Wonder & Joy The Romance of the Hanukkah Lights

Rava said: One must kindle another lamp in addition to the Hanukkiah in order to use its light, since it is prohibited to use the light of the Hanukkiah. But if there is a torch, one need not add an additional light, since you can use its light. However, if one is an important person, who is unaccustomed to using the light of a torch, even though there is a torch, one must kindle another light.

Rav Yehuda said Rav Asi said Rav said: It is prohibited to count money opposite a Hanukkiah. Rav Yehuda relates: When I said this halachah before Shmuel, he said to me: Does the Hanukkah light have holiness that would prohibit using its light? Rav Yosef strongly objected to this question: What kind of question is that!? Does the blood of a slaughtered animal 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) The reason is so mitzvot will not be downgraded for you. Here too, one should treat the Hanukkah lights as if they were sacred & refrain from using them for other purposes, so that mitzvot will not be downgraded for you.

And even though above (in the Talmud), there was already a general prohibition of using the candles, it still made sure to mention that counting coins is forbidden. When it said use was forbidden, it originally referred to "regular work," as one passing by who saw [the Hanukkiah used as source of light for work] would think that it was not for the mitzvah, but if they saw someone performing a random task like counting coins, they would not necessarily think it was lit for that purpose. Thus, Rav Asi made sure to mention that even ad hoc, lowly tasks are not allowed, since one needs to bring the coin close to the light to inspect it, which is why it specifies "opposite the Hanukkiah," not "the light" [generally].

The law of Hanukkah is that we cannot use its light. This means any and all use, even using the Hanukkiah glow to perform a[nother] mitzvah, since because of the miracle performed with the lamp, it made all Hanukkiot as holy as the Menorah [of the Temple], which is not allowed to be used for another purpose... This is why Rav says that one cannot count coins opposite the Hanukkiah. He did not mean to specify that normal work was not allowed while holy work was, but rather that even a small task like that is not allowed [and all the more so a major task].

[Even the Shammes, which] one is allowed to use, it is [still] forbidden to use it for a lowly activity, like playing cards, G-d forbid!

(1) We kindle these lights on account of the miracles, the deliverances and the wonders which thou didst work for our fathers, by means of thy holy priests. During all the eight days of Chanukah these lights are sacred, and we are not permitted to use them at all, but we are only to look at them, in order that we may give thanks unto thy name for thy miracles, thy deliverances and thy wonders.

(12) The precept of lighting the Hanukkah lamp is exceedingly precious, and one should carefully observe it in order to acclaim the miracle, ever praising and thanking God for the miracles which he has performed for us. Even if one has nothing to eat except what he gets from charity, he should borrow, or sell his garment, to buy oil and lamps and light them.

"One sources oil and lamps..." - This means that one is to enhance/beautify and add to [the lighting], as it is said, "one adds to it to make it better."

(1) How many lamps should one light on Chanukah? It is a commandment that one light be kindled in each and every house whether it be a household with many people or a house with a single person. One who beautifies the commandment should light lamps according to the number of people of the house — a lamp for each and every person, whether they are men or women. One who beautifies [it] further than this and performs the commandment in the choicest manner lights a lamp for each person on the first night and continues to add one lamp on each and every night.

One can find a hint made by the Geonim, when they instituted us reciting [after lighting], "These lights are sacred, and we are not permitted to use them at all..." The meaning of this is that there is great holiness in the Hanukkah candles. One who is able to attain a dimension of... genuine humility is able to perceive something in and through the Hanukkah lights, a wondrous realization of healing within the havoc. But we who cannot access to that dimension of humility... "can only look at them," meaning that even so, there is still a mitzvah just to look at them, until we are inspired from above to start to touch the edge of that pure worship. So may it be!