There are two mitzvot associated with lighting the chanukiyah, the Chanukah menorah. The first is the kindling of flame in honor of the holiday:
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: מִצְוַת חֲנוּכָּה, נֵר אִישׁ וּבֵיתוֹ. וְהַמְהַדְּרִין, נֵר לְכׇל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד. וְהַמְהַדְּרִין מִן הַמְהַדְּרִין, בֵּית שַׁמַּאי אוֹמְרִים: יוֹם רִאשׁוֹן מַדְלִיק שְׁמֹנָה, מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ פּוֹחֵת וְהוֹלֵךְ. וּבֵית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים: יוֹם רִאשׁוֹן מַדְלִיק אַחַת, מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ מוֹסִיף וְהוֹלֵךְ.
The Sages taught: The basic mitzvah of Chanukah is each day to have a light kindled by a person, the head of the household, for themselves and their household. And the mehadrin, (those who are meticulous in the performance of mitzvot), kindle a light for each and every one in the household. And the mehadrin min hamehadrin, who are extra, extra meticulous, adjust the number of lights daily. Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel disagree as to the nature of that adjustment. Beit Shammai say: On the first day one kindles eight lights and, from there on, gradually decreases the number of lights until, on the last day of Hanukkah, you kindle one light. And Beit Hillel say: On the first day one kindles one light, and from there on, gradually increases the number of lights until, on the last day, you kindle eight lights.
The second mitzvah of lighting a chanukiyah focuses on a separate goal: the menorah is lit in order to "publicize the miracle" of Chanukah. This idea of spreading the word about a miracle comes up on two other holidays as well: On Purim, it is the reason given for reading the Book of Esther, and on Passover, it is the explanation for drinking four cups of wine.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: נֵר חֲנוּכָּה מִצְוָה לְהַנִּיחָהּ עַל פֶּתַח בֵּיתוֹ מִבַּחוּץ. אִם הָיָה דָּר בַּעֲלִיָּיה — מַנִּיחָהּ בַּחַלּוֹן הַסְּמוּכָה לִרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים. וּבִשְׁעַת הַסַּכָּנָה — מַנִּיחָהּ עַל שֻׁלְחָנוֹ וְדַיּוֹ.
The Sages taught: It is a mitzvah to place the Hanukkah lamp at the entrance to one’s house on the outside, so that all can see it. If you live upstairs, you place it at the window adjacent to the public domain. But in a time of danger, when decrees have been issued to prohibit kindling lights, you may place it on the table and that is sufficient to fulfill one's obligation.
As we can see, allowance is built into the expectation of this mitzvah that there are times in history which may be less safe, where Jewish practice may need to be less visible ultimately for protection of Jewish life and Jewish community. But even in moments of historical persecution, some have chosen Chanukah as a moment to "publicize the miracle" of Jewish resilience and visibility.
On Hanukkah 1932, just one month before Hitler came to power, Rachel Posner, wife of Rabbi Dr. Akiva Posner, took this photo of the family Hanukkah menorah from the window ledge of the family home looking out on to the building across the road decorated with Nazi flags.
On the back of the photograph, Rachel Posner wrote in German (translated here):
Chanukah 5692 (1932). "Death to Judah," so the flag says. "Judah will live forever," so the light answers.
Rabbi Dr. Akiva Posner, Doctor of Philosophy from Halle-Wittenberg University, served from 1924–1933 as the last Rabbi of the community of Kiel, Germany.
After Rabbi Posner publicized a protest letter in the local press expressing indignation at the posters that had appeared in the city, “Entrance to Jews Forbidden”, he was summoned by the chairman of the local branch of the Nazi party to participate in a public debate. The event took place under heavy police guard and was reported by the local press.
When the tension and violence in the city intensified, the Rabbi responded to the pleas of his community to flee with his wife Rachel and their three children and make their way to Eretz Israel [the land of Israel]. Before their departure, Rabbi Posner was able to convince many of his congregants to leave as well and indeed most managed to leave for Eretz Israel or the United States. The Posner family left Germany in 1933 and arrived in Eretz Israel in 1934.
Questions for Discussion:
* What are some examples of "visibility" that you publicize about your identity throughout the year? A sign in your window? A pin, or button, or piece of jewelry that you wear? A piece of clothing with a slogan or logo? What message do you choose to "publicize" about yourself with these visible signs?
* Are there any aspects of your identity you choose to keep "invisible"? Are there moments when you choose to make them visible?