendt (The Human Condition)
28. “I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation.” — Elie Wiesel (Nobel lecture, 1986)
29. “The most wasted of days is one without laughter.” — Nicolas Chamfort
30. “In God I trust; I will not be afraid.” — Hebrew Bible (Psalm 56:5)
31. “He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn.” — Hebrew Bible (Psalm 37:6)

Family, Joy, and Togetherness

Hanukkah is a home holiday: the menorah in the window, the family around the table. These verses and reflections celebrate togetherness, joy, and love.

1. “It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion.” — Hebrew Bible (Psalm 133:3)
2. “Pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.” — Hebrew Bible (Ecclesiastes 4:10)
3. “So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad.” — Hebrew Bible (Ecclesiastes 8:15)
4. “When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this.” — Hebrew Bible (Ecclesiastes 7:14)
5. “May the Lord repay you for what you have done.” — Hebrew Bible (Ruth 2:12)
6. “Let him lead me to the banquet hall, and let his banner over me be love.” — Hebrew Bible (Song of Songs 2:4)
7. “Love is as strong as death.” — Hebrew Bible (Song of Songs 8:6)
8. “You delivered the strong into the hands of the weak, the many into the hands of the few, the impure into the hands of the pure.” — Hanukkah liturgy (Al HaNissim)
9. “A happy heart makes the face cheerful.” — Hebrew Bible (Proverbs 15:13)
10. “Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy.” — Hebrew Bible (Nehemiah 8:12)
11. “Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.” — Hebrew Bible (Psalm 95:1)
12. “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.” — Hebrew Bible (Psalm 95:6)
13. “The mitzvah of Hanukkah is one light for each person and his household.” — Talmud (Shabbat 21b)
14. “Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.” — Hebrew Bible (Psalm 34:6)
15. “I will delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God.” — Hebrew Bible (Isaiah 61:10)
16. “The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.” — Hebrew Bible (Isaiah 32:17)
17. “Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.” — Hebrew Bible (Psalm 116:7)
18. “Come and see what the Lord has done.” — Hebrew Bible (Psalm 46:9)
19. “You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.” — Hebrew Bible (Psalm 51:16)
20. “You make known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence.” — Hebrew Bible (Psalm 16:11)
21. “Light in a messenger’s eyes brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones.” — Hebrew Bible (Proverbs 15:30)
22. “May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, Lord.” — Hebrew Bible (Psalm 19:14)
23. “May your heart always be joyful, may your song always be sung, may you stay forever young.” — Bob Dylan (Forever Young, 1974)
24. “May you have a strong foundation when the winds of changes shift.” — Bob Dylan (Forever Young, 1974)
25. “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” — Emma Lazarus (The New Colossus, 1883)
26. “Until we are all free, we are none of us free.” — Emma Lazarus
27. “To bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance.” — George Washington (Letter to the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, 1790)
28. “May the children of the stock of Abraham who dwell in this land continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other inhabitants.” — George Washington (Letter to the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, 1790)
29. “I am a very strong believer in listening and learning from others.” — Ruth Bader Ginsburg
30. “Reading is the key that opens doors to many good things in life.” — Ruth Bader Ginsburg
31. “Everybody needs his memories. They keep the wolf of insignificance from the door.” — Saul Bellow

Modern Voices on Light and Miracles

The Festival of Lights has inspired thinkers, leaders, artists, and scientists. Their words on light, miracles, and hope close this collection.

1. “May you grow up to be righteous, may you grow up to be true.” — Bob Dylan (Forever Young, 1974)
2. “Our greatest responsibility is to be good ancestors.” — Jonas Salk
3. “I have had dreams, and I’ve had nightmares. I overcame the nightmares because of my dreams.” — Jonas Salk
4. “Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants.” — Louis Brandeis
5. “If you will it, it is no dream.” — Theodor Herzl
6. “In Israel, in order to be a realist, you must believe in miracles.” — David Ben-Gurion
7. “Miracles sometimes occur, but one has to work terribly hard for them.” — Chaim Weizmann
8. “The Greek kingdom said to Israel: Write upon the horn of an ox that you have no share in the God of Israel.” — Midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 2:4)
9. “And now, my children, be strong, and show yourselves men in behalf of the law; for by it you shall obtain glory.” — Book of Maccabees (1 Maccabees 2:64)
10. “The worker must have bread, but she must have roses, too.” — Rose Schneiderman
11. “And You, in Your abundant mercy, stood by them in their time of distress; You fought their fight and avenged their wrong.” — Hanukkah liturgy (Al HaNissim)
12. “Blind belief in authority is the greatest enemy of truth.” — Albert Einstein
13. “If it can be written, or thought, it can be filmed.” — Stanley Kubrick
14. “Do stuff. Be clenched, curious.” — Susan Sontag
15. “Don’t be seduced into thinking that that which does not make a profit is without value.” — Arthur Miller
16. “Great art picks up where nature ends.” — Marc Chagall
17. “The dignity of the artist lies in his duty of keeping awake the sense of wonder in the world.” — Marc Chagall
18. “Where they burn books, they will also ultimately burn people.” — Heinrich Heine (Almansor, 1821)
19. “The following year, the Sages ordained these eight days as days of celebration, with Hallel and thanksgiving.” — Talmud (Shabbat 21b)
20. “Nature cannot be fooled.” — Richard Feynman
21. “Science is not only a discipline of reason but, also, one of romance and passion.” — Stephen Hawking
22. “If we don’t believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don’t believe in it at all.” — Noam Chomsky
23. “We have to believe in free will. We’ve got no choice.” — Isaac Bashevis Singer
24. “I can honestly say that I was never affected by the question of the success of an undertaking. If I felt it was the right thing to do, I was for it regardless of the possible outcome.” — Golda Meir (My Life)
25. “There’s no business like show business.” — Irving Berlin
26. “Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.” — Shel Silverstein (Where the Sidewalk Ends)
27. “One day, this all will change — treat people the same, stop with the violence, down with the hate.” — Matisyahu (One Day, 2009)
28. “Nes gadol haya po — a great miracle happened here.” — Hanukkah tradition (the dreidel letters, Israeli version)
29. “Light one candle for the strength we need to never become our own foe.” — Peter Yarrow (Light One Candle, 1982)

Editor’s Picks: The Very Best Hanukkah Quotes

FAQs About Hanukkah Quotes

When is Hanukkah 2026?

Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown on Friday, December 4 and ends at nightfall on Saturday, December 12 — eight nights, from 25 Kislev to 2 Tevet on the Hebrew calendar.

What is the story behind Hanukkah?

Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabees’ victory over the Seleucid king Antiochus IV. According to the Talmud, when the Temple was rededicated only one cruse of pure oil remained — enough for a single day — yet it burned for eight nights, the time needed to prepare more.

What blessings are said when kindling the Hanukkah lights?

Two blessings are said every night — one for the commandment of kindling the Hanukkah light, and one for the miracles performed for our ancestors in those days, at this time. On the first night a third blessing, the Shehecheyanu, is added, giving thanks for reaching this occasion.

How many candles are on the menorah, and why does the number grow?

The Hanukkah menorah (hanukkiah) holds nine candles: eight branches for the eight nights, plus the shamash, the helper candle used to light the others. Following the school of Hillel, we kindle one light on the first night and add one each night, increasing in holiness as the festival grows brighter.

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