|
Who?
Every member of a Jewish household should light his or her own menorah.
In many families, the mother does not light her own menorah because her
husband's lighting includes her. Children old enough to appreciate the
Holiday should have their own menorah.
Where?
Originally the law was that the menorah should be placed at or near the
outer part of the doorway, facing the street. The reason being to publicize
the miracle. However, in the Diaspora, it has become accepted custom to
light the menorah indoors. There are two equally valid customs guiding
our practice of where to light the menorah indoors. Some light it at a
window facing the street, others light it at the left side of an interior
door, opposite the Mezuza. If one lives in an apartment building on the
4th floor or higher, there is no advantage to lighting it at a window.
When?
Ideally one should light the menorah immediately upon nightfall. For correct
practice on Friday and Saturday nights, please see the section labeled
“The Sabbath of Chanukah”
What?
The preferred way of lighting the menorah is with olive oil and cotton
wicks. All other oils, wicks and candles are permitted as long as their
flame does not flicker. Olive oil is preferred because it was used in
the temple.
How?
On the first night, one light is lit and every successive night another
light is added until the eighth night, when all eight lights are lit.
With a menorah containing eight lights, the one on the extreme right is
lit first. On the second night a light is added to the left of the first
and it should be lit first. The same procedure is followed every night,
always adding from right to left, using a "Shamash" candle to
light the menorah. On the first night, three Berachos are said before
lighting.
Baruch Ata Adonai Elohainu Melech Haolam
Asher
Kidshanu Bimitzvosav Vetzivanu Lehandlik Ner Shel Chanukah.
Baruch
Ata Adonai Elohainu Melech Haolam
She'esa Nisim Lavoseinu Bayamin Haheim Bazman Hazeh.
Baruch
Ata Adonai Elohainu Melech Haolam
Shehecheeyanu Vekeyemanu Vihigeeyanu Lazman Hazeh
On
subsequent nights, only the first two Berachos are recited.
There
is a widespread custom to re-light the Synagogue Menorah each Chanukah
morning with a blessing. It serves as a reminder to one who might have
been unable or had forgotten to kindle his own Menorah at night.
The
Sabbath of Chanukah
This year, the Shabbat of Chanukah commences, Friday evening, December
the 7th. the night we are to light 4 candles.
On
a Sabbath of Chanukah, the Menorah should be lit before the Sabbath. In
addition, one must make sure that at least one of the lights will burn
1 1/2 hours because the candles are being lit prior to sundown.
On
the evening of Saturday, December 8, in the synagogue we light the fifth
candle of the menorah first and then we say Havdalla at home, either before
or after Havdalla would be correct, as long as it is after 5:00 p.m. when
Shabbos concludes.
Torah
Study and Chanukah Gelt
Since the revolt of the Hasmoneans was undertaken in defense of the Torah
and its commandments, and since the miracle of the oil symbolized the
"light" of Torah study, it was natural that Torah academies
and their students receive special attention during the festival.
In many communities, the leaders would meet during Chanukah to discuss
ways and means to improve the state of Torah education.
Parents
customarily distribute Chanukah gelt, money to their young children, as
a reward for their past diligence in their studies and as an incentive
for them to resume their studies with even more intensity to the future.
Many rabbis would travel to outlying peasant communities during Chanukah
to reach, preach, and exhort the people to greater study and observance.
Dreidel
One of the best known symbols of Chanukah is the dreidel. The letters,
Shin, Hey, Gimel, Nun mean "A great miracle happened THERE."
In Israel the dreidel is a bit different in that their letters mean "A
miracle happened HERE!" The children were encouraged to enjoy their
Chanukah evenings playing dreidel so that they could return to their Torah
studies refreshed after the holiday. It is a virtually universal custom
that children and even adults, play dreidel during Chanukah. Apparently
this was a natural outcome of the fact that the children had the coins
given to them as Chanukah gifts and they had more free time than usual.
Women
and the Mitzvah
R"Yehoshua ben Levi said, "Women were also part of the miracle
of Chanukah." That is because the Greeks had decreed that all Jewish
maiden about to be married first submit themselves for violation to the
Greek prince. The miracle was brought about by the daughter of Yochanan,
the High Priest, who intoxicated the King and beheaded him, an act which
rescued Jewish women from this decree.
The Shulhan Aruch rules that because of their great role in the Chanukah
victory, women should abide by the custom of not doing work as long as
the candles burn and they should not be lenient in the matter.
|