Lighting Candles Immediately at Nightfall
זְמַן הַדְלָקָתָן, מִיָד בְּצֵאת הַכּוֹכָבִים, וְלֹא יְאֻחָר. וְאָסוּר לַעֲשׂוֹת שׁוּם דָּבָר קֹדֶּם הַהַדְלָקָה, אֲפִלּוּ לִלְמֹד. רַק אִם לֹא הִתְפַּלֵּל מַעֲרִיב, יִתְפַּלֵּל תְּחִלָּה וְאַחַר כָּךְ יַדְלִיק. וְקֹדֶם שֶׁיַדְלִיק, יְקַבֵּץ כָּל בְּנֵי בֵיתוֹ לְפִרְסוּמֵי מִלְּתָא. וְצָרִיךְ לָתֵת שֶמֶן, שֶׁיִדְלְקוּ לְכָל הַפָּחוֹת חֲצִּי שָׁעָה. וּבְדִיעֲבַד אִם לֹא הִדְלִיק מִיָד, יָכוֹל לְהַדְלִיק בִּבְרָכָה כָּל זְמַן שֶׁבְּנֵי בֵיתוֹ נֵעוֹרִים. אֲבָל לְאַחַר שֶׁבְּנֵי בֵיתוֹ יְשֵׁנִים, תוּ לֵיכָּא פִּרְסוּמֵי נִסָּא, וְיַדְלִיק בְּלֹא בְרָכָה. אִם לֹא יִהְיֶה לוֹ פְּנַאי לְהַדְלִיק בַּלַּיְלָה, יָכוֹל לְהַקְדִּים אֶת עַצְמוֹ וּלְהַדְלִיק מִפְּלַג הַמִּנְחָה וּלְמַעְלָה, דְּהַיְנוּ שָׁעָה וּרְבִיעִית קֹדֶם צֵאת הַכּוֹכָבִים, וְהַיְנוּ שָׁעָה זְמַנִּית, לְפִי עֵרֶךְ הַיוֹם, (עַיֵן לְעֵיל סִימָן סט סָעִיף ב). וּבִימֵי חֲנֻכָּה שֶׁהַיָמִים קְצָרִים, אִם הַיּוֹם אָרֹךְ רַק עֶשֶׂר שָׁעוֹת עַל הָאוּהר (עַל הַשָּׁעוֹן), אֲזַי פְּלַג הַמִּנְחָה, הֲוֵי שָׁעָה אַחַת וּשְׁתֵּי מִינוּטִין (דַקוֹת) וָחֵצִי וּבִלְבַד שֶׁיִתֵּן שֶׁמֶן כְּדֵי שֶׁיִהְיוּ דּוֹלְקִים עַד חֲצִי שָׁעָה לְאַחַר צֵאת הַכּוֹכָבִים. וְאִם אֵינָם דּוֹלְקִים כָּךְ, לֹא קִיֵם הַמִּצְוָה.
The time to light [the menorah] is immediately after the stars appear,9Those who follow the halachic decisions of the Vilna Gaon, customarily light the candles at sunset. and you should not delay it. It is forbidden to do anything before lighting the menorah, even to study Torah.10It is forbidden to do any work from one half hour before the actual time for lighting. See (Shaar Hatzion 672:14) who indicates that this does not apply to Torah study. Except, if you have not prayed Maariv, you should first pray and then light the menorah.11Those who pray Maariv before lighting should have the menorah completely prepared with oil and wicks in order to be able to light them immediately after Maariv. (Mishnah Berurah 672:1) Before lighting the menorah, you should gather the entire family, in order to proclaim the event publicly. You should pour in enough oil to burn at least half an hour.12If you do not have sufficient oil to burn a half hour, you should light them without saying the berachah. (Biur Halachah 672:2) If, inadvertently, you did not light them immediately, you may light them and say the berachos, as long as the members of your family are still awake.13It is permitted in this situation only until day-break. (Mishnah Berurah 672:11) However, after the family is asleep it is no longer considered a public event, and you should light them without saying the berachos. If you will not have time to light the menorah at night, you may do it before that time and light the menorah from pelag haMinchah14You are also permitted to say the berachah. (Ibid 672:3), which is one and one-fourth hour before the stars come out, (these are "time-variable" hours, measured according to the length of daylight, see chapter 69:2 above. And in the season of Chanukah, when the days are short, the day is only ten hours long (measured by the clock), then pelag haMinchah, is one hour and two and one-half minutes before the stars appear). [You may kindle the menorah then] provided you pour in enough oil to burn until one-half hour after the stars become visible. If the lights do not burn that long you have not fulfilled the mitzvah.15In this case, you must light candles anew but without a berachah. (Biur Halachah 672:2)
כל דיני המקום והזמן שקבעו חכמים להדלקת נר חנוכה נועדו כדי לפרסם את הנס. לפיכך תקנו להדליק את הנרות ליד הפתח או החלון הפונה לרשות הרבים, כדי שהעוברים ברחוב יראו את הנרות (כמבואר להלן יג, א-ג). ותקנו להדליק את הנרות משתשקע החמה, שאז הוא הזמן שהנרות יֵראו למירב האנשים, כי מצד אחד כבר נעשה חשוך ואור הנר ניכר היטב, ומנגד הרחובות עדיין מלאים באנשים שחוזרים מעבודתם (ויבואר להלן יג, ד). אולם אין הפרסום לרבים מעכב את המצווה, וגם יהודי שגר לבדו במקום שומם צריך להדליק נרות חנוכה, כדי לזכור בעצמו את הנס.
The purpose of all the laws that the Sages instituted regarding where and when to light Ḥanuka candles is to publicize the miracle. Therefore, they required that one light the candles near the door or in front of a window facing a main thoroughfare, so that passersby can see the candles (as will be explained below, 13:1-3). They also determined that one should light the candles after shki’a, when the maximum number of people will see them. On one hand, darkness has already begun to descend, making the lights more visible. On the other hand, it is early enough that the streets are still filled with people coming home from work (we will elaborate below, 13:4). Publicizing the miracle, however, is not a prerequisite for fulfilling the mitzva. Even a Jew who lives alone in a deserted area must light the candles, in order to remind himself of the miracle.
קבעו חכמים להדליק את הנרות בזמן שבו יתפרסם הנס ביותר. בעבר, לא היתה תאורת רחוב בלילה, ובני האדם היו מתכנסים לביתם לפנות ערב, ואז היו הרחובות מלאים אנשים שחזרו לביתם. לפיכך אמרו חכמים שזמנה של הדלקת הנרות: "משתשקע החמה ועד שתכלה רגל מן השוק" (שבת כא, ב). אלא שנחלקו הראשונים בשאלה, האם התכוונו חכמים לתחילת השקיעה, היינו כשהשמש נעלמת מן העין, או לסוף השקיעה שאז גם האור שוקע ונראים הכוכבים. מצד אחד בעת שהחמה שוקעת היו יותר אנשים ברחוב, ומנגד כיוון שעדיין יש אור רב יחסית, הנרות אינם נראים היטב, ולכן מוטב להמתין בהדלקה עד צאת הכוכבים. למעשה, המנהג הרווח להדליק בצאת הכוכבים, כעשרים דקות אחר שקיעת החמה.8. שבת כא, ב: "זמנה משתשקע החמה". לדעת בה"ג, רמב"ם ומהר"ם מרוטנבורג, הכוונה לתחילת השקיעה, ובאר מהר"ם, שאדרבה כשמדליקים בשעה שיש אור הרואים מבינים שההדלקה לשם מצווה ומתפרסם הנס. גם דעת ר"ן ורשב"א שהכוונה לתחילת השקיעה, אלא שהם סוברים כשיטת ר"ת, שמדובר בשקיעה השנייה, שהיא מהלך שלושה מיל ורבע, שהם כ-58.5 דקות אחר השקיעה. ודעת ר"ת, הרא"ש, תה"ד, הטור, שו"ע תרעב, א, ורוב האחרונים (משנה ברורה א, כה"ח ב), שהוא בסוף השקיעה, היינו צאת הכוכבים. אלא שכידוע נחלקו הראשונים מהו צאת הכוכבים, לדעת הגאונים, מעט יותר ממהלך שלושת רבעי מיל אחר השקיעה, ולדעת ר"ת הוא מהלך ארבעה מיל, שהם כ-72 דקות אחר שקיעת החמה. ועי' בשו"ע או"ח רסא, ב, ובמפרשים ובבאו"ה שם (ועי' בפניני הלכה שבת א' ב, א, 1; עמ' 30-31). למעשה נוהגים להורות כדעת הגאונים.
ולעניין הדלקת נרות חנוכה, דעת רובם המכריע של האחרונים, שזמן ההדלקה המשובח בסוף השקיעה שהיא צאת הכוכבים לפי מה שאנו רואים, וכ"כ הב"ח, מ"א, ט"ז, א"ר, ח"א, בא"ח ועוד. וכך נכון להורות שזמן ההדלקה בצאת הכוכבים, מפני שעיקר הכוונה לפרסם את הנס, ולפני צאת הכוכבים הנרות נראים פחות. (והפרושים בירושלים נוהגים עפ"י הגר"א תרעב, א, ומדליקים בשקיעה). ועי' בפנה"ל תפילה כה, ה, 3, שרבים נוהגים להחשיב את צאת הכוכבים כ-20 דקות אחר השקיעה. (אמנם לעניין ק"ש שהיא מהתורה מומלץ לאחר ל-30 דקות, אבל בנר חנוכה שמדרבנן אפשר להורות שהזמן כ-20 דקות אחר השקיעה. וי"א שהוא כ-15 דקות אחר השקיעה). גם בין דעות הראשונים, 20 דקות אחר השקיעה היא דעה ממוצעת, שלרמב"ם צריך להדליק בשקיעה, ולר"ן ולרשב"א כ-58 דקות אחר השקיעה, ולר"ת כ-72 דקות אחר השקיעה. א"כ הדעה שהולכת אחר צאת הכוכבים הנראה, שהוא כ-20 דקות אחר השקיעה היא דעה ממוצעת. (וכך אם הנרות ידלקו עד 52 דקות מצאת הכוכבים, יימצא שידלקו במשך הזמן שיוצאים בו לכל השיטות).
ולעניין הדלקת נרות חנוכה, דעת רובם המכריע של האחרונים, שזמן ההדלקה המשובח בסוף השקיעה שהיא צאת הכוכבים לפי מה שאנו רואים, וכ"כ הב"ח, מ"א, ט"ז, א"ר, ח"א, בא"ח ועוד. וכך נכון להורות שזמן ההדלקה בצאת הכוכבים, מפני שעיקר הכוונה לפרסם את הנס, ולפני צאת הכוכבים הנרות נראים פחות. (והפרושים בירושלים נוהגים עפ"י הגר"א תרעב, א, ומדליקים בשקיעה). ועי' בפנה"ל תפילה כה, ה, 3, שרבים נוהגים להחשיב את צאת הכוכבים כ-20 דקות אחר השקיעה. (אמנם לעניין ק"ש שהיא מהתורה מומלץ לאחר ל-30 דקות, אבל בנר חנוכה שמדרבנן אפשר להורות שהזמן כ-20 דקות אחר השקיעה. וי"א שהוא כ-15 דקות אחר השקיעה). גם בין דעות הראשונים, 20 דקות אחר השקיעה היא דעה ממוצעת, שלרמב"ם צריך להדליק בשקיעה, ולר"ן ולרשב"א כ-58 דקות אחר השקיעה, ולר"ת כ-72 דקות אחר השקיעה. א"כ הדעה שהולכת אחר צאת הכוכבים הנראה, שהוא כ-20 דקות אחר השקיעה היא דעה ממוצעת. (וכך אם הנרות ידלקו עד 52 דקות מצאת הכוכבים, יימצא שידלקו במשך הזמן שיוצאים בו לכל השיטות).
The Sages ordained that one must light the Ḥanuka candles when the miracle will be publicized most effectively. In the past, when there were no street lights, at nightfall the streets would fill with people returning home from their daily activities. Therefore, the Sages declared that the proper time to light the candles is “from sunset until the marketplace empties out” (Shabbat 21b).The Rishonim disagree whether “sunset” here refers to the beginning of sunset, meaning when the sun disappears from view, or to the end of sunset, meaning when the sunlight disappears from view as well and the stars become visible. On one hand, at the beginning of sunset the streets are more crowded. On the other hand, since there is still a relatively large amount of sunlight at that time, the candles are less visible. Therefore, it is better to wait until tzeit ha-kokhavim to light. Indeed, the widespread practice in Israel is to light at tzeit, which is about twenty minutes after shki’a in Israel.8The phrase used in Shabbat 21b to refer to sunset is mi-shetishka ha-ḥama. According to Behag, Rambam, and Maharam of Rothenburg, this means the beginning of shki’a (i.e., when the sun disappears below the horizon). Maharam explains that if we light when there is still sunlight visible, those who see the candles understand that they were lit in order to fulfill a mitzva, and the miracle is publicized. Ran and Rashba agree that the Gemara refers to the beginning of shki’a, but they follow the position of Rabbeinu Tam that it is referring to the “second sunset,” 58.5 minutes (the time it takes to walk three and a quarter mil) after sunset. According to Rabbeinu Tam, Rosh, Terumat Ha-deshen, Tur, and SA 672:1, as well as most Aḥaronim (MB ad loc. 1 and Kaf Ha-ḥayim ad loc. 2), the Gemara refers to the end of sunset, or tzeit ha-kokhavim. That time is debated as well. The Rishonim disagree how much time separates shki’a from tzeit. The Ge’onim maintain that the time between shki’a and tzeit is slightly longer than the time it takes to walk three quarters of a mil; according to Rabbeinu Tam, though, it is the time that it takes to walk four mil, which is 72 minutes. See SA 261:2 and the commentaries there, especially BHL. (Also see Peninei Halakha: Shabbat 1:2:1 and n. 1). In practice, the standard ruling here is in accordance with the Ge’onim.
The vast majority of Aḥaronim maintain that the best time to light Ḥanuka candles is at the end of shki’a, when the stars are visible – in other words, tzeit ha-kokhavim. This is the position of Baḥ, MA, Taz, Eliya Rabba, Ḥayei Adam, Ben Ish Ḥai, and others. (The Prushim community in Jerusalem follow the Vilna Gaon, who writes in Bi’ur Ha-Gra 672:1 that one should light at sunset.) See Peninei Halakha: Prayer ch. 25 n. 3, where I point out that many consider tzeit to be about twenty minutes after shki’a. (Regarding Keri’at Shema, which is a Torah obligation, I recommend waiting thirty minutes. However, since lighting Ḥanuka candles is a rabbinic obligation, one need wait only twenty minutes from sunset. Some maintain that tzeit is about fifteen minutes after sunset.) A comparison of the positions of the Rishonim shows that twenty minutes is an intermediate position. Rambam maintains that one should light at sunset, Ran and Rashba maintain that one should light about 58 minutes after sunset, and Rabbeinu Tam maintains that one should light about 72 minutes after sunset. Accordingly, the view that one should light at tzeit, which in Israel is about twenty minutes after sunset, is the intermediate position. (If the candles remain lit until 52 minutes after tzeit, one meets the requirements of all the different positions.)
The vast majority of Aḥaronim maintain that the best time to light Ḥanuka candles is at the end of shki’a, when the stars are visible – in other words, tzeit ha-kokhavim. This is the position of Baḥ, MA, Taz, Eliya Rabba, Ḥayei Adam, Ben Ish Ḥai, and others. (The Prushim community in Jerusalem follow the Vilna Gaon, who writes in Bi’ur Ha-Gra 672:1 that one should light at sunset.) See Peninei Halakha: Prayer ch. 25 n. 3, where I point out that many consider tzeit to be about twenty minutes after shki’a. (Regarding Keri’at Shema, which is a Torah obligation, I recommend waiting thirty minutes. However, since lighting Ḥanuka candles is a rabbinic obligation, one need wait only twenty minutes from sunset. Some maintain that tzeit is about fifteen minutes after sunset.) A comparison of the positions of the Rishonim shows that twenty minutes is an intermediate position. Rambam maintains that one should light at sunset, Ran and Rashba maintain that one should light about 58 minutes after sunset, and Rabbeinu Tam maintains that one should light about 72 minutes after sunset. Accordingly, the view that one should light at tzeit, which in Israel is about twenty minutes after sunset, is the intermediate position. (If the candles remain lit until 52 minutes after tzeit, one meets the requirements of all the different positions.)
אף שבנר בשיעור של חצי שעה יוצאים ידי חובה, כאשר הנרות נראים לעוברים ושבים ברחוב, טוב להדר בזמנינו להתקין נרות שידלקו שעתיים ואף יותר, מפני שכיום אנשים רגילים להתהלך ברחוב זמן רב אחר צאת הכוכבים, וטוב שיראו את הנרות ויתפרסם הנס.10משך זמן ההדלקה משתשקע החמה ועד שתכלה רגל מהשוק, וכתבו הראשונים שהוא כחצי שעה, וכ"כ בשו"ע תרעב, ב. ובאוצר הגאונים (תשובות סי' סה) מבואר שהוא שיעור של שעה או חצי שעה, ואולי היו הבדלים בין המקומות מתי חזרו התרמודאים מהשוק. והסוברים שכיום נכון להדליק יותר זמן מובאים בהליכות שלמה טו, ח, פס"ת תרעב, ה; הלח"ב ו, ט; ימי הלל והודאה יג, ד.
Even though one fulfills one’s obligation as long as the Ḥanuka candles remain lit for half an hour, some say that nowadays, when people regularly walk through the streets well beyond tzeit, it is preferable to beautify the mitzva by lighting candles that will remain lit for two hours or more. They contend that this is a commendable practice because the more people that see the candles, the more the miracle will be publicized.10The candles must be lit “from sunset until the marketplace empties out.” The Rishonim explain that this means about half an hour, and this is the ruling of SA 672:2. Otzar Ha-Ge’onim (Shabbat, Teshuvot §65) states that it means an hour or half an hour. Perhaps in different areas the Tarmodians would leave the market at different times.
Women Not Working While Candles are Lit
דברים האסורים והמותרים בחנוכה ובו ג"ס:
בכ"ה בכסליו (מתחילים) שמונת ימי חנוכה ואסורים בהספד ותענית אבל מותרין בעשיית מלאכה ונוהגות הנשים שלא לעשות מלאכה בעוד שהנרות דולקות ויש מי שאומר שאין להקל להם:
בכ"ה בכסליו (מתחילים) שמונת ימי חנוכה ואסורים בהספד ותענית אבל מותרין בעשיית מלאכה ונוהגות הנשים שלא לעשות מלאכה בעוד שהנרות דולקות ויש מי שאומר שאין להקל להם:
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.
בַּחֲנֻכָּה, מֻתָּר בַּעֲשִׂיַת מְלָאכָה. אַךְ הַנָּשִׁים נוֹהֲגוֹת שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲשׂוֹת מְלָאכָה כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהַנֵרוֹת בַּבַּיִת דּוֹלְקִים, וְאֵין לְהָקֵל לָהֶן. וְהַטַּעַם שֶׁהַנָּשִׁים מַחְמִירוֹת יוֹתֵר, מִפְּנֵי שֶהַגְּזֵרָה הָיְתָה קָשָׁה עַל בְּנוֹת יִשְֹרָאֵל, שֶׁגָזְרוּ, בְּתוּלָה הַנִשֵּׂאת, תִּבָּעֵל לַהֶגְמוֹן תְּחִלָּה. וְעוֹד, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַנֵּס נַעֲשָׂה עַל יְדֵי אִשָׁה, בַּת יוֹחָנָן כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל הָיְתָה יְפַת תֹּאַר מְאֹד, וּבִקְּשָׁהּ הַמֶּלֶךְ הַצּוֹרֵר שֶתִּשְׁכַּב עִמּוֹ, וְאָמְרָה לוֹ, שֶׁתְּמַלֵּא בַקָּשָׁתוֹ, וְהֶאֱכִילַתּוּ תַּבְשִׁילֵי גְבִינָה, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִצְמָא וְיִשְׁתֶּה יַיִן וְיִשְׁתַּכֵּר וְיִישַׁן וְיֵרָדֵם. וְכֵן הָיָה, וְחָתְכָה אֶת רֹאשׁוֹ וְהֱבִיאַתּוּ לִירוּשָׁלָיִם. וְכִרְאוֹת שַׂר צְבָאָם כִּי אָבַד מַלְכָּם, וַיָנוּסוּ. וְלָכֵן קְצָת נוֹהֲגִין לֶאֱכֹל מַאַכְלֵי חָלָב בַּחֲנֻכָּה, זֵכֶר לַנֵּס שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה עַל יְדֵי חָלָב.
You are permitted to work on Chanukah. But women follow the custom, not to do any work during the time the Chanukah lights are burning, and you should not [cause them] to treat this matter lightly. The reason that women are more stringent about this [than men], is that the cruelty of the evil decree was directed mainly at Jewish women. For [the Greeks] decreed that a virgin girl before her wedding must first cohabit with the general. Another reason for this is that the miracle came about through a woman. The daughter of Yochanan the Kohein Gadol was a very beautiful girl, and the ruthless king wanted her to lie with him. She told him that she would fulfill his request; and she served him cheese dishes, so that he would be thirsty, and drink wine; then become intoxicated, and fall asleep. That is precisely what happened. Then she cut off his head and brought it to Jerusalem. When the general saw that the king was dead, he [and his army] fled. Therefore, some people have the custom to eat dairy dishes on Chanukah, to commemorate the miracle achieved by means of a dairy product.
נהגו הנשים מנהג מיוחד, להימנע מעשיית מלאכה בשעה שנרות החנוכה דולקים. ויש נשים שנהגו להימנע מעשיית מלאכה במשך כל ימי החנוכה, ובמיוחד ביום הראשון והשמיני. אולם למעשה המנהג להימנע ממלאכה בשעה שהנרות דולקים, ואף זאת רק בחצי השעה הראשונה שבה יוצאים ידי חובת המצווה. שני טעמים נאמרו למנהג. הראשון, כדי שלא יבואו בטעות להשתמש באור נרות חנוכה. וכיוון שהנשים עלולות לטעות בזה יותר, רק הן נמנעות ממלאכה בשעה שהנרות דולקים. והשני, מפני קדושת ימי החנוכה, שאומרים בהם הלל והם דומים לחול המועד וראש חודש. ובשעה שהנרות דולקים, מתגלה קדושת היום. ונהגו בזה רק הנשים, מפני שיש להן זכות מיוחדת בחנוכה, שמתוך גבורתה של יהודית ונשים אחרות התחיל הנס.
Jewish women have preserved a special custom to refrain from working while the Ḥanuka candles are burning. Some women do not work the entire holiday, especially on the first and eighth days. In practice, though, the custom is to avoid work only while the candles are lit, and even then only during the first half-hour, which is the minimum time that the candles must be lit to fulfill the mitzva. Two reasons are given for this custom. First, so they do not use the light of the Ḥanuka candles accidentally. Since women were more likely to make this mistake, only they must refrain from work while the candles are lit. The second reason is based on the sanctity of Ḥanuka, when we recite Hallel, indicating that it is similar to Ḥol Ha-mo’ed and Rosh Ḥodesh. This sanctity is revealed when the candles are lit. Only women observe this custom because they have a special merit on Ḥanuka, since the courage of Yehudit and other women set the miracle in motion.
Eating Dairy on Chanukah
ריבוי הסעודות שמרבים בהם הם סעודות הרשות שלא קבעום למשתה ושמחה: הגה וי"א שיש קצת מצוה בריבוי הסעודות משום דבאותן הימים היה חנוכת המזבח [מהר"א מפראג] ונוהגין לומר זמירות ושבחות בסעודות שמרבים בהם ואז הוי סעודת מצוה [מנהגים] י"א שיש לאכול גבינה בחנוכה לפי שהנס נעשה בחלב שהאכילה יהודית את האויב [כל בו ור"ן]:
The many meals which we add on [these days] are voluntary meals, since [the Sages] did not establish them as [days of] feasting and joy. Rem"a: But some say that there is somewhat of a mitzvah in adding meals, because during those days was the Dedication of the Altar (Abraham Kara of Prague). It is the custom to recite hymns and songs of praise during the feasts added on them, and then they are mitzvah meals (Book of Customs). Some say that cheese should be eaten during Hanukkah, because a miracle was done though milk which Yehudit fed the enemy. (Kol Bo and Nissim of Gerona).
כָּל זְמַן מִצְוָתָן, דְהַיְנוּ חֲצִי שָׁעָה, אָסוּר לֵהָנוֹת מֵאוֹרָן. וְלָכֵן נוֹהֲגִין לְהַנִּיחַ אֶצְלָן אֶת הַשַּמָּשׁ שֶׁהִדְלִיקוּ בוֹ, כְּדֵי שֶׁאִם יִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ אֶצְלָן, יִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ לְאוֹר הַשַּׁמָּשׁ, וּצְרִיכִין לְהַנִּיחוֹ קְצָת לְמַעְלָה מִן הַנֵּרוֹת, שֶׁיְהֵא נִכָּר, שֶׁאֵינוֹ מִמִּנְיָן הַנֵּרוֹת.
During the time [they are burning] in fulfillment of the mitzvah, that is, one-half hour,20Others are stringent, maintaining that this prohibition applies during the entire time they are burning. (Ibid 672:8) it is forbidden to have any benefit from their light. It is the custom therefore, to place the shamash near them so that if you use the light, [for any personal purpose] you will be using the light of the shamash. You must place [the shamash] a little higher than the other lights, so that it is recognized that it is not one of the required number of lights.
נהגו לאכול בחנוכה מאכלי חלב וגבינה, לזכר הנס שנעשה בהם, שהאכילה יהודית בת יוחנן כהן גדול את האויב במאכלי חלב, ולאחר שנרדם הרגתו, ונעשתה ישועה לישראל. ואף שמעשה זה היה לפני ימי החנוכה, מכל מקום מכח זיכרון מעשה גבורתה של יהודית התעצמו אח"כ החשמונאים והעזו למרוד ביוונים, ועל כן מעשה גבורתה שייך לנס החנוכה. ועוד נהגו לאכול בחנוכה מאכלים מטוגנים בשמן, כסופגניות ולביבות.12המנהג לאכול חלב מובא בר"ן לשבת כא, ב, וברמ"א תרע, ב, ובעוד ראשונים ואחרונים. ולדעת רבים מעשה יהודית לא היה בימי מרד המכבים. ובאר בבא"ח וישב כד, שכיוון שאף הוא היה כנגד אויב ממלכי יוון שרצה להעביר את ישראל על דתם, צירפו המנהג לזכר הנס הזה בחנוכה. ולמעלה הוספתי ביאור לזה. ויש עוד מנהג קל שהוזכר במעט ספרים, לאכול מאכלים מטוגנים בשמן זכר לנס פח השמן. וכתב רבנו מימון אביו של הרמב"ם (בפירושו על עניין חנוכה), שאין להקל בשום מנהג, ואפילו מנהג קל כאכילת סופגניות, והוא מנהג קדמונים, ואין לבזות מנהגי האומה.
There is a custom to eat dairy on Ḥanuka, in commemoration of the miracle that occurred through such foods. Yehudit, the daughter of Yoḥanan the High Priest, fed the enemy general dairy foods and killed him after he fell asleep, bringing salvation to the Jews. Even though this story happened before the events of Ḥanuka, Yehudit’s act of courage emboldened the Hasmoneans later on, giving them the strength to rebel against the Greeks. Therefore, her bravery is connected to the miracle of Ḥanuka. There is also a custom to eat foods fried in oil, like sufganiyot (fried doughnuts) and latkes (potato pancakes).12The custom of eating dairy is mentioned by Ran (Shabbat 21b), Rema 670:2, and other Rishonim and Aḥaronim. According to many authorities, the episode of Yehudit did not take place at the same time as the Maccabean revolt. Ben Ish Ḥai, Vayeshev 24 explains that since her story also involved a Greek king who tried to force the Jews to abandon their faith, the Sages appended the custom commemorating this miracle to the holiday of Ḥanuka. I added another explanation in the main text above. Another minor custom, which is mentioned in a few books, involves eating foods fried in oil. Rabbeinu Maimon, Rambam’s father, writes (in his commentary on Ḥanuka) that one should not treat any custom lightly, even a minor one like eating sufganiyot, for one should not denigrate the customs of our people.
Eating Sufganiyot
Sefer Sarid U'Palit
Rabbeinu Maimon ben Yosef wrote the following on the topic of Chanukah in his Arabic language essay on paryer: "One should not be lenient with any minhag, even a seemingly minor minhag. And one is properly obligated to have a festive meal with food in order to publicize the miracle, which Hashem Blessed is He, performed for us during these days. And a minhag developed to make sufganin...which are honey cakes called iskritin by Targum, and is an ancient minhag, [which is done' because they [the cakes] are fried in oil in commemoration of His blessing [i.e., the miracle of the oil].
"And Rabbeinu Nissim wrote in Megillas Sesarim that all the minhagim of the [Jewish] nation are like this...[i.e., that we have minhagim to eat symbolic foods on our holidays, such as eating a fish or ram's] head on Rosh Hashannah...and we may not denigrate these minhagim...And it has already been said by the Navi, 'Do not forsake the Torah of your mother' (Mishlei 6:20), [meaning] do not abandon the religious practices of your mother. And amongst the gaonim and roshei yeshivod, there are customs such as these that are recorded in their holy books. And one should nit denigrate a single thing from the practices of those [holy Torah giants] who came before us.
Rabbeinu Maimon ben Yosef wrote the following on the topic of Chanukah in his Arabic language essay on paryer: "One should not be lenient with any minhag, even a seemingly minor minhag. And one is properly obligated to have a festive meal with food in order to publicize the miracle, which Hashem Blessed is He, performed for us during these days. And a minhag developed to make sufganin...which are honey cakes called iskritin by Targum, and is an ancient minhag, [which is done' because they [the cakes] are fried in oil in commemoration of His blessing [i.e., the miracle of the oil].
"And Rabbeinu Nissim wrote in Megillas Sesarim that all the minhagim of the [Jewish] nation are like this...[i.e., that we have minhagim to eat symbolic foods on our holidays, such as eating a fish or ram's] head on Rosh Hashannah...and we may not denigrate these minhagim...And it has already been said by the Navi, 'Do not forsake the Torah of your mother' (Mishlei 6:20), [meaning] do not abandon the religious practices of your mother. And amongst the gaonim and roshei yeshivod, there are customs such as these that are recorded in their holy books. And one should nit denigrate a single thing from the practices of those [holy Torah giants] who came before us.
Inside Chanukah by Aryeh Pinchas Strickoff (p. 130)
Sufganiyot, doughnuts containing a hidden filling, are eaten on Chanukah because it is symbolic of the fact that on Chanukah even those Jews who are hidden, meaning those who have become so distant from Judaism that they may not even look (or act) like Jews, can become further elevated. (R' Yitzchok Diamond)
Sufganiyot, doughnuts containing a hidden filling, are eaten on Chanukah because it is symbolic of the fact that on Chanukah even those Jews who are hidden, meaning those who have become so distant from Judaism that they may not even look (or act) like Jews, can become further elevated. (R' Yitzchok Diamond)
Chanukah Gelt
אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב אַסִּי אָמַר רַב: אָסוּר לְהַרְצוֹת מָעוֹת כְּנֶגֶד נֵר חֲנוּכָּה. כִּי אַמְרִיתַהּ קַמֵּיהּ דִּשְׁמוּאֵל, אָמַר לִי: וְכִי נֵר קְדוּשָּׁה יֵשׁ בָּהּ? מַתְקֵיף לַהּ רַב יוֹסֵף: וְכִי דָּם קְדוּשָּׁה יֵשׁ בּוֹ? דְּתַנְיָא ״וְשָׁפַךְ … וְכִסָּה״ — בַּמֶּה שֶׁשָּׁפַךְ יְכַסֶּה. שֶׁלֹּא יְכַסֶּנּוּ בָּרֶגֶל, שֶׁלֹּא יְהוּ מִצְוֹת בְּזוּיוֹת עָלָיו. הָכָא נָמֵי, שֶׁלֹּא יְהוּ מִצְוֹת בְּזוּיוֹת עָלָיו.
Rav Yehuda said that Rav Asi said that Rav said: It is prohibited to count money opposite a Hanukkah light. Rav Yehuda relates: When I said this halakha before Shmuel, he said to me: Does the Hanukkah light have sanctity that would prohibit one from using its light? Rav Yosef strongly objected to this question: What kind of question is that; does the blood of a slaughtered undomesticated animal or fowl have sanctity? As it was taught in a baraita that the Sages interpreted the verse: “He shall spill its blood and cover it with dust” (Leviticus 17:13): With that which he spilled, he shall cover. Just as a person spills the blood of a slaughtered animal with his hand, so too, he is obligated to cover the blood with this hand and not cover it with his foot. The reason is so that mitzvot will not be contemptible to him. Here too, one should treat the Hanukkah lights as if they were sacred and refrain from utilizing them for other purposes, so that mitzvot will not be contemptible to him.
Inside Chanukah by Aryeh Pinchas Strickoff (p. 149-151)
Since the Torah was saved from being forgotten on Chanukah, Chanukah is a time when we increase our emphasis on Torah study. In this context, it became customary to show appreciation to our Torah educators during this time, so parents would send money to their children's rabbaim and teachers on Chanukah. They would do this by sending the money with their children, and the children would thus learn to appreciate the value of the Torah and those who teach it. Eventually, from this practice developed the custom of giving Chanukah gelt and other types of presents to the children themselves, to demonstrate to them how much their parents valued their Torah learning, ad the children would see how their parents gave them gelt or presents just as they gave gelt or presents to their teachers. (R' Yaakov Kamenetsky)
Halacha requires that one who lacks the funds for Chanukah candles go to the length of even selling his clothes in order to obtain the money necessary to purchase candles and perform the mitzvah. The minhag therefore developed to give tzedakah to the poor on Chanukah, to make sure they have enough money for the mitzvah...The Belzer Rebbe indicates that a reason we give chanukah gelt to children (and others) on Chanukah is to create a blurring of who is receiving money for what purpose. In other words, in order to avoid embarrassing the poor, Chanukah gelt is distributed to everyone (needy or not), so that is will be unclear who is receiving the money as tzedakah. (R' Yissachar Dov Rokeach)
Since the Torah was saved from being forgotten on Chanukah, Chanukah is a time when we increase our emphasis on Torah study. In this context, it became customary to show appreciation to our Torah educators during this time, so parents would send money to their children's rabbaim and teachers on Chanukah. They would do this by sending the money with their children, and the children would thus learn to appreciate the value of the Torah and those who teach it. Eventually, from this practice developed the custom of giving Chanukah gelt and other types of presents to the children themselves, to demonstrate to them how much their parents valued their Torah learning, ad the children would see how their parents gave them gelt or presents just as they gave gelt or presents to their teachers. (R' Yaakov Kamenetsky)
Halacha requires that one who lacks the funds for Chanukah candles go to the length of even selling his clothes in order to obtain the money necessary to purchase candles and perform the mitzvah. The minhag therefore developed to give tzedakah to the poor on Chanukah, to make sure they have enough money for the mitzvah...The Belzer Rebbe indicates that a reason we give chanukah gelt to children (and others) on Chanukah is to create a blurring of who is receiving money for what purpose. In other words, in order to avoid embarrassing the poor, Chanukah gelt is distributed to everyone (needy or not), so that is will be unclear who is receiving the money as tzedakah. (R' Yissachar Dov Rokeach)