Light in the Darkness: Hanukkah After October 7 December 5, 2024

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.

Shabbat 21b:8

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.

קיצור שלחן ערוך קל״ט:ז׳

(ז) מִצְוַת נֵר חֲנֻכָּה, לְהַדְלִיק בַּפֶּתַח הַסָּמוּךְ לִרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים, מִשּׁוּם פִּרְסוּמֵי נִסָּא, וְכָךְ הָיוּ עוֹשִׂין בִּזְמַן הַמִּשְׁנָה וְהַגְּמָרָא. וּבַזְּמַן הַזֶּה שֶׁאָנוּ דָרִים בֵּין הָאֻמּוֹת, מַדְלִיקִין בַּבַּיִת שֶׁהוּא דָר בּוֹ. וְאִם יֶשׁ לוֹ חַלּוֹן לִרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים, יַדְלִיקֵם שָׁם. וְאִם לָאו, מַדְלִיקָן אֵצֶל הַפָּתַח.

Kitzur Shulchan Arukh 139:7

(7) It is a mitzvah to light the menorah in the doorway that opens to the street, [public domain], in order to publicize the miracle; and it was done in this manner in the days of the Mishnah and the Talmud. Now, since we live among non-Jews, we light the menorah in the house, and if you have a window facing the street, you should light it there; if not, you should light it near the door.

שבת כ״ב ב:ה׳

דְּאִיבַּעְיָא לְהוּ: הַדְלָקָה עוֹשָׂה מִצְוָה, אוֹ הַנָּחָה עוֹשָׂה מִצְוָה?

Shabbat 22b:5

After the issue of whether lighting accomplishes the mitzva or placing accomplishes the mitzva was raised in the context of the previous discussion, the Gemara cites the discussion in its entirety. As a dilemma was raised before the Sages: In the case of the Hanukkah light, does lighting accomplish the mitzva, and placing the lit lamp is simply a continuation of that action, or does placing the kindled lamp accomplish the mitzva, and lighting is simply a practical necessity that facilitates placing the lamp?

שבת כ״ב ב:ז׳

תָּא שְׁמַע, דְּאָמַר רָבָא: הִדְלִיקָהּ בִּפְנִים וְהוֹצִיאָהּ — לֹא עָשָׂה כְּלוּם. אִי אָמְרַתְּ בִּשְׁלָמָא הַדְלָקָה עוֹשָׂה מִצְוָה — הַדְלָקָה בִּמְקוֹמוֹ בָּעֵינַן, מִשּׁוּם הָכִי לֹא עָשָׂה כְּלוּם. אֶלָּא אִי אָמְרַתְּ הַנָּחָה עוֹשָׂה מִצְוָה, אַמַּאי לֹא עָשָׂה וְלֹא כְלוּם? הָתָם נָמֵי: הָרוֹאֶה הוּא אוֹמֵר לְצוֹרְכּוֹ הוּא דְּאַדְלְקַהּ.

Shabbat 22b:7

Come and hear another resolution for this dilemma from that which Rava said: One who lights the Hanukkah lamp inside the house and then takes it out and places it at the entrance to his house did nothing in terms of fulfilling the mitzva. Granted, if you say that lighting accomplishes the mitzva it is understandable, as lighting in its place is required. That is why Rava ruled that he did nothing in terms of fulfilling the mitzva. However, if you say that placing accomplishes the mitzva, why did Rava rule that he did nothing? Didn’t he set it down in its appropriate place? The Gemara answers: There too, even though he subsequently brought it outside, one who sees him lighting inside will say to himself that he is lighting the lamp for his own needs and not in fulfillment of the mitzva.

Rabbi Tamar Elad-Appelbaum, Jerusalem 2023
I bless you with Shomer Yisrael. May you be guarded. May your families and communities be guarded. And may we care for you and worry for you. Because we have to be Shomer Yisrael together. But we are guarding now the conscience of the world. It is a very big responsibility. So we have to listen to every partner. We have to prepare ourselves and be guardians of human care in whatever circumstances we go through. That is the light.
And I want to pray for you that you will guard your hearts and souls and you will hold the candle higher than you ever held it before, because the darkness will be strong.

סידור אשכנז, ימי חול, תפילת שחרית, אחר העמידה, תחנון, שומר ישראל א׳

(א) שׁוֹמֵר יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁמוֹר שְׁאֵרִית יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאַל יֹאבַד יִשְׂרָאֵל הָאֹמְ֒רִים שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל:

Siddur Ashkenaz, Weekday, Shacharit, Post Amidah, Tachanun, Shomer Yisrael 1

(1) Guardian of Israel, guard the remnant of Israel, and let not Israel perish, who say, “Hear Israel.”