Chanukah!

Hannah Arendt, from Men in Dark Times, 1968. "Dark times," in the broader sense I propose here, are as such not identical with the monstrosities of this century which indeed are of a horrible novelty. Dark times, in contrast, are not only not new, they are no rarity in history, although they were perhaps unknown in American history, which otherwise has its fair share, past and present, of crime and disaster. That even in the darkest of times we have the right to expect some illumination, and that such illumination may well come less from theories and concepts than from the uncertain, flickering, and often weak light that some men and women, in their lives and their works, will kindle under almost all circumstances and shed over the time span that was given them on earth... Eyes so used to darkness as ours will hardly be able to tell whether their light was the light of a candle or that of a blazing sun. ...

Rabbi Asher Knight 1 Pirsumei Nisa (Aramaic, ‘Publicize the Miracle’) is the basis for Chanukiyot (Chanukah Menorahs) in windows, front lawns and public space everywhere. But why is it important to publicize the holiday of Chanukah?

תבש א״כ ב: ׳י 21b:10 10. The Gemara asks: What is י . אמ י נח הכו נתד ו בר נ ן הכב לסכב י ו Hanukkah, and why are lights ימוי נחד ו הכ מת נ י א יא נ ו ן אלד דפסמל kindled on Hanukkah? The Gemara הב ו ן אלדו עתהל נ תו הב ו ן נשכש כ נ ס ו answers: The Sages taught in םינווי הל י לכ אמט ו לכ משה נ י ם -Megillat Ta’anit: On the twenty בש ה י כ ל הרבגשכו כלמ ו ת תיב fifth of Kislev, the days of Hanukkah are eight. One may not משח ו נ א י וחצנו ם וקדב אלו אצמ ו eulogize on them and one may not אלא ךפ דחא לש מש ן הש י ה ומ חנ ?fast on them. What is the reason חב ו מת ו לש הכ ן לודג אלו היה וב When the Greeks entered the אלא לדהל י ק םוי דחא השענ וב סנ Sanctuary they defiled all the oils וקילדהו ממ נ ו מש ו נ ה םימי נשל ה that were in the Sanctuary by touching them. And when the תרחא עבק ו ם םואשעו םימי םיבוט Hasmonean monarchy overcame ללהב האדוהו them and emerged victorious over them, they searched and found only one cruse of oil that was placed with the seal of the High Priest, undisturbed by the Greeks. And there was sufficient oil there to light the candelabrum for only one day. A miracle occurred and they lit the candelabrum from it eight days. The next year the Sages instituted those days and made them holidays with recitation of hallel and special thanksgiving in prayer and blessings.

Rabbi Asher Knight 2

שמ נ ה הרות , כלה תו גמ הלי נחו הכו Mishneh Torah, Scroll of Esther and ג׳:ג׳ Hanukkah 3:3 (3) Because of this, the Sages of (ג ) מוּ פִּ ְ ֵנ י הֶז וּניִקְתִה םיִמָכֲח וֹתוֹאְבֶּשׁ that same generation established רוֹדַּה ֶשׁ ִיּ ְהיוּ תַנוֹמְשׁ םיִמָיַּה וּלֵּאָה that these eight days which begin on ןָתָלִּחְתֶּשׁ כ '' ה וֵלְסִכְבּ יֵמְי ִשׂ הָחְמ לֵלַּהְו the 25th of Kislev [would be] days of joy, and singing-praise, and מוּ ַ לְ ד ִ קי ִ י ן ןֶהָבּ תוֹרֵנַּה בֶרֶﬠָבּ לַﬠ יֵחְתִפּ would light lights on them in the םיִתָּבַּה לָכְבּ יַל הָלְ הָלְיַלְו תַנוֹמְשִּׁמ evening at the entrances of their תוֹליֵלַּה תוֹאְרַהְל לוּ ְ ַ ג תוֹלּ סֵנַּה . םיִמָיְו houses every night of the eight וּלֵּא ןֵה נַּה ןיִאָרְקִ ֲחנֻ ָכּה ןֵהְו ןיִרוּסֲא nights, to show and reveal the דֵפְּסֶהְבּ תיִנֲﬠַתְו יֵמיִכּ וּפַּה םיִר . miracle. And these days are called Hanukkah (lit. Dedication), and on תַקָלְדַהְו תוֹרֵנַּה ןֶהָבּ הָוְצִמ יֵרְבִדִּמ then it is forbidden to eulogize, and פוֹס רְ ִ םי תַאיִרְקִכּ הָלִּגְמַּה : .to fast, like the days of Purim (lit Lots). And lighting the lights on them is a commandment from the teachings of the Scribes, like Reading the Megillah (lit. Scroll).

Discussion Questions 1:

Which of the two miracles of Chanukah do you think is more important:

1. The victory of the Maccabean Revolt of 165 BCE against the Seleucid/ Syrian Greeks led by Antiochus Epiphanes ---OR---- 2. A one-day supply of pure, unsealed oil burning for 8 days?

Why does secular culture focus so greatly on the oil aspect rather than the victory?

שמ נ ה הרות , כלה תו גמ הלי נחו הכו Mishneh Torah, Scroll of Esther and

Rabbi Asher Knight 3 ד׳:ז׳ Hanukkah 4:7 It is a mitzvah to place the (ז ) רֵנ ֲחנֻ ָכּה הָוְצִמ וֹחיִנַּהְל לַﬠ חַתֶפּ Chanukah lamp at the outside of וֹתיֵבּ ץוּחַבִּמ חַפֶטַּבּ וּמָסַּה חַתֶפַּל לַﬠ one's house within the handbreadth לאֹמְשׂ נַּה סָנְכִ יַבַּל תִ יֵדְכּ יְהִתֶּשׁ הֶ הָזוּזְמ ,closest to [the edge of] the entrance ןיִמָיִּמ רֵנְו ֲחנֻ ָכּה לאֹמְשִּׂמ . םִאְו הָיָה רָדּ so that the mezuzah will be to the ַבּ יִּלֲﬠ הָ וֹחיִנַּמ ןוֹלַּחַבּ הָכוּמְסַּה תוּשְׁרִל right and the Chanukah lamp to the left. And if he was living in an attic םיִבַּרָה . רֵנְו ֲחנֻ ָכּה נִּהֶשׁ וֹחיִ הָלְﬠַמְל or second story apartment], he] םיִרְשֶׂﬠֵמ הָמַּא ֹל א הָשָׂﬠ םוּלְכּ יִפְל should place it in the window that is וֹניֵאֶשׁ רָכִּנ : closest to the public domain. One who has placed the Chanukah lamp above twenty ells [cubits] has not done anything, because it is not recognizable [too high up].

רוציק לש ח ן רע ו ך לק ״ט:ז׳ Kitzur Shulchan Arukh 139:7 (ז ) תַוְצִמ רֵנ ֲחנֻ ָכּה , קיִלְדַהְל חַתֶפַּבּ It is a mitzvah to light the (7) menorah in the doorway that opens וּמָסַּה תוּשְׁרִל םיִבַּרָה , םוּשִּׁמ to the street, [public domain], in יֵמוּסְרִפּ אָסִּנ , ָכְו וּיָה שׂוֹע ִ י ן ןַמְזִבּ order to publicize the miracle; and it הָנְשִׁמַּה אָרָמְגַּהְו . בוּ ַ ְ זּ ַ מ ן הֶזַּה וּנָאֶשׁ was done in this manner in the days םיִרָד ןיֵבּ תוֹמֻּאָה , יִקיִלְדַמ ן יַבַּבּ תִ .of the Mishnah and the Talmud Now, since we live among non- אוּהֶשׁ רָד וֹבּ . םִאְו שֶׁי וֹל ןוֹלַּח תוּשְׁרִל Jews*, we light the menorah in the םיִבַּרָה , םֵקיִלְדַי םָשׁ . םִאְו ואָל , house, and if you have a window ןָקיִלְדַמ לֶצֵא חַתָפַּה . מוּ צִ ְ ָ ו ה יֶשׁ נַּ םֵחיִ facing the street, you should light it חַפֶטַּבּ וּמָסַּה חַתֶפַּל לאֹמְשִּׂמ , אֵהְתֶּשׁ there; if not, you should light it near הָזוּזְמ ןיִמָיִמ רֵנְו ֲחנֻ ָכּה לאֹמְשִּׂמ the door. It is a mitzvah to place the menorah within a tefach[width of , , ְמִנְו אָצ אוּהֶש בָבֻּסְמ תוְֹצִמְבּ . רֵתוֹיְו one's hand across] of the left side of בוֹט םָחיִנַּהְל לַלֲחַבּ חַתָפַּה . the door so that the mezuzah will be on the right5If for whatever reason there is no mezuzah, the Chanukah menorah should be placed on the

Rabbi Asher Knight 4 right side of the door. (Shulchan Aruch 671:7) and the Chanukah lights on the left, and in so doing you find yourself surrounded by mitzvos. It is preferable to place the menorah within the open space of the door.

*Literally “Among the peoples” referring to wide-spread antisemitism and the potential difficulties that might arise by leaving a Chanukiyah outside the home. Shabbat 21b:8 states that in times of danger, one can place a Chanukah Menorah on the table to fulfill the mitzvah.

Discussion Questions 2:

After reading these two texts, what are your thoughts about lighting a Chanukiyah/Chanukah Menorah in public space (not necessary public land)?

Does this fulfill the mitzvah of Pirsumei Nisa (‘Publicize the Miracle’) as much as lighting a Chanukiyah in one's home? Why or why not?

תבש ג״כ ב: ׳ג Shabbat 23b:3 Rava said: It is obvious to me that רמא אבר שפ י אט יל רנ ותיב רנו .there is a fixed list of priorities נח הכו רנ ותיב דע י ף שמ ו ם לש ו ם When a person is poor and must ותיב רנ ותיב שודיקו יה םו רנ ותיב choose between purchasing oil to דע י ף שמ ו ם לש ו ם ותיב עב י אבר רנ light a Shabbat lamp for his home or purchasing oil to light a נח הכו שודיקו יה םו המ ו שודיק יה םו Hanukkah lamp, the Shabbat lamp דע י ף דתד י ר וא אמליד רנ נח הכו .for his home takes precedence דע י ף שמ ו ם סרפ ו מ י אסינ רתב ;That is due to peace in his home עבאד י א רדה הטשפ רנ נח הכו דע י ף without the light of that lamp, his family would be sitting and eating

Rabbi Asher Knight 5 שמ ו ם סרפ ו מ י אסינ : their meal in the dark. Similarly, if there is a conflict between acquiring oil to light a lamp for his home and wine for the sanctification [] of Shabbat day, the lamp for his home takes precedence due to peace in his home. However, Rava raised a dilemma: When the conflict is between oil for a Hanukkah lamp or wine for kiddush of Shabbat day, what is the ruling in that case? Does kiddush of Shabbat day take priority because it is frequent, i.e., it is performed every week, and there is a principle: When there is a conflict between a frequent practice and an infrequent practice, the frequent practice takes precedence? Or, perhaps the Hanukkah lamp takes precedence due to publicity of the miracle? After he raised the dilemma, he then resolved it on his own and he ruled that, in that case, the Hanukkah lamp takes precedence due to publicity of the miracle.

חרוא יח םי ח״רעת Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim 678 (א ) רנ לש תבש םדוק רנל לש Someone who cannot afford (1) both Chanukah candles and Shabbat נח הכו ובו ס"א: candles should buy a Shabbat ימ אש י ן ודי שמ ג ת נקל תו רנ נח הכו candle, for the sake of tranquility in רנו תבש הנקי רנ תבש פמ נ י לש ו ם his household (see above Siman ותיב [ עו "ל יס ' סר "ג עס י ף ג ]' םאו and if he has money for a ;(263:3

Rabbi Asher Knight 6 שי ול לשל תבש יאו ן ול רנל נח הכו Shabbat candle, but not enough for ילו י ן קל י ד שו יה םו הנקי רנל נח הכו a Chanukah candle and kiddush wine, he should be a Chanukah שמ ו ם סרפ ו מ י אסינ : הגה הו "ה רנ .candle, to publicize the miracle נח הכו םדוק יל י ן הלדבה עו "ל יס ' Rem"a: And such is the ruling, that צר "ו עס י ף ה :' a Chanukah candle takes preference over wine for Havdala, and see above Siman 296:5).

Discussion Questions 3:

Why does lighting Chanukah candles or oil take precedence over the wine for , another often public ritual?

In this day and age, when we have electric lights and do not require to light our house, do you think that lighting the Shabbat candles takes priority over publicizing the miracle?

Rabbi Yehudah Leib Alter of Ger, the Gerer Rebbe (1847-1905)

It is written: “A lamp [candle] of the Lord is the soul of man, searching out all the belly’s chambers.” [Prov. 20:27] The Talmud notes that searching requires a candle. One candle from another. “I will seek out Jerusalem with candles.” [Zeph. 1:12]

Sanctuary and Temple are found in every one of Israel, as Torah says: “I will dwell within them [betocham].” [Ex. 25:6] These are present insofar as a person makes it clear to himself that all of life-energy comes from the soul. Thus we say each day: “The soul that You have placed within me is pure...” This means that there is a certain pure place within each person, but it is indeed deeply hidden.

When the Temple was standing, it was clear that all life-energy came from God. ... But even now, after that dwelling place has been hidden, it can be found by searching with candles. The candles are the mitzvot; we need to seek within our hearts and souls in order to fulfill a mitzvah with all our

Rabbi Asher Knight 7 strength...

Especially at this season, when lights were miraculously lit for Israel even though they did not have enough oil, there remains light even now to help us, with the aid of these Chanukah candles, to find that hidden light within. Hiding takes place mainly in the dark; we need the candles’ light to seek and to find...By the power of inwardness we can find the hidden light within all our own hidden chambers.

Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe (1902- 1994)

My father-in-law reported this conversation with his own father Rebbe Sholom Dov-Ber, then the Lubavitcher Rebbe:

“The hasid asked: Rebbe, what is a hasid?

The Rebbe answered: A hasid is a streetlamp lighter. In olden days, there was a person in every town who would light the gas streetlamps with a light he carried at the end of a long pole. On the street corners, the lamps were there in readiness, waiting to be lit. A streetlamp lighter has a pole with fire. He knows that the fire is not his own, and he goes around lighting all the lamps on his route.”

Today, the lamps are there, but they need to be lit. It is written, “The soul of man is a lamp of God,” and it is also written, “A mitzvah is a lamp and the Torah is light.” A hasid is one who puts personal affairs aside and goes around lighting up the souls of Jews with the light of Torah and mitzvot. Jewish souls are in readiness to be lit. Sometimes they are around the corner. Sometimes they are in a wilderness or at sea. But there must be someone who disregards personal comforts and conveniences and goes out to ignite these lamps with his or her flame. That is the function of a true hasid.

Rabbi Asher Knight 8