Category: Quick Halachic Guides

  • Halachos of Chanukah: A Basic Guide

    Halachos of Chanukah: A Basic Guide

    Rabbi Moshe Taub, 5786

    Please call or text me with any and all questions or Shailos that may arise

    Tonight, with the commencement of the 25th of Kislev, we begin celebrating the eight days of Chanukah.

    • These eight days were designated as Yamim Tovim (festivals) by the Sages, and Hallel is recited every morning.
    • Al Hanissim is inserted in the blessing of the Shemoneh Esreh and in the second blessing of Birkas Hamazon (Grace after Meals).[1] 
    • If Al Hanissim was omitted, the Shemoneh Esreh or Birkas Hamazon need not be repeated.
    • It is customary for women to avoid certain labors (actions avoided during chol hamoed) for the first half-hour time period that the Chanukah lights must burn.

    The Lighting Obligation

    • All members of each household, who are above 12/13 years of age, share an equal obligation of lighting Chanukah lights.
    • The basic obligation is that each household kindles just one light on each night of Chanukah for all who live there.
    • Both men and women are equal in Chanukah’s lighting obligation and must make sure to light—or that Chanukah lights are lit—in their residence.
    • In this, Chanukah is no different from Shabbos whose basic law requires one to make sure that just one candle be lit in each home (chovas hadar). For Shabbos, we gift this mitzvah to women; on Chanukah, we gift this mitzvah to men. Although there is deep significance to this custom, the fact remains that men and women share the exact same obligation in both Shabbos and Chanukah candles.
    • Therefore, if there is no adult male (above the age of thirteen) in the household, the woman of the house must kindle. This is like Shabbos, where if there is no woman there, the man must still light.

    It is common practice that children kindle their own lights as well.

    • Although one candle per night suffices, for centuries, it is common practice to follow the Talmud’s ‘Mehadrin‘/Extra method: lighting according to the number of the night, starting with one candle for the first night and adding one additional candle each night.[2]

    When to Light

    • We should strive to kindle the lights about ten to twenty minutes after sunset.
    • The lights should burn for at least half an hour, but it is best if they remain lit until rush hour traffic ends, if possible, or until family dinner concludes (an hour or two).[3]

    Should one need to light LATER:

    In such cases, one should have an other member of the household light in the more-proper time. However, if this will harm shalom bayis or chinuch habanim then waiting to light later -when everyone is together-may be apt. A rav should be consulted.

    Assuming no one else is home during the proper lighting time, one may indeed light later[4].

    In extreme cases such as due to travel, etc., the lighting may be done at any point during the night, until daybreak, so long as others in the home are/will be awake. If one lives or is staying alone, or, if others in the home cannot be awakened for whatever reason, one may nevertheless light, and with the berachos.[5]

    Like with all other ‘passing mitzvos‘, one who is forced to light late must try not to eat a full meal before they light, or must at least create a shomer to remind them.

    If one needs to light EARLIER:

    • In cases of extreme need/circumstances (such as one who has to later travel by plane), one may light as early as plag ha’minchah.
    • During this time of year, plag will come out to about 40 minutes before sundown. The exact timeframe should be checked on a website like: https://www.myzmanim.com/search.aspx
    • When lighting this early, one must still make sure that there is sufficient oil/wax for the light to burn a half-hour past sundown.

    Friday/Motzai Shabbos

    • On Friday, the eve of Shabbos, one kindles the Chanukah lights prior to the kindling of the Shabbos candles.
    • One must make sure that at least one of the Chanukah lights will burn through the entire half-hour period following sundown.
    • IN SHUL: Following Shemoneh Esrah at the conclusion of Shabbos Chanukah in shul, the Chanukah lights are kindled  before Havdalah.
    • AT HOME: one may follow the same order, or he may perform Havdalah first, whichever is the minhag of that house.

    Simply put: As opposed to in a shul, at home either order is fine (the reasons behind this are fascinating, yet beyond our scope here).

    Where to Place Lights

    Chazal demand that the lights be placed at or near the outer part of the doorway facing the street. The reason for this was to publicize the miracle.

    • HOWEVER…Nowadays, the accepted custom is to kindle the lights indoors, even on one’s kitchen table (!), so long as members of the home will see it.
    • In other words, the pirsumei nisa today is fulfilled through those living in the home.
    • In fact, this is why Chanukah we later developed the minhag of Chanukah gelt –to keep the family up whilst the flames are glowing (Avnei Nezer as brought in Siach Sarfei Kodosh)
    • Nevertheless, it is appropriate to place the lights where they will be visible from the street. Specifically, if possible, on the left side of an open doorway opposite the mezuzah or at least by a window facing the public domain.[6] 

    – One should not light outdoors in America (unless one has a specific custom otherwise) [6a] –

    • Ideally, the lights should be between 12 and 33 inches above the ground.

    To Recap:

    • Leaving the menorah on one’s kitchen table, etc., is sufficient.
    • The discussions of where to place the menorah (one’s window, door, etc.) are referring to a hiddur mitzvah (an extra beautification of the mitzvah).
    • While the ancient custom is for the kindling to be increased each subsequent night – one light on the first night, two on the second, etc. – the basic mitzvah can be performed by kindling just one light each night for an entire household, and this may be relied upon in cases of extreme need.

    The Procedure for Lighting

    • On the first night, one kindles the lamp at the extreme right of the menorah.
    • One adds one extra candle each night going to their left and begins lighting starting from there (the far left) and, from there, going right.

    Facing the menorah on, say, the fourth night, the left side of the menorah will be empty, and one starts with the candle on the far left and continues to the right until the first candle is lit.

    • There are alternative views regarding the order for placement and lighting that each home must follow. What is recorded above is simply the most common custom.

    What Type of Candle//the Myth of Olive Oil:

    • One may use any stable fuel or candle for the lights
    • The Shulchan Aruch/Rema suggests that some type of oil is best, so as to recall the miracle, zecher l’ness [7]. They do not mention Olive Oil.
    • While it is true that the Talmud teaches us that for both Shabbos lights and Chanukah olive oil is the most common and best stable fuel source, this law is omitted by the Shulchan Aruch (for Chanukah; he does mention it regarding Shabbos).
    • Nevertheless, the common minhag today is to go out one’s way -when feasible – to use olive oil for Chanukah.
    • The Maharal suggests that using olive oil – and not just any oil – is an even greater zecher l’ness, although he is in the extreme minorty (see Dibros Moshe, shabbos who argues stronly against this position; See ‘Chanukah: Mysteries and Histories‘, Rabbi Moshe Taub, 2026, iy”H).
    • If olive oil is not available, any other oil which gives a steady and clear flame (that does not emit an offputting odor) may be used, due to the miracle happening through oil.[8]
    • Modern wax candles are also 100 percent permitted, so long as they will last through the times mentioned above.

    Sundry

    • As with any mitzvah that is dependent on time, once the time for kindling has arrived (around sundown), one must try to avoid excessive work, eating meals/washing, or even studying Torah before kindling the lights.
    • When lighting the menorah, the appropriate blessings are recited, with Shehecheyanu recited on the first night only.
    • Most Sefardim and Chassidim omit the word “shel” from the berachah of L’Hadlik Neir.[9]
    • Many Ashkenazim, however, keep that word as this is the version found in the gemara.
    • Each person should follow his custom. If one does not have a custom, either way of saying this berachah is fine, so long as a person remains consistent through the days of Chanukah.
    • One must light immediately following the berachos, without any talking or singing.
    • Haneiros Hallalu is recited only after the first candle is lit.
    • Some have the custom (even from the second night onward) to light all of the candles first before Haneiros Hallalu is begun. Either way, at least one candle must be lit right after the blessings, before speaking or singing.
    • The custom for close to eight hundred years is to sing Maoz Tzur following the lighting. This poem takes us on a journey through the many exiles of the Jewish People and speaks of our endurance and salvations at the hand of Hashem.
    • The period after the lighting is known as a special time for prayers, and we are encouraged to pray to Hashem for all of our needs.[10]

    If one misses a night of lighting, it can’t be made up, and one simply continues lighting the same number of lights as everyone else on the additional nights.

    • One may not derive any benefit from the burning lamps, and it is for this reason that we add the extra shamash candle, (i.e., in case we do benefit, it is considered to be from this shamash.)
    • Hallel and a special leining are recited each day of Chanukah during Shacharis.

    NOTES

    [1] See my sefer for several explanations why Chanukah is omitted from Mayan Shalosh.

    [2] This too will be discussed in detail in my forthcoming sefer, iy”H.

    [3] Kuntros Chanukah U’Megilah, in the name of the Brisker Rav, et al. Most poskim view this as merely a chumrah. Cf. Chazon Ish who would actually put out his Chanukah menorah after thirty minutes had passed (Neir Chanukah, os 17, in the name of Rav Chaim Kanievsky).

    [4] Shevet Halevi states that it is better for a person himself to light later than at the proper time through a shaliach.

    [5] See Shaarei Tzion, Orach Chaim 672:15 with Igros Moshe, Orach Chaim 4:105:7.

    [6] See below as to why in chutz la’aretz we made this change to light indoors.

    [6a] Ohr Zaruah 133:2; Sefer Ha’itur, Aseres Hadibros,Chanukah 114:2; See also Shu”t Minchas Yitzchak 6:67; Kovetz Shulchan Melachim,Kislev, 5766; see Yerech L’Moadim, p. 112; See Darkei Moshe, siman 671:9; See Chidushei Anshei Shem to Berachos 38a; See,Aruch Hashulchan 671:24 as well as Moadim U’Zemanim, vol. 2, siman 140, fn. 1; Cf. Shu”t Yaavetz 149, who allows, although does not urge, such encasements; See Shu”t Imrei Noam 2:22; Cf. Rav Elyashiv in Shu”t Kovetz Teshuvos 1:67, pp. 98–101.

    [7] See the chapter below where the sources for this are discussed.

    [8] See Mishnah Berurah 673:4,and chapter below.

    [9] See chapter below  on this issue.

    [10] This will be discussed in detail below .

    For more on Chanukah see here: Chanukah

  • Common Shailos: Egg Checking

    Common Shailos: Egg Checking

    QUICK/SHORT POST

    April 2012

    Why do we need to check eggs for blood spots? And, if we are obligated to do so, how can we eat hard boiled eggs without checking?!

    M.G. -Cleveland, OH

    What an egg-cellent question! (Sorry, I couldn’t resist!)

    When we eat eggs we are relying on many halachic factors. We are trusting that these eggs come from a kosher bird, and that the eggs are not ‘ova’ eggs, which are eggs taken from slaughtered chickens (which would be cause the eggs to be considered either meat or treif, depending on how the fowl was slaughtered).

    Being that halacha has worked out the above, what remains is the concern of blood spots.

    Fertilized Eggs

    Eating a chick embryo is forbidden, as is eating any blood found in eggs. This is not due to the issur of eating blood proper, rather because the blood may be due to the beginning stages of the egg’s embryo (Chullin 64).

    In Vietnam there is even a delicacy called Balut, which is a seasoned egg where the embryo is partially developed –yuk!

    Because of the complexity of this halacha –and debates as to when and where it applies –some had a minhag of cooking three eggs at once (see shu’t Vayiverech Dovid 1:92, bottom of p. 317), this was likely due to balla bustas wanting an assumption of the majority being non-blood eggs, and so that if a blood spot is indeed found in one of them the other two would be ok to eat due to their majority standing (this minhag may also be based on a literal translation of the Rama 66:4).

     Nevertheless, it may surprise some to learn that even checking such eggs for blood was but a minhag, since the majority of even such eggs do not have blood spots (refer to Shulchan Aruch Y’D siman 66:6).

    The Shulchan Aruch states that they would therefore eat roasted eggs even though they could not first be checked.

    Nevertheless, the Rama records the minhag of checking such eggs, although allowing one to eat a mixture that contains an egg that had blood in it, bdieved (66:4,6).

    Battery Eggs

    Today’s eggs are laid by hens alone, without roosters. Meaning, they are not fertilized and the egg can’t ever turn into an embryo! Blood found in today’s eggs (which is rare since Grade A and Grade AA eggs are checked for blood before sale) is caused by fissures in the ‘mother’ hen that gets transferred into the egg.

    Due to maaras ayin we hold that such blood should still not be eaten (cf. Shach). However, by the letter of the law, only the blood spot need be thrown out, and the rest of the egg may be consumed. However, the minhag seems to be to throw out the the entire egg (Igros Moshe YD 1:36).

    Even though we should not need to check our eggs today –as even when we ate fertilized eggs, checking was but a minhag –many poskim hold that we should not abandon this minhag.

    The customer should be warned however that it is still possible to purchase fertilized eggs, and if such an egg were to have a blood spot then, by basic halacha, the entire egg must be thrown out.

    Conclusion:

    1 – Unless one has a specific minhag, there is no need to cook today’s eggs in pairs of three

    2 –If one finds blood in today’s eggs, one need not kasher the pot according to most poskim (cf. Taamei D’Krah, minhagei Chazon Ish) (Some have the minhag of leaving such a pot idle for 24 hours before using it next)