Who Knows 44?

By Hazzan Jenna Greenberg.

This week began with Rosh Chodesh, the celebration of the Hebrew month of Kislev, the darkest month of the year. In this month during which the 8 day holiday of Chanukah begins, we are commanded to illuminate 44 candles over the eight days of this winter holiday. But what else is special about this number in relation to Chag Urim, our festival of lights?

There is a Jewish method of assigning numerical values to each of the Hebrew letters called Gematria. Sometimes we gain new insights by looking at how words and numbers intersect in relation to specific themes. When we take the number 44 and translate that into its Hebrew equivalent, we get Mem-Dalet, Fourty-Four. When we look at these letters as a word, we get Mahd, a word better translated as the suffix “-meter,” most commonly associated with “thermometer,” or Mahd-Chom, literally “measurement of heat.”

When we see this number Mem-Dalet in relation to Chanukah, the connection is clear: on this Chag Urim, Festival of Lights, we turn up the heat every night that we light the Chanukiah. As not only is this the darkest time of year, but the coldest as well. The lights of the Neirot, the candles, warm us both physically and spiritually, as we add to the light on each consecutive night of the holiday.

But there is another Gematria twist on the number 44 in relation to Chanukah.

If we look at actual words that have this same value, one that links beautifully to Chanukah is the Hebrew word for child, Yeled: Yud + Lamed + Dalet = 44. Chag Urim is so often associated with children, as even us adults often think fondly back to our childhood memories of making and eating latkes and sufganiot with family and friends, of singing the blessings and songs as the lights of the Chanukiah burn brightly. And I think many of us try to carry these traditions on to the next generations in our families. 

There is something magical that happens when we light these 44 Chanukah candles each year. As adults, this experience often brings us back to our youth. And we watch our children’s faces brighten during this annual tradition. As children, we are in awe as we stare into the beautiful dancing flames as we continue on these holiday traditions every winter.

So when you go shopping for your Chanukah candles this month, perhaps you will have a new perspective on the power of this number. 

And if you are in need of those 44 candles, please visit your Sisterhood Gift Shop for all of your Chanukah needs!