Who and How and Why and Where Do We Light the Menorah?

The Sages taught in a baraita: The basic mitzva of Hanukkah is each day to have a light kindled by a personand their household.

And the mehadrin,a light for each and every one in the household.

And the mehadrin of the mehadrin, who are even more meticulous, adjust the number of lights daily. Beit Shammai say: On the first day one kindles eight lights and, from there on, gradually decreases.

And Beit Hillel say: On the first day one kindles one light, and from there on, gradually increases.

Ulla said: There were two Amora’im in the West (Eretz Yisrael), who disagreed with regard to this dispute, Rabbi Yosei bar Avin and Rabbi Yosei bar Zevida.

One said that the reason for Beit Shammai’scorresponds to the incoming days, i.e., the future.

The reason for Beit Hillel’s opinion is that the number of lights corresponds to the outgoing days.

And one said that the reason for Beit Shammai’s opinion is that the number of lights corresponds to the bulls of the festival of Sukkot:

The reason for Beit Hillel’s opinion is that the number of lights is based on the idea: One elevates to a higher level in matters of holiness and one does not downgrade.

The Sages taught in a baraita: It is a mitzva to place the Hanukkah lamp at the entrance to one’s house on the outside, so that all can see it.

If he lived upstairs, he places it at the window adjacent to the public area.

And in a time of danger, when there were decrees to prohibit kindling lights, he places it on the table and that is sufficient to fulfill his obligation.

The mitzva of kindling the Hanukkah lights is from sunset until traffic in the marketplace ceases.

Does that not mean that if the light is extinguished, he must rekindle it so that it will remain lit for the duration of that period? No, this can be understood in another way: That if one did not yet light at sunset, he may still light the Hanukkah lights until traffic ceases.

The Gemara asks: What is Hanukkah, and why are lights kindled on Hanukkah? The Gemara answers: The Sages taught: On the twenty-fifth of Kislev, the days of Hanukkah are eight. One may not eulogize on them and one may not fast on them.

When the Greeks entered the Sanctuary they defiled all the oils that were in the Sanctuary by touching them.

And when the Hasmonean monarchy overcame them and emerged victorious over them, they searched and found only one cruse of oil that was placed with the seal of the High Priest, undisturbed by the Greeks.

And there was sufficient oil there to light the candelabrum for only one day.

A miracle occurred and they lit the candelabrum from it eight days.

The next year the Sages instituted those days and made them holidays with recitation of hallel and special thanksgiving in prayer and blessings.