hanouka

On the 25th of Kislev (start) the eight days of Hanukkah, and they are prohibited for eulogizing and fasting, but are permitted for doing work. The women have made it a custom not to do work while the candles are burning. And there is [an opinion] that says that we may not be lenient for them.

One should place the Hanukkah light at the entrance which adjoins the public domain, on the outside. If the house opens to the public domain, he should place it at its entrance. If there is a courtyard in front of the house, he should place it at the entrance of the courtyard. If he lives in the upper floor, having no entrance leading to the public domain, he should place it at a window that adjoins the public domain. In a time of danger, when one is not allowed to perform mitzvot, it is enough that he place it on his table. He needs another light to use for its illumination. And if there is a bonfire, he needs no other light. But if he is a dignified person, whose way is not to use the illumination of a bonfire, he needs another light.

It is a mitzvah to place [the Hanukkah light] in the handsbreadth closest to the entrance on the left, so as to have the mezuzah on the right and the Hanukkah light on the left. But if there is no mezuzah in the entrance, he should place [the Hanukkah light] on the right. If one places it in the doorway itself, he should place it on the leftmost half of the entrance. Rem"a: However nowadays, when all kindle inside, and there is no distinction for the people of the public domain at all, one should not worry so much if we do not kindle it in the handsbreadth closest to the entrance. In any case, the custom is to kindle it in the handsbreadth closest to the entrance, as in [our ancestors'] days, and one should not deviate; unless the household members are many, [in which case] it is preferable for each one to kindle in a unique place rather than mixing the lights together, with no distinction of the number of lights they are kindling. In any case, they should take care not to kindle in the same place where they kindle lights all year, since then there would be no distinction at all. And even though there is only no distinction except for the members of the household, some distinction at least is necessary. In the synagogue, one should place [the Hanukkah light] at the southern wall (or to the south of the lamp, and he should arrange them from east to west). (Terumat Hadeshen Section 104, Beit Yosef) We kindle and recite the benedictions (in the synagogue) for the sake of publicizing the miracle. Rem"a: A person does not fulfill his obligation with the lights of the synagogue, and needs to kindle again in his own house. (Isaac ben Sheshet Section 111) We have the custom to kindle in the synagogue between the afternoon prayer and the evening prayer. Some have the custom to kindle on the Sabbath Eve before the afternoon prayer. (Kol Bo and Book of Abudirham) If [the prayer leader] wants to quickly pray right away after [he] has recited the benedictions and kindled one of them, the synagogue attendant may kindle the rest, and the prayer leader may pray. (Jacob ben Moses Moelin)

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

The Gemara asks: What is Hanukkah, and why are lights kindled on Hanukkah? The Gemara answers: The Sages taught in Megillat Ta’anit: 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. What is the reason? 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.