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Eight Days of Praise He Shulchan Arukh, O.C

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Eight Days of Praise He Shulchan Arukh, O.C Eight Days of Praise he Shulchan Arukh, O.C. 683, writes that throughout Chanukah we recite the full Rabbi Akiva Koenigsberg THallel. The source for this halakhah Faculty, IBC School of Jewish Studies, YU is the Gemara in Arakhin 10a.1 The Gemara quotes a baraita that lists all the days we recite the full Hallel; the Torah discusses the olive oil for the the Mishkan would have occurred on the eight days of Chanukah are part Menorah, which hints to Chanukah.3 the 17th of Tammuz, the day Moshe of that list. But the Gemara does not We find this same juxtaposition of returned with the Luchot, and they st of explain why we recite the full Hallel Sukkot and Chanukah mentioned would have completed it by the 1 Tishrei. After 12 days of dedication on Chanukah. TheBeit Yosef, O.C. by R. Elazar of Worms, a student of offerings by the nesi’im, the Jews 683 s.v. Kol, quotes from the Shibbolei R. Yehudah haChassid, in his Sefer 4 would have traveled for three days into Haleket §174 (in the name of Rashi) Roke’ach. TheRoke’ach notes that this Israel and the Beit Hamikdash would that Chanukah is similar to Sukkot. juxtaposition teaches us that, just as have descended on the 15th of Tishrei.8 Just as we recite the full Hallel each we recite the full Hallel on Sukkot, we day of Sukkot because the number also recite it on Chanukah. In terms of Chanukah, it is recorded of sacrifices varied from day to day, in (ch. 4 45-47) that What is the connection between Maccabees I so too on Chanukah, when we light after the Maccabees won the battle, Chanukah and Sukkot? The answer a different number of candles each they demolished the Mizbe’ach may lie in the subsequent comment night, we recite full Hallel each day. (that was defiled) and built a new of the Roke’ach. In this comment, This explanation seems somewhat one. Thereafter, they dedicated the he explains that the Torah follows problematic because, while it is true Mizbe’ach on the 25th of Kislev and the description of the dedication of that we usually light a different number celebrated for 8 days (ch. 4 52-59). the Mizbe’ach at the end of Parshat of candles each night, the Gemara in Furthermore, in it is Naso with the command, in Parshat Maccabees II Shabbat 21a, teaches that a person recorded that the Maccabees purified Beha’alotekha, to initiate the Levi’im could technically fulfill the mitzvah by the Beit Hamikdash on the 25th of 2 for service. This alludes to the lighting only one candle each night. Kislev and celebrated for 8 days, dedication of the Mizbe’ach, which remembering that they had been in Perhaps we can better appreciate the was done by Yochanan, the Kohein the mountains and caves during the comparison between Chanukah and Gadol in the time of the Maccabees. Sukkot based on another comment of previous Sukkot holiday (so they the Shibbolei Haleket §185. We may be The connection of Chanukah to the missed the 8 days of celebration familiar with the dispute between Beit dedication of the Beit Hamikdash of Sukkot/Shemini Atzeret). They Shammai and Beit Hillel regarding seems to reveal its connection to instituted a yearly commemoration9 the number of candles to light each Sukkot. When the Jews were in and called on Jews from across the night. Shibbolei Haleket discusses the the desert, the construction of the world to celebrate on the 25th of Kislev position of Beit Shammai to light Mishkan (the predecessor of the as they do on Sukkot.10 th a different number of candles each Beit Hamikdash) began on the 15 5 The connection between Chanukah Chanukah night in descending order. of Tishrei (the date of Sukkot) and th and the Mizbe’ach is also reflected in In this discussion, he quotes in the concluded on the 25 of Kislev (the 6 the date of Chanukah). Furthermore, Midrash Tanchuma, Beha’alotekha name of Rabbi Yehudah haChassid 5, which questions why, immediately Shlomo Hamelekh’s dedication of that Beit Shammai bases its position after the Torah records the dedications on the number of bulls brought for the Beit Hamikdash coincided with 7 of the nesi’im as part of the dedication Sukkot. Shem MiShmuel points out korbanot each day of Sukkot. Why? of the Mizbe’ach at the end of Parshat Because immediately after it discusses that had the Jews not sinned with the golden calf, the command to build Naso, we read about the lighting of the holiday of Sukkot in Parshat Emor, the Menorah at the beginning of 37 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Chanukah 5778 Parshat Beha’alotekha. As the midrash reading on Chanukah. The mishnah in full Hallel on Chanukah as we do on Sukkot. describes, when Aharon saw the Megillah 3:6 teaches that on Chanukah 5 See Gra to Shir HaShirim 1:4. dedication offerings of the nesi’im he we read about the dedication offerings 6 See Bamidbar Rabbah 13:2 and Tanchuma, felt dismayed, whereupon Hashem of the nesi’im from Parshat Naso, Pekudei 11. See also Pesikta Rabati 6:5, reassured him that his contribution which served as the dedication of the where the Midrash concludes that since the to the lighting of the Menorah would Mizbe’ach.15 When the Tur 16 codifies dedication of the Mishkan was deferred from be greater. Ramban, Bamidbar 8:2, this halakhah, he mentions a proper Kislev to Nissan, Hashem promised to make it up to Kislev, which he did with the dedication discusses how this consolation refers to custom to conclude the reading on of the Maccabees. the mitzvah of Menorah that would be the eighth day of Chanukah with the 7 Melakhim I 8:2 and 8:65, Divrei instituted by the Kohanim (descendants portion about the Menorah found at Hayammim II 5:3 and 7:9. of Aharon Hakohein) many years later.11 the beginning of Parshat Beha’alotekha. 8 Shem MiShmuel, Sukkot 1914 (pg. 150). This connection between the He also mentions a proper custom to This conclusion can also explain why Shlomo dedication offerings of the nesi’im and begin the reading on the first day with Hamelekh deferred the dedication of the Beit Hamikdash from Cheshvan until the the important role of the Kohanim the portion about birkat Kohanim. Shulchan Arukh codifies both customs following Tishrei. is not only indicated by the Torah’s 17 mention of the Menorah that follows as the halakhah. 9 Maccabbees II:10 5-8. See Arukh Hashulchan 670:5, who explains (based on the Book of the description of the dedication Maccabees) that the original celebration of the offerings of the nesi’im. As theBa’al Endnotes 8 days of Chanukah was for the dedication of Haturim, Bamidbar 7:1 points out, the Mizbe’ach and Beit Hamikdash. But when 1 See also Ta’anit 18a. it is also indicated by the preceding they experienced the miracle of the Menorah portion in the Torah with the 2 See also Magen Avraham O.C. 671:1, and burning all 8 days, they took it as a sign of 12 Be’er Heitev 671:2. It is also noteworthy that approval of their eight-day dedication and command of birkhat Kohanim. the reason quoted by the Shibbolei Haleket decided to incorporate the mitzvah of lighting With our deeper understanding of follows the Gemara’s explanation for Beit Menorah as part of their commemoration. how both Sukkot and Chanukah relate Shammai’s opinion that the number of 10 Maccabbees II:1 18. See Rama to 670:2, candles lit each night changes in descending to the dedication of the Mizbe’ach/ that we should have a more festive meal on order. But we do not follow this practice. Chanukah because of the dedication of the Beit Hamikdash, we can address the 3 See R. Nachman Cohen, The Encyclopedia Mizbe’ach that took place then. significance of reciting Hallel on of Talmudic Disputes and Perspectives: Beit 11 See also Ba’al Haturim and Peirush HaTur these days. As we find at the time of Shammai and Beit Hillel, vol. 2, 743-749, HaArukh to Bamidbar 8:2. Shlomo Hamelekh’s dedication of the where he elaborates on the reason for the descending order on Sukkot and Chanukah. 12 Ramban also mentions this point. See also Beit Hamikdash, Hashem’s presence end of Tanchuma, ibid. only filled the House after the Jews 4 Hilkhot Chanukah, §225. In his 13 Divrei Hayammim II 5:13. recited Hallel.13 Therefore the eight- Commentary to the Siddur, the Roke’ach day celebration on Chanukah with (§117) emphasizes that whenever the 14 Note that the dedication of the Mizbe’ach/ Torah mentions the Shulchan (table) and the recitation of Hallel seems to find Beit Hamikdash by the Maccabees lasted 8 Menorah, the Shulchan is mentioned first, days, which they subsequently instituted as its origin in the dedication of the but in Parshat Emor, the Torah discusses an annual holiday. This understanding may Mizbe’ach/Beit Hamikdash paralleling the Menorah before the Shulchan in order answer the famous question posed by the Sukkot.14 Indeed the holiday name of to juxtapose the Menorah to the previous Beit Yosef (O.C. 670 s.v. V’ika) as to why we Chanukah meaning “dedication” refers discussion of Sukkot, which teaches that on celebrate Chanukah for 8 days. Chanukah we recite full Hallel as we do on 15 Rashi to Megillah 30b, s.v.
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