Shabbat Parshat VAYEISHEV - CHANUKA -
M'VORCHIM Halachic Times for Jerusalem Israel
Standard (Winter) Time All other places at some height above sea level have similar problems. Tzfat lights candles 30 minutes before sunset. Official candle lighting for Petach Tikva is 40 minutes before sunset, just like Jerusalem. Not everybody holds by that timing. Some communities calculate Shabbat out at 33 minutes after sunset. Some use the angle of the sun below the horizon to “end Shabbat” (8.5 deg). Bottom line for now: until we get the chart running smoothly, don’t rely on it exclusively. Cross-check times with calendars and charts. Please report discrepancies to us, so that we can improve our time table. Also realize that Sfardim and Ashkenazim
often has differences in minhag. Sunset, on the other hand, is given for an elevation of 825m and, in parentheses, as if at sea level. There are different opinions as to which sunset time should be used for halachic purposes. We present both times. The deadlines for the SH'MA and the Shacharit Amida can be calculated in two ways. Either considering the day to be from sunrise to sunset or from dawn to stars out. The first way of reckoning is known as the opinion of the GR"A, and is the first time given in each case. The second method is known as the Magen Avraham, and is presented in parentheses. Aside from candle lighting and havdala, the times are presented as a range, from the current Thursday of the issue of Torah Tidbits until the coming Thursday, a span of 8 days. Days between the two Thursdays can be determined by interpolation (which means: a method by which to estimate a value of between two known values-this is something that people above a certain age might remember from high school trigonometry and logarithms, but younger people who went to school during the calculator era might not be familiar with). It is usually wise to "pad" the times
with a minute or two in the "play it safe" direction. E.g. Plag Mincha.
Better to finish Mincha a minute or two before the given time. But, better
to not light candles until a minute or two after the given time. This Shabbat, Shabbat Chanuka (first of
two), we bench Rosh Chodesh Tevet, which will be on Thursday (30 Kislev) and
Friday (1 Tevet). Let's start with an obvious example. Picture a Jew who refuses to circumcise his son. He thinks its primitive and barbaric. Comes Chanuka, he takes out his Chanukiya, polishes it up and buys a box of candles. He's ready to go. But what does his lighting mean? Chanuka exists because the Jewish people were freed from Greek oppression. A Greek oppression that included, as a major feature, a prohibition of Brit Mila. The victory of the Chashmona'im with G-d's help, meant that Jews were once again able to practice the mitzva of Mila without hindrance. And here is a Jew who rejects Brit Mila. What quality is his Chanuka candle lighting? Please understand: Every mitzva a Jew does is important. Even if the person's behavior seems contradictory and illogical. But we have to see the sad irony in the above case. And now let us address ourselves on the same topic. The Greeks banned the learning and teaching of Torah. Chanuka and the mitzva of the Chanuka candles must inspire us to greater commitment to Torah learning, to performance of mitzvot, to spreading Torah and Mitzvot practice and values to our fellow "Hellenized" Jews. Chanuka was the rededication of the Beit
HaMikdash and its Service. Our fulfillment of the mitzva of Chanuka must
evoke from us a yearning for the rebuilding of the Beit HaMikdash and the
coming of Mashiach, BIMHEIRA B'YAMEINU AMEN SDT These are the TO'L'DOT of Yaakov: Yosef... Should not the Torah have started with Reuven? This comes to show us, says the Gemara, that Yosef should have been Yaakov's firstborn, but G-d's mercy for Leah put her before Rachel in giving birth. SDT Talmud Yerushalmi wonders what Yosef reported about the brothers to Yaakov. R. Meir says, that they ate "limb from a living animal"; R. Yehuda says that they belittled the sons of Bilha and Zilpa and mistreated them; R. Shimon says that they cast their gaze upon the local women. R. Yehuda b. Pazi quotes the pasuk from Mishlei: "The scales and weighing stones of justice are HaShem's..." (the name-pasuk for Pinchas), meaning that a person is punished (or rewarded) measure for measure. (Sources explain that the brothers did not do these things; Yosef misinterpreted what he saw.) In Yosef's case, the slaughter of a goat was instrumental in his abduction and the deception of his father; he was belittled and enslaved; he was accused of immoral behavior with Potifar's wife. Yosef's second dream, of the Sun, Moon, and stars bowing to him, added fuel to his brothers' hatred. Yaakov pointed out the absurdity of the dream, since Rachel, the Moon, had already died and would therefore not be bowing to Yosef. Rashi says two different things: (1) The dream was referring to Bilha who raised Yosef in Rachel's absence; and (2) even "true" dreams have an element of nonsense. These seem to be mutually exclusive statements - if the Moon represents Bilha, then the dream contained no nonsense. Yaakov seems to have purposely voiced the second option in order to diffuse some of the brothers' anger. SDT Why did the scholars of Bavel dress
up so grandly? The Gemara in Shabbat asks. And it answers that they were not
"Bnei Torah". (External polish to compensate for internal lack.) Says the
Chatam Sofer, Yaakov gave Yosef a fancy coat so that the brothers would NOT
be jealous of him, that they would view Yaakov's pampering of Yosef as a
sign of his inferiority. Others suggest that the brothers were supposed to
realize that the special treatment of Yosef was because his mother had died,
and they should be sympathetic, rather than jealous. (P.S. It didn't work.) A point must be made about the concluding
pasuk of this Aliya, which gives credit to Reuven for saving Yosef.
Commentaries say that Reuven could have talked the brother out of the whole
thing; instead, he suggested the snake- and scorpion-infested pit.
Nonetheless, Reuven is credited for his intention to save Yosef. SDT Commentaries point out that just as Yaakov had deceived his father with a goat and a garment (goat & coat), so too was he deceived with a goat and a garment. The dish prepared by Rivka for Yaakov to serve his father was made from goat-meat. Rivka dressed Yaakov in goatskins and in Eisav's special garment. The brothers took Yosef's special garment - the K'tonet Pasim - and smeared it with goat's blood. This is a stark example of "Mida k'neged mida" - measure for measure. Yaakov is inconsolable. (This is considered an indication that Yaakov subconsciously knew that Yosef was alive; one naturally accepts consolation for the dead after a time, but not for the missing.) Think of the terrible anguish of the families of Israel's missing soldiers. Because of Yosef's story, Vayeishev is designated each year as SHABBAT SH'VUYEI V'NE'EDAREI TZAHA"L. Yaakov to identify. SDT Rashi gives us another aspect of the "Measure for Measure" punishment of Yaakov. The pasuk says that he "mourned for his son MANY DAYS." Rashi says that it was 22 years! Yosef was 17 when he was sold. He was 30 when he stood before Par'o. That's 13. Seven years of plenty and the first two years of famine before father and son were reunited. That makes 22 years that Yaakov was without Yosef. This, says Rashi, is the exact length of time that Yaakov was away from Yitzchak. It includes the 20 years with Lavan, a year and a half in Sukkot, and six months in Bet El before Yaakov returned to his father's house. Remember that Yaakov had various good excuses, nonetheless... The measure for measure idea continues to
the next generation. Baal HaTurim points out that just as Yehuda asked his
father HAKEIR NA, recognize this garment as Yosef's, so too was he asked
HAKEIR NA by his daughter-in-law Tamar. He was deceived exactly the way he
deceived Yaakov. SDT Why is the story of Yosef interrupted to tell us about Yehuda's situation? Rashi tells us that Yehuda was no longer looked up to by his brothers. After they saw the terrible effect on Yaakov of the Yosef business, they blamed Yehuda for not talking them out of the whole idea. Hence the term "And Yehuda went down from his brothers..." has a double meaning. There he meets and marries the daughter of Shu'a, who bears him 3 sons. He marries off his eldest, Er to Tamar. When Er dies, the next brother Onan, marries his brother's widow. The Torah tells us that Onan refused to have a child with Tamar, because that child would "belong" (so to speak) to Er. This G-d took seriously (so to speak) and Onan also dies, Tamar is left to wait for the third son, Shela. Then Yehuda's wife dies. Yehuda travels to the area where Tamar lives. When she hears of his arrival and realizes that she has not been given to Shela yet, she disguises herself. Yehuda, thinking she is a prostitute, sleeps with her. She asks and receives 3 items as security that he will send her payment (a goat). When it becomes known that Tamar is pregnant, Yehuda is summoned. Assuming that she has acted sinfully, he is prepared to have her punished. Tamar produces the 3 items and announces that she is pregnant by their owner. SDT The Gemara teaches that one must avoid embarrassing another at all costs - it is better to be thrown into a fiery furnace than embarrass someone. We learn this from Tamar, who did not denounce Yehuda, even though she would have been considered guilty of immorality had Yehuda not owned up to his actions. [Commentaries explain that prior to Matan Torah, any close relative could take the childless wife of the deceased; after the Torah was given, only a brother qualifies for YIBUM.] Yehuda recognizes that he is the guilty one, not Tamar, and he admits it. She gives birth to twins (one extending his hand first, the other actually being born first). They are named Peretz (ancestor of King David) and Zerach. Note the repeat of the confused firstborn theme. It pervades the Book of B'reishit. OBSERVATION... Yaakov deceives his father
with a garment (Eisav's) and fans the jealousy of his son's against Yosef
with the "coat of many colors". He is deceived (and devastated) by that same
coat when the brothers bring it back to him all bloodied. Yehuda is
"troubled" by his garment which he gave to Tamar as one of the three
securities for his promise to pay her with goats. (P'tilim, says Rashi,
refers to Yehuda's cloak.) Yosef, the victim (but not free of guilt in the
matter) has his coat grabbed by Potifar's wife. Yosef leaves it in her hands
as he runs from the house; the coat becomes the damning piece of evidence
against him. Interesting, no? SDT The Midrash says that Yosef was aware of his looks and became too comfortable in Potifar's house. Things were going well, he had good food and drink, and he began "curling his hair". G-d (so to speak) said to Yosef: Your father is in agony over your disappearance and supposed demise and you are enjoying yourself?I shall make things rough for you too. SDT The portion of Yosef in Potifar's
house is juxtaposed to the episode of Yehuda and Tamar, and is further
linked because the parsha of Yosef is S'tuma, meaning it continues on the
same line (in a Sefer Torah) as the previous parsha (Yehuda & Tamar) ends.
The standard explanation is that the sale of Yosef caused Yehuda to lose the
respect of his brothers. Rashi gives another, intriguing, explana- tion. He
says that it is to equate Tamar and Potifar's wife - both of whom acted "for
the sake of Heaven". Potifar's wife, says Rashi, saw via astrology that she
was destined to have descendants that came from Yosef. She thought that she
was the one and so she tried to seduce him. She was just a bit off; it was,
in fact, her daughter As'nat that would bear Yosef's children. She grabs him on a day when no one else is in the house. Yosef flees, leaving his coat behind. (This is the second time his coat has been left in the hands of others!) Potifar's wife denounces Yosef to all who will listen, and Potifar has no choice but to have Yosef imprisoned. G-d "favors" Yosef in prison, and Yosef becomes well-liked and respected there too. Even in his troubled circumstances, Yosef is watched over favorably by G-d. SDT Commentaries see the episode of
Potifar's wife as an appropriate punishment for Yosef: (a) having been vain
about his good looks, (b) having reported to his father that his brothers
had been "lifting their eyes" to the local girls, and (c) experiencing
libelous accusations against himself, as he had reported the "evildoings"of
the brothers to their father. Baal HaTurim adds that Yosef spent 10 years in
prison corresponding to the 10 brothers he reported on. Rashi tells us that Yosef was to spend another two years in prison for relying on the Wine Steward to get him out of prison. This raises the question in our minds of the line between BITACHON, trust in G-d, and HISHTADLUS, effort a person expends to get himself out of a tough situation. Could it not have been viewed that G-d set up the whole dream-situation with the Wine Steward and the Baker, so that Yosef would do exactly what he did, and the Wine Steward would then be in a position and willing state of mind to help Yosef and put in the good word to Par'o? Why is Yosef faulted for taking the opportunity to try to get out of prison via the Wine Steward, when one can claim that G-d had sent the Wine Steward to Yosef (so to speak) for exactly that purpose. It is possible that the spiritual level
of Yosef required different behavior than would be reasonable and proper for
"the rest of us". It is possible that under the cirscumstances, namely that
Yosef had just credited G-d repeatedly for his ability to interpret dreams,
that the Wine Steward received the "wrong message" from Yosef when Yosef
asks him to remember Yosef favorably. The specific situation can sometimes
dictate or indicate that a specific behavior is called for, even though in
other circumstances, the opposite behavior would be the appropriate one. It continues with the gifts and offerings of the leader of Shevet Yehuda, Nachshon b. Aminadav (first into the Sea, first in the dedication of the Mishkan), on the first day of Dedication, the first day of Chanukat HaMizbei’ach. Some shuls begin the reading of the first
day six p’sukim earlier, to include the portion of Birkat Kohanim in the
Chanuka reading. The reason (or one of the reasons) is to identify and
acknowledge the Chashmona’im as Kohanim. The opening words of the Haftara are G-d's promise to dwell among us. This is the purpose of having built the Mishkan and the Beit HaMikdash in the first place, and this is the purpose of rededicating it, as was done on Chanuka. The Haftara contains the vision of olive oil miraculously flowing into the gold menora (sounds sort of like a prophecy of the Chanuka story - any wonder why it is the haftara of Chanuka?) flanked by olive trees. This vision is the basis of the emblem of the State of Israel. This is particularly significant in light of the interpretation of the vision. The message to the king, to Jewish leaders in general, is that our success is not measured by might and power, but rather by the spirit of G-d. This was an important message for the Chashmona'im and it remains a vital message for the leaders of the modern State of Israel. The Haftara is "borrowed" from
B'ha'alo't'cha, the Menora being the obvious connection. Chanuka has
parallels throughout history. "If she bears a son he will receive $200, and if a daughter, $100": if she bore a son and a daughter, each will receive $100 (one half of the $200 that the donor thought was the maximum he would give as a gift to a child of this woman). Since the codes make a distinction between the wife and other women, it seems that the kinship is the determining factor. Thus, if the declaration was made to the donor's daughter, it seems to me that the law would be the same as for a wife. In a reported case in the thirteenth century, the following were the facts: Reuven, who was critically ill, declared as a gift causa mortis: "If my wife [who is now pregnant] gives birth to a son, the son shall receive two-thirds of my assets and my brother, the other third of my assets. If she gives birth to a daughter, the daughter shall receive one-third of my assets and my brother, two-thirds of my assets." The wife gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl. It was held that the newborn son of Reuven would inherit the entire estate. Since Reuven had disposed of all of his assets by the gift causa mortis, the gift had to be strictly construed according to its condition. The condition of having either a son or a daughter was not fulfilled, and the assets are to be distributed according to the Torah laws of descent of assets; the estate in this case was inherited by the newborn son, the only Torah heir of Reuven. "My friend Shimon shall receive all of my assets": After Reuven dies of the critical illness, a man named Shimon comes and states that he is the person intended by Reuven. If any of the natural heirs of Reuven is named Shimon, he will be given preference. If there is no such natural relative, then after Beth Din has thoroughly examined the matter, the man will receive the entire assets, even if it is known that there is another Shimon in the same community. Beth Din believes the first person named Shimon because it knows that he will be found to be a liar if he was not the intended person and would not place himself in such a vulnerable position. However, if Shimon is called Rabbi Shimon, (nowadays, the same would presumably apply if he was called Doctor Shimon, Professor Shimon, or any other title) he does not take the gift unless it can be shown that Reuven called him Shimon without referring to him as Rabbi Shimon. If two people named Shimon come to claim the assets, and if one of them is a Torah scholar, he will be given preference and receive the gift. If neither is a Torah scholar but one is a relative or a close neighbor, he will be given preference to receive the gift. If both are Torah scholars or close neighbors or relatives, then Beth Din shall decide what it thinks is the intent of the donor, according to what it believes is correct. The same applies if many persons named Shimon appear and each claims that he was the Shimon intended by Reuven. The foregoing, that Beth Din should try to determine the intent of Reuven, applies in the situation where Reuven makes a gift to Shimon. But if Reuven declares that he owes Shimon $100 and two persons called Shimon come, whether they come simultaneously or one after the other, to make the claim that Reuven owed the $100 to him, they each receive $50 The Beth Din is not trying to find intent but rather determine who is owed the money, and since they cannot, the debt will be divided equally between both claimants, if their claims are credible. There is an opinion that they divide the $100 only if they both come simultaneously, whereas if one came first he will receive the $100. There is an opinion that neither will receive the $100 unless they can substantiate the claim; instead, the $100 will go to the natural heirs of Reuven. We come now to a new topic. What if the dying person declared that no money should be expended on his funeral. Reuven, who is critically ill, declares that he does not want to be eulogized when he dies; he is not eulogized. The reason for the eulogy is to pay respect to the dead person, and he has waived the honor due to him. In this situation there is the command to pay respect to the words of the dead. Very often, in the case of great Torah scholars, they are eulogized even if they declared that they do not want to be. Reuven, who is critically ill, declares that he does not want to have any of his assets used to pay for his burial expenses. His wish is not adhered to. There is no reason for his heirs to be spared this expense from their inheritance and to have the community pay for the burial. The heirs are compelled to pay for the funeral out of the moneys they inherit from the decedent. Even if the heirs do not inherit anything from the decedent or did not receive enough money to pay for he funeral, if the heirs are in a position to pay for the funeral, it is their obligation and they may be compelled by Beth Din to pay for it. The subject matter of this lesson is more
fully presented in Volume VII Chapters 253 of "A Restatement of Rabbinic
Civil Law" by E. Quint, published by Jason Aronson, Inc. and on sale at
local Judaica bookstores. This order follows from a straight- forward application of two principles: We always strive to light the Chanuka candles as early as possible (SA OC 672); conversely, we always strive to delay havdala in order to extend the Shabbat and show that it is not a burden on us (see SA OC 293). Other authorities dispute the Rema. For
example, Arukh HaShulchan points out that there is another principle: that
the more frequent mitzva (havdala) should have precedence. Furthermore, he
states that lighting Chanuka lights is hardly an effective way of extending
the Shabbat. First of all, it involves a melakha which is forbidden on
Shabbat; furthermore, the mitzva itself belongs specifically to the
following day! He concludes that at home it is preferable to make havdala
first. The Yerushalmi explains the origin of the custom to bless on the fire during havdala. During the first Shabbat, complete darkness never fell. Although the sun set on Friday night, the unique holy light of the "seven days of creation", which enabled Adam to see the entire world, continued to glow. Only as Shabbat departed did Adam experience total darkness. He was terrified, fearing that the serpent was about to engulf him. HaShem provided him with two rocks, enabling him to create a spark and ignite a fire; then his fear abated (Yerushalmi Berakhot end of 8:5). Elsewhere, the Yerushalmi describes in almost identical language a holiday that Adam instituted around the time of the winter solstice. As the days became shorter and shorter from man's creation in Tishrei, he became terrified, again fearing that the serpent was engulfing him. When the days lengthened, he was relieved and proclaimed a holiday (Yerushalmi Avoda Zara 1:2). Extending this idea a bit, we may suggest that the character of Chanuka is parallel to that of motza'ei Shabbat. Until the first motza'ei Shabbat, HaShem provided light for us; after- wards, it became our responsibility to provide ourselves with material illumination. Indeed, part of the purpose of creation was for mankind to take an active part in the world's perfection. (As the Torah states in Bereshit 2:3, the creation "which G-d created to do", and the Midrash explains that He made it so that we would then "do", that is, complete the task.) The Chanuka miracle has a similar character. Until this time, the Divine providence guiding the Jewish people had a prominent miraculous character. During the Exodus and our sojourn in the Midbar, we experienced miracles every day; once we arrived in the Land of Israel our sustenance was natural but public miracles continued to be a frequent aspect of G-d's help. Over the generations, these revealed and public miracles became less frequent, like the shortening days of the fall season. The miracle of the oil at Chanuka was the last such miracle the Jewish people experienced. Even the military victory at Chanuka itself was a natural miracle, not a supernatural one. Indeed, the gemara tells us that Chanuka was "the end of all miracles" (Yoma 29a). Yet the "serpent" did not engulf us after Chanuka. After HaShem withdrew the supernatural light of the seven days of creation, He didn't forsake us; He provided us with the means to create our own light. Likewise, after He withdrew the supernatural supervision that guided us until the time of Chanuka, He provided the means for us to guide ourselves according to His will even without revealed miracles. This means is the light of Torah, specifically the light of the Torah shebe'al peh (Oral Torah) whose development began to accelerate around the time of Chanuka. Not only the light of providence, but also the original supernatural light of the seven days inheres in the Torah of the Sages. This is hinted at in the first passage we cited. The Yerushalmi Berakhot mentions that this supernal light illuminated the world for mankind for thirty-six hours - from Friday morning until Saturday night. The Rokeach (Laws of Chanuka 225, cited in Benei Yissachar) writes that this is the basis for the 36 Chanuka lights instituted by Chazal. “Meaning in Mitzvot” is undergoing intensive editing, and BE"H and the help of loyal supporters, we hope to have the book out soon. If you would be interested in helping with publication, please contact Rabbi Meir about making a dedication or subscription (advance purchase): mail@asherandattara.com, fax 02-642-3141 Rabbi Meir authors a popular weekly
on-line Q&A column, "The Jewish Ethicist", which gives Jewish guidance on
everyday ethical dilemmas in the workplace. The column is a joint project of
the JCT Center for Business Ethics, Jerusalem College of Technology - Machon
Lev; and Aish HaTorah. You can see the Jewish Ethicist, and submit your own
Qs — www.jewishethicist.com or www. aish.com Now in his hour of need, prompted by his fear of the Philistine army facing him, although he had never feared them or anyone else before, Saul too, searched for someone who would tell him what the result of the battle would be. He turned to Hashem although he had never asked Him before, to the Urim veTumim even though these were with Evyatar HaKohen in the camp of David, to the interpreters of dreams and to the sons of the prophets. There was no answer. So, just as we do when faced with the answer no, that we take as not an answer, he sought out the Ov [medium] of Endor, who would make contact with the spirit of the dead Samuel. Ironically, our chapter 28 commences with
a restatement of Samuel's death and in the same verse, that Saul himself had
killed all the diviners and all the wizards, in accordance the Torah's
commandment, "You shall not suffer a witch to live" (Vayikra 20:27; D'varim
18:9-14). Now in disguise, he made his way at night to a woman medium in
Endor that lay near present day Afula, belonging to the tribe of Manashe, in
order to connect with the dead Samuel. Maimonides (Hil. Avodat Kochavim 11:16) maintains that all magical or apparent use of supernatural powers is sleight of hand, so much smoke and mirrors. Other scholars like Ramban (D'varim 18:9) taught that the sorcery and foretelling of the future mentioned in the Torah and Talmud were real and utilized powers built into Creation. Irrespective of these differences of opinion, the Torah in D'varim classifies all forms of magic and divination, abominations, to be eschewed by Israel and to be eradicated. They are a form of idolatry in that they ascribe to other factors the power that is Hashem's. Rather, in the same chapter, the Torah promised that Hashem would send prophets to guide the Jews in their struggle with uncertainty and had given them mitzvot to educate them against all the immoral and unethical means that people use to protect themselves from it. Needing neither magic or the supernatural to guide them, the Jews are able to be face the future confidently, secure in their knowledge of G-d's providence. The knowledge that all wealth comes from Him who feeds and supports all living creatures, enables mankind to take entrepreneurial risks in creating wealth rather than using immoral means to secure an economic future. The same confidence applies to all our endeavors, spiritual, social and material. Indeed, Rabbi S.R. Hirsch translates 'ashrei' as forward looking or optimistic rather than the commonly used, happy. The verses forbidding magic and
soothsaying end by saying, "You shall be whole-hearted [tamim] with your
G-d" (D'varim 28:13). When people believe that their destinies are all under
the rule of dark unfree forces born of delusions, that are indifferent to
the morality of their ambitions and achievements, then they drop the scales
of moral judgment. The magicians and the soothsayers and diviners were the
source and support of the corruption of the Canaanites, and Israel was
forbidden to emulate them or allow them to exist. Rather in our wholehearted
devotion to G-d Who is our sole Guide and decides our futures in accordance
with His Mercy and our acts, we are able to trust our futures to Him, and to
leave the consequences of our actions to His judgment. The Or Hachayim
taught that Saul was not 'tamim' so he erred in thinking that in the absence
of the prophet he had no alternative but the Witch of Endor <17> Q My wife and I will be spending part of Chanuka in a guesthouse as part of a group. The group will be the only ones on the premises. Part of my family will be at home. Do I light Chanuka candles where I am and, if so, where? A The gemara (Shabbat 23a) says that a guest is obligated to light Chanuka candles at his host's home but that it is sufficient to give money for some of the oil that is used to be included in their lighting. (Some say that more oil must be added in order for the contribution to be significant (Mishna Berura 677:3)). The gemara adds that Rav Zeira, who used to pay toward the oil, stopped doing so once he got married (but was sometimes away from home by himself), because his wife would light for him in his home (the understanding of most poskim). Thus, it would seem that as long as there are bar/bat mitzva age children at home lighting, you are exempt from lighting outside the home. The only provision one should immediately add is that the Taz (677:1) assumes that a wife is automatically assumed to light with her husband in mind, while others in the household should have their parent(s) in mind specifically. However, there are additional factors that complicate matters, and these factors are different for Ashkenazim and Sephardim. The Maharil, one of the pillars of Ashkenazic p'sak and especially, minhag, says that nowadays a person who is staying at inns of different sorts should light his own candles. This is because two things have changed. One is that the place of lighting with the related pirsumei nisa (publicizing of the miracle) has been moved indoors. Secondly, now we customarily have all the members of a household light. Therefore, if one of the guests does not light, others may think that he has chosen not to take part in the mitzva and may not realize that he has a household where they are lighting for him. Terumat Hadeshen (101) anyway rules that since there is a concept of mehadrin (adding on more Chanuka lighting than is necessary), a guest who is interested in lighting despite being exempt by his family can do so with a beracha. We also prefer a person to light his own candle rather than add on to the host's oil (Mishna Berura ibid.: 3). This is especially pertinent in a case like yours where you are part of a group where everybody is a guest of a commercial institution. This is different than joining an existing household, which more naturally absorbs others (see Chovat Hadar, Chanuka 2:9). As far as where to light, the Rama says that the place where people eat is the proper place to light. One could argue whether it is preferable to also light in or outside one's room [beyond our scope], but given that most guesthouses are understand- ably reluctant to have unnecessary fire hazards, the lighting in the joint dining hall should suffice. For Sephardim, there are two major differences. Firstly, the Shulchan Aruch (see Beit Yosef 677) does not accept the Terumat Hadeshen's permission to make a beracha when he is able to be exempt by his household. Secondly, the Shulchan Aruch says that where the guests have separate sleeping quarters with a separate entrance than that of the ba'al habayit, they should light there, as otherwise it might be suspected that the occupier of the dwelling is not lighting. It is unclear whether that situation requires lighting with or without a beracha (when there is a lighting in their own home) and the Kaf Hachayim (667:9) suggests hearing the beracha from someone who is obligated. Where there is a problem getting permission to light in the room, it may be reasonable for Sephardim to light without their own beracha in the joint dining area and try to ensure that someone lights in front of the building or wing they sleep, having them in mind. Another direction of leniency is that in a campus that is occupied by one group whose members light uniformly, the issue of suspecting one another is weaker than usual. Ask the Rabbi Q&A is part of Hemdat Yamim,
the weekly parsha sheet published by Eretz Hemdah. You can read this section
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Ask the Vebbe Rebbe is partially funded by the Jewish Agency for Israel "I saw,"' said R' Yisrael, "that your
maid carries the water quite a distance from the well, and your house is on
the side of a hill. I noticed how she struggled to carry the water, and felt
that it is improper for a person to carry out the mitzvos on the back of
others.'' In his book, "Derech Chaim" (The Path of
Life), a commentary on Pirkei Avot, the Maharal describes how Hashem created
the natural forces of the world to act as the agency to maintain balance
within the world. When we humans create imbalance, within ourselves, our
communities, or within the world itself (the environment), nature acts to
return us to that original balance. We then interpret the reaction of nature
as punishment and sickness: punishment for our spiritual imbalances, and
sickness for our physical imbalances. "Everything is given on collateral,
and a net is spread over all the living. The shop is open; the Merchant
extends credit; the ledger is open, and the hand writes; and whomever wishes
to borrow, let him come and borrow. The collectors make their rounds
constantly, every day, and collect payment from the person whether he
realizes it or not. They have proof to rely upon; the judgement is a
truthful judgement…" (Pirkei Avot 3:2). The "collectors", the forces of
nature, balance our actions that effect the world. This system works
"whether he realizes it or not", with or without our awareness. This system
works under the "net spread over all the living", divine control. He asserts
that each person should not think that he could avoid this balancing
response just because the agents are the forces of nature, as these
afflictions are a direct and intrinsic reaction to our actions. The Rambam describes this process in a similar fashion: "Overeating is like poison to anyone's body. It is the main source of all illness. Most illnesses which afflict a man are caused by harmful foods or by his filling his belly and overeating, even of healthful foods." (Hilchot Deot 4:15) He adds, "the consumption of a little bad food is less harmful than the consumption of a lot of good and healthy food." (The Regimen of Health 1:1) When we overindulge, or eat the wrong foods, we accumulate acidity, toxins and metabolic by-products which the body tries to remove by either 1) expelling them via the bodily fluids, or by 2) concentrating them in the storage organ, the fat, of the body. Obviously, the body prefers to totally expel these unwanted materials from the body, and only stores these toxins in the fat as a second resort. In the state of continuous accumulation of these toxins, deposition then occurs within the vital organs, leading to malfunction, and disease. In order to do either one of the "cleansing" actions, the body has to break down the extra material via its two internal "messengers", enzymes and bacteria. Bacteria reside within the body in all
normal circumstances, living within the cavities, such as the mouth, nose,
throat, and all throughout the digestive tract. (In contrast to common
belief, our bodies are far from being sterile). In the cleansing process,
the body produces extra fluids, named catarrh, which flow from the body's
orifices to drain away the unwanted substances. . When these fluids
increase, the bacteria within the fluids increase their action, breaking
down the toxins to further decrease their harm. If the flow of catarrh
continues too long, then the bacteria multiply out of balance, creating
secondary infections. Pronounced "shammy", its scientific name
is Rupicapra rupicapra (the capra part of the name means goat)... found
among the mountain crags of Europe and western Asia. Both sexes have slender
vertical distinctive, hook-shaped horns... Remark- ably agile, it can gallop
on uneven, rocky ground and jump up to 6 feet high... Its nimbleness and
acrobatics give it access to hard-to-reach areas, easing competition for the
grasses, herbs, and flowers it prefers to eat... In winter... dines on pine
shoots, lichens, and mosses... Males live a solitary life; they are
territorial and fight for a harem at mating time. Females and young usually
form herds of five to thirty members. A posted sentinel warns the others of
danger by stamping its feet and emitting a high-pitched whistle through its
nose. Tawny brown fur in summer; chocolate brown in winter; white patch on
throat; black tail, black back stripe, and black markings on its face...
flexible hoof pads...kids are born in the spring (multiple births are rare)
after about 6 months gestation... hunted for meat and its very soft skin...
the term chamois leather now applies also to leather made from other
animals... At his father's behest, Yosef goes
looking for his brothers in Shechem. He knows it's a dangerous assignment,
and when he sees his brothers aren't there, he could have returned home and
told his father he couldn't find them. Instead, he persists until he finds
"the man," an angel, who directs him to Dotan. (Rashbam) When the brothers show their father
Yosef's bloody cloak, Ya'acov concludes that Yosef has been killed and
begins a period of mourning that lasts 22 years. Rashi says that Ya'acov's
22 years of mourning were a consequence of the 22 years he spent with Lavan,
when he did not honor his parents. But wasn't he fulfilling his parents'
request that he go find a wife? Rabbenu Bechaye answers: If his motive had
been solely to find a wife, he would have taken Leah and returned home
immediately. In staying longer to acquire Rachel, he showed that his real
intention was not meeting his parents' demands, but his own needs. Joel Rebibo, Beit El Chanuka reminds us of the possibilities: Of light that conquers darkness, of the weak overcoming the mighty, of the triumph of good over evil. The rededication of the Temple restored in our eyes a sense of national repurification; the miracle of the oil reasserted our faith in Divine intervention. A fierce discussion emerges as to the nature of that miracle. If the flask of pure oil to light the Temple Menora was but enough to last one day, how could G-d perform a miracle that would enable this same quantity of oil to burn continuously for eight days? For this would contradict the halachic ruling that wicks be replaced daily, that every day the oil be freshly ground from olives picked from the tree (cf. Rambam, Hilchot Issurei Hamizbe'ach 7:8). Argues Rabbi Yisrael Ariel: It is more appropriate to believe that the miracle lay in the natural process and human effort that led to the discovery of the lone flask, the dedication of the Altar, and the setting up of a makeshift Menora, as described in Megilat Ta'anit. Surely, he argues, when we read that the Kohanim "lit the Menora" for eight days (Hilchot Rambam 3:1), they did exactly that [with small quantities of oil]. For what G-d desires is not to remove the possibilities of serving Him, but to create them. Shabbat Shalom and Chanuka Sameiach,
Menachem Persoff Thoughts on the Chashmona'im However, Yehuda's victory was not the end; it was only the beginning. With the sudden collapse of the Babylonian Empire which had destroyed Bayit Rishon and Jerusalem and exiled its people (538 BCE), and the rapid rise of the new world power Persia, the Middle East underwent a sea change. The Judean exiles, with their undamp- ened longing for the restoration of the Beit HaMikdash were psychologically ready when Cyrus, King of Persia, authorized the rebuild- ing of the Mikdash and encouraged the exiles to return home. But restored, Lilliputian, landlocked Judea was surrounded by powerful enemies: the Samaritans to the north; the Edomites to the south; the Ammonites to the east and to the west were the old Philistine coastal cities, soon to be Hellenized. During the period of Persian rule, Judea extended roughly from Beit-Horon and Beit-El in the north, to Beit-Zur in the south, and from (but not including) Gezer to Emmaus to Modi'in in the west to the Jordan River, the area adjacent to Jericho and the Dead Sea in the west. Altogether the total area was less than 2800 sq.km. Though the seed of national revival had been successfully replanted and the Mikdash soon rebuilt, the miniscule revived province of Judea remained a speck in the vast Persian Empire. The small community grew slowly, and the Jews began to filter into the areas of Eretz Yisrael contiguous to Judea. The diminutive borders of Judea had not appreciably changed when, 150 years later, Alexander the Great appeared in Eretz Yisrael with his armored phalanxes nor were they altered during the endless Diadochian wars which followed his death. While after his victorious campaigns,
Yehuda HaMaccabee succeeded in driving the foreigners out of Jerusalem
(except for the Akra, a fort in the middle of the city) and the Judean hill-
country, he was unable to pierce the iron ring of enemies choking the little
country. However one of Yehuda's brothers, Jonathan, later succeeded in
annexing Ekron, the first Maccabean conquest in the Shefeila and he also
acquired three Samaritan districts. Another brother, Simon, seized Beit Zur
the key fortress in the south, Gezer and most important, the port of Jaffa.
Judea would no longer be landlocked and would enjoy all the commercial
advantages to having "an outlet to the islands of the sea". However, it was
the three much maligned, later Maccabeans, Yochanan Hyrcanus, Yehuda
Aristobulus and Alexander Yannai who transformed "Palestine" into Eretz
Yisrael. As the Jewish historian Joseph Klausner put it, "But for these
victories, a Jewish Eretz Yisrael could never have come into being: the
Jewish state must have remained a tiny district called "Judea" lost within
the greater expanse of Syria… It was through these Maccabeans alone that… "Philistia"
became the Land of Israel." As a result of the military prowess and
political savvy of these leaders, the Jewish nation was able to break out of
the confining Judean hills and spread throughout the entire country. Their
ideology was that of their dauntless predecessor Shimon HaMaccabee. When
ordered to "return" newly restored Jaffa and Ekron to the Seleucids, Shimon
did not give speeches about "security needs". His proud reply was, "We have
not taken foreign soil, but only the inheritance of our fathers, which fell
into the hands of our foes unjustly, and now the land has returned to its
first owners" (I Mac. 15:33,34). Klausner con- tinues, "But for the heroism
of the Maccabees, the heathen must, finally, have swallowed up the Jews."
The horrendous crimes committed by their favorites such as Alexander the Great (e.g. the wanton destruc- tion of major cities like Tyre, Gaza, Persepolis and the selling of the few pitiful survivors into slavery, etc.) or the Romans (the destruction of Carthage, Jerusalem, the crucifixion of thousands of prisoners on a regular basis, etc.) somehow fade away when compared to the "wars of fire and sword" waged by the Maccabees. E.R. Bevan, in his historical study "Jerusalem Under the High Priests", seems to be disappointed (He almost sheds tears!) that the Jews would stoop so low as to fight for their lives and actively defend what was most holy to them against murderous attack. He pontificates, "It appears to me a question whether it was not at great spiritual cost that the Jewish people allowed itself to be launched by the sons of Hasmon upon a career of carnal strife. For the Jewish community could not be amenable to the same laws as ordinary nations…" (p.98). According to Bevan, we are neither a people nor a nation; we are merely a "community". (Elsewhere he calls us a "church".) He also describes the Maccabean wars. "Under the blasts of the Jewish conquests, civilization in Palestine withered away. Where there had been prosperous cities were heaps of ruins, fields went back to brushwood, and roaming bands of marauders had free course in the land…" (p.128). In the "The Harvest of Hellenism", one of the real classics in the field, F.E. Peters sees the Chashmona'im's heroic struggle to maintain the integrity of Judaism in the face of murderous Hellenist assaults as proof that "the Maccabees were partisans who thrived on factionalism; every Seleucid attempt at the reconciliation of parties was thwarted by the Maccabees' unwillingness to compromise on the religious question (p. 288). Paul Johnson, a well-known contemporary scholar, wrote a fascinating best seller entitled, "A History of the Jews". In many respects this book is actually "pro-Jewish", but even Johnson could not restrain himself when he "confronted" the Maccabean era. "The Hasmoneans spoke for a deeply reactionary spirit within Judaism. Their strength lay in atavism and superstition, drawn from the remote Israelite past of taboo and brutal physical intervention of the deity... Against this background of intellectual terror by the religious mob, the secular spirit and the intellectual freedom which had flourished… were banished from Jewish centers of learning"(pg. 105). This kind of grandiloquence from such
erudite scholars, who simply don't "get it", should only make us appreciate
and cherish all the more the familiar words of thanksgiving. "These lights
we kindle 'upon' the miracles and wonders, the salvations and the battles
which You performed for our forefathers in those days in this time…" LAST CALL Chanuka Donuts from Herby's
Bakeshop - We're taking orders for American-style glazed donuts
for Chanuka, 15NIS for a box of six donuts; To insure freshness,
donuts will be delivered and available for pick-up twice during Chanuka:
Monday, December 22nd and Thursday, December 25th. Pick-up hours:
9:00am - 4:00pm only. Orders for the Monday pick-up must be placed by
Friday, Erev Chanuka (Dec. 19th) Orders for the Thursday pick-up must be
placed no later than Tuesday, December 23rd, 4:00pm. Orders may be placed at
the Center, by phone (566-7787 ext. 204), or by email
(tt@ou.org) Orders
placed in person should be paid for in advance. Phone or email orders can be
paid at pick-up. The Israel Center's youth program for
Anglo-Israelis • tel. 566-7787 ext. 244 • fax: 561-7432 Chaim Pelzner,
Director, Yehoshua Bonchek, Coordinator, Tanya Glassman, Bat Sherut NESTO is
partially funded by the Jewish Agency for Israel Aloh Na'aleh's Third Conference:
Educating Towards Aliyah A panel of five olim, ranging from very recent to quite veteran, corroborated this fact when discussing their Aliyah. Thankful that they are fulfilling the mitzvah of yishuv ha'aretz, they emphasized that living in Israel belongs in another dimension, with this move differing from any other move. They described themselves as being passionate about the step, and overcoming inertia, a factor that prevents many from making Aliyah. These olim who have a successful Aliyah make a positive statement to former community members about life in Israel. Many religious American Jews are passionate about Eretz Yisrael. When it comes to Medinat Yisrael, where certain issues are not so idyllic, that's another story. This was the message of Rabbi Dr. Chaim Brovender, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Ha'Mivtar-Orot Lev, and President of Atid Academy for Torah Initiatives and Directives. Many Jews have the start-up attitude of waiting to see how Medinat Yisrael turns out, instead of the attitude of being there to mold it into the way they would want it to be. "The most important thing for Jews today is to show that it's a project, an undertaking and a challenge, not just a start-up," stated Rabbi Brovender. It is necessary "to insist that there's no difference between Eretz Yisrael and Medinat Yisrael, with an obligation to bring the two closer. This obligation must be assumed passionately. Religious Jews have to come to Eretz Yisrael to make Eretz Yisrael and Medinat Yisrael indistinguishable." Rabbi Dr. Aharon Adler, Rosh Yeshiva of Ner Tamid Yeshiva High School in Hashmonaim, and rabbi of the Ramot Alef, Jerusalem community, sees the lack of education on the mitzvah of yishuv ha'aretz as a factor in why religious American Jews don't put Aliyah on their halachic agenda. Rabbi Adler described how in Western culture one's identify is nurtured by the definition of success in profession and standard of living. "The real Israel (not the one read about in the press) is effervescent with chessed. The challenge of education is to eradicate Western culture - no less difficult than the parting of the Red Sea". Rabbi Adler stressed the importance of infiltrating the school system with the message of Aliyah, and encouraging tourism and pilot trips. Five simultaneous workshops developed strategies to motivate different groups. Among the ideas discussed by the committee to motivate educators were: promoting Bar/Bat Mitzvah trips, summer trips, holding reunions of graduates of the Israeli one-year programs back in the US, and sending entire schools to visit. (Last month the Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy of Greater Washington was the trailblazer.) The retiree workshop focused on tackling retirees' interests in medical issues, quality of life and taxation. The workshop for motivating rabbis and their communities discussed having a span of a few years for rabbis and community members to plan and implement their Aliyah, and get the rabbinical organizations more involved. Many participated in the marketing workshop, discussing their motives for Aliyah and how to market the idea to target groups. The participants of the marketing workshop will meet again to develop their ideas. The youth workshop suggested encouraging study in Israel not only in Yeshivot but also in universities and other Jewish Agency programs. They also discussed ways to get one-year students to establish roots instead of living in a North American ghetto during their stay in Israel. Over 100 people, many of them new participants, attended the conference moderated by Elana Rozenman. Those interested in volunteering for Aloh Na'aleh, or providing more suggestions and implementing the above ideas, please contact: aloh-naaleh@aaci.org.il Aloh Na'aleh thanks all the volunteers who helped make the event a success, as well as co-sponsors AACI, Bnei Akiva, OU Israel Center, Council of Y.I. Rabbis, Yavneh Olami and Tehilla. Eretz Yisrael in Our Sources - He who
dwells in the Land of Israel is compared to one who has a G-d, while he who
dwells outside the Land is compared to one who has no G-d. (Ketubot 110) Many teens have written to the monitored bulletin board during their planning stages of Aliyah as well as soon after they arrived in Israel. Aliyah can be particularly difficult for teens and their need for support is strong. Teen-To-Teen matches teenagers who have been through the experience with new olim. Numerous friendships have blossomed over the course of their correspondences. The peer network is a potent tool to help teens cope with their immersion in a new society and to strengthen Jewish community . Many teens have expressed their gratitude for the help they have received from their participation in the website. Teen-To-Teen is a project of an Amutah
that was created and maintained by Susan Suna and Sarale Cohen. Here to Stay I grew up in a strongly Zionist religious home in New York City. Eretz Yisrael was a very important part of our Jewish consciousness. At home, of course, and also in our strongly Zionist Hebrew school, our Hapoel Hamizrachi shul, and in my Shomer Hadati (pre-Bnei Akiva) youth group, the awareness of "Palestine" was a prime factor in shaping our plans for our future. On Shabbat my father spoke only Hebrew. Imperfect, but Hebrew. On the east wall of our dining room were pictures of Jews at the Western Wall and of Rachel's Tomb. As teenagers, our Bnei Akiva groups were actively finding ways to help raise funds for the flood of post-war refugees being brought to pre-state Israel. The older boys would go through the subways collecting money in pushkes. Others would go evenings, especially Saturday nights, to busy corners in Times Square, two of us spreading out our Jewish blue and white flags like a hammock, to catch the coins and bills from passers-by. We even went into bars! In those post-World War II days, unaccompanied females were not permitted in bars, so we went in as couples. People sitting there, some of them half drunk, would scoop up all their change and toss it into lidless coffee cans. We didn't expect that these kind donors would manage the little slot in a pushke. We also arranged to picket the British Embassy, demanding free immigration to Palestine for the hapless Jews from war-torn Europe. I met my husband on a picket line. We knew a woman whose East River apartment was opposite the Brooklyn dock, across the river from where our friends would sail away to the re-established State of Israel. She painted "Tzetchem l'Shalom" in large letters on a big white sheet which she hung on her balcony whenever a ship left. Years have passed. We made Aliyah a long time ago. But we are still finding old friends from Bnei Akiva and Hapoel Hamizrachi. We all agree that the ideals and ideology of those earlier years were the positive motivations for our Aliyah. I enjoyed living in New York, but I could never feel long Jewish roots there for my future. And here in Israel the deep connection in daily life is so obvious, so taken for granted. Just things like the names of streets, cities, schools, even legal courtroom terminology are all from our heritage, from heroes and heroines of our history, ancient and modern. There are even among us, one of them a neighbor, those who are descended from families who had always remained here, who never went into exile. For hundreds of years Jews could only pray and dream, and see only the pictures. We have the reality. I feel like saying "Shehechiyanu" for the privilege of living in this historic generation. And I envy the generations now for whom there has always been a world with the State of Israel. Jerusalem's Jewish Quarter - The Rova
by David Magence Licensed Tour Guide The Herodian Quarter is a striking
example of the balance between preserving the ancient together with a modern
living quarter. The site includes remains of at least 6 homes from the late
Second Temple Period, (when the area was known as the Upper City) and it was
Jerusalem's most exclusive residential neighborhood. Each of the homes had
at least one mikve. It is likely that among the families living in these
homes were kohanim, who had an immediate need for a mikve. A suggestion that
the "Mansion" may be the remains of the Hasmonean palace, (ancient sources
locate the palace in the Upper City) is an indication that kohanim clearly
lived here, since the Hasmonean kings were kohanim. FRIDAY, 24 KISLEV (December 19th) Some have the custom of preparing the Chanukiya in the morning for the evening (this goes for every day, except Shabbat, of course). This not only serves the practical purpose of being ready to light on time without delaying to set up later, but it also commemorates the practice in the Beit HaMikdash called Hatavat HaNeirot, whereby the Kohen (Gadol) tended the Menora and prepared it in the morning for kindling in the late, late afternoon. Since our lighting on Chanuka directly commemorates the lighting of the Menora in the Beit HaMikdash, this suggestion provides a nice "added touch" to the mitzva and symbolism of Chanuka lighting. In addition to preparing for the first candle of Friday evening, it is a good idea to also prepare for the second candle which will be lit on Motza’ei Shabbat, on Friday. This will allow lighting on Motza”Sh without any unnecessary delay, especially since the Motza”Sh lighting is already delayed until after Shabbat. One can set up two candles in another Chanukiya, or even at the other end of the same Chanukiya he/she will be lighting on Friday. (Don’t worry about the left-right business; it is more important to be ready to light as soon as possible after Shabbat.) Also, have your Motza”Sh Shamash and matches ready nearby. Something else that one should try to do on the two Fridays Erev Chanuka, is to daven Mincha before candle lighting. This is so because Mincha “belongs” to Friday and candle lighting “belongs” to Shabbat (even though we are lighting when it is still Friday). Furthermore, the lighting of the Menora in the Beit HaMikdash was done after the Tamid sacrifice of the afternoon. All this said, if it means not davening Mincha with a Minyan, it is better to light and then go to shul for Mincha and Kabbalat Shabbat & Maariv. However, one should try to daven at a Mincha Gedola Minyan. To that end, we will be davening Mincha at the Israel Center on Fridays, December 19th and 26th at 12:10pm, in the Wolenitz Family Shul Ohel Shmuel, on the ground floor of the Center. (Men and women are invited.) We cannot follow the standard weekday timing (sunset or stars-out - see further) on Erev Shabbat, because of the prohibition of kindling and handling fire on Shabbat. So we will have to light early. And this will require longer (or fatter) candles or more oil than usual. Furthermore, the rule is that Chanuka candles are lit before Shabbat candles. Shabbat candle lighting in most places is 18-22 miutes before sunset. This time should not be tampered with. Chanuka candles should be lit a couple of minutes before Shabbat candles (even when different people are lighting). Preferably, they should not be lit a lot before Shabbat candles, but in all cases, never before Plag. We suggest using 3:40pm as the earliest time to light Chanuka candles throughout the week. This pads the time with a couple of minutes, so that we can use the same, easy to remember time throughout this Chanuka. (For some places in Israel, 3:40pm is too early - 3:45pm would be a better Plag time to work with. People outside Jerusalem should check with their Rav for local times. If you don't find out your local time, then use the safer 3:45pm as the earliest allowable time for lighting candles. Outside of Israel, you definitely should get your own local times. Jerusalem (and Petach Tikva) custom for every Shabbat is to light candles 40 minutes before sunset. (Maale Adumim lights 35 minutes before sunset.) There is a common custom to delay Shabbat candles 15 to 20 minutes after the posted time (remember - Jerusalem and Petach Tikva only (Maale Adumim?), or other places where the same practice is observed) so that one's Chanuka candles do not have to be lit so early. This matter should be explained well to the family so that misunderstandings do not arise. Be very careful not to get too close to sunset. Let 4:35pm be a "redline" for lighting candles (Chanuka or Shabbat) - otherwise, one runs the risk of encroaching on Shabbat. If you are late, be absolutely sure the sun is still in the sky - otherwise it is better not to light Chanuka or Shabbat candles. TACHLIS: Shabbat candle lighting time for Jerusalem on Erev Shabbat-Chanuka are 4:03pm and 4:07pm this year. Either light Chanuka candles at 4:00-4:05pm and then light Shabbat candles, or wait until 4:20-ish, then light Chanuka candles followed by Shabbat candles. Remember, if you are not in Jerusalem (or...), stick to the posted Shabbat candle lighting time - do not delay it. In all cases, do not light either Chanuka or Shabbat candles before PLAG Mincha, 3:40pm (Jerusalem time, slightly padded to protect one from errors), and usable throughout Chanuka this year, as mentioned above. Also - and this is very important - whenever you light Chanuka candles, they must have enough fuel (oil or wax) to last until at least a half-hour after stars-out, that is, at least until 5:50pm (padded), preferably (a little) longer. This applies to Friday night too, which means that the standard (or even the prettier, longer) Chanuka candles will not make it. Recommended are the #16 or #20 Shabbat candles, which will fit most Chanukiyas and will last long enough. For oil users, experience will teach you how much oil you need. If you do not have the experience, it doesn’t hurt to experiment a couple of days before Chanuka so you will be ready. Suggestion: Hold MA’OZ TZUR for the Shabbat table as one of the Z’mirot, rather than sing it candle lighting, so you can get to shul right after lighting. Many shuls will sing L’CHA DODI to the tune of MA’OZ TZUR on Shabbat Chanuka. And, of course, at the table, especially if you have any GAN-age children or grandchildren present, there are many Chanuka songs to add to your usual Friday night repertoire of Z’mirot and other songs. Remember, although Chanuka does not require a SEUDAT MITZVA, any meal with songs, stories, and relevant Divrei Torah (especially, but not only, on Shabbat) becomes a special Chanuka Seuda. AL HANISIM is added to every Amida and all Birkat HaMazon throughout Chanuka. (There is no reference to Chanuka in "AL HAMICHYA'" i.e. Bracha Mei'ein Shalosh.) Forgetting AL HANISIM does NOT invalidate either the Amida nor Birkat HaMazon. That means that one does NOT repeat either because AL HANISIM was omitted. However, if one realizes the omission before the end of the Amida, AL HANISIM can be said right before YIHYU L'RATZON. In Birkat HaMazon, an omitted AL HANISIM becomes a HARACHAMAN, right before HARACHAMAN HU Y'ZAKEINU, as follows... HARACHAMAN HU YA'ASEH LANU NISIM V'NIFLA'OT KA'ASHER ASAH LA'AVOTEINU BAYAMIM HAHEIM BIZMAN HAZEH. BIMEI MATITYAHU... SHABBAT, 25 KISLEV (December 20th) Motza'ei Shabbat, 26 KISLEV (December
20th) Okay, it's Motza'ei Shabbat and Chanuka, we're home from shul as soon after Shabbat as possible, what now? Two mitzvot to perform - Havdala and Chanuka candles. By the rule of TADIR (that which is more frequent should be done first), havdala should be said first. And by logic, one should "finish" with Shabbat and then light candles for the next day of Chanuka, which is Sat. night & Sunday. Many authorities hold that on Motza'ei Shabbat, one should say havdala first and then light Chanuka candles. This opinion is followed by the majority of Chanuka-candle-lighting Jews all over the world. The Maharal (among others) is vehement in his insistence that we cannot possibly consider doing something so "weekday-ish" as lighting Chanuka candles, unless we have first said havdala. He rejects any argument to the contrary. ON THE OTHER HAND... there is a strong
argument for lighting Chanuka candles before havdala. First of all, Shabbat
is over when it is 5:19pm (some calendars might vary slightly) AND one has
said Havdala in davening (ATA CHONANTANU in the Maariv Amida) OR at least
said BARUCH HAMAVDIL BEIN KODESH L'CHOL. The Havdala with wine, spices,
candle, is NOT what ends Shabbat - it is what honors the departing Shabbat
(and permits eating and drinking). Even so, havdala should go first, except
for one very important factor: The prime time (according to some opinions,
the only time) for Chanuka candles is ticking away. We cannot, of course,
light Chanuka candles when it is still Shabbat. But we should maximize the
amount of time of the "half-hour after" once we are allowed to light.
Havdala will wait; Chanuka candles will not. Therefore, the OTHER opinion is
that Chanuka candles go first and then havdala. This procedure comes with
the reminder not to use the Chanuka candles for havdala, since one may not
benefit from the Chanuka lights, and the bracha in havdala is specifically
upon using the light (hence the examining of fingernails, etc.). Chanuka
candles first is the opinion of the Vilna Gaon and many others, and is
Minhag Yerushalayim. (Remember that not everyone in Yerushalayim follows the
practices known as Minhag Yerushalayim and some people elsewhere do.) Some say that those who light outdoors should follow the custom of lighting before havdala. Those who light indoors can take their pick. Remember that Shabbat is paramount. In case of doubt as to whether Shabbat is being encroached upon, one should NOT light Chanuka candles. It must be DEFINITELY after Shabbat before lighting. But one should not unnecessarily delay the fulfillment of the mitzva of Chanuka candles. A note for Rabeinu Tam people: Those who follow the Shabbat-out time of Rabeinu Tam (72 minutes after sunset) and consider it to be the correct halachic time, must keep it on Motza'ei Shabbat Chanuka, even though it means losing "prime time" for Chanuka candles. Those who keep Rabeinu Tam time as a CHUMRA (a strict measure, but accept the earlier time as halachic), might end Shabbat earlier on Motza'ei Shabbat Chanuka, in order to fulfill the mitzva of Chanuka candles at their better time. It is advised to check this out with a Rav. In shul, it is the universal practice to light Chanuka candles before saying havdala, this to maximize Pirsumei Nisa in a situation where everyone present will be leaving for home shortly. At home, people will still be there for
the Chanuka candles, so there is no need to light before havdala (according
to those who follow this first opinion). On Motza'ei Shabbat, when we light after Stars-Out, it is sufficient for the candles to burn for half an hour. Still, it is preferable that they last longer. This has to do with the fact that in our time, people are out in the streets later than in times past and Pirsumei Nisa (publicizing the miracle) applies later than the original "half-hour after stars-out". SUN, MON, TUE, WED, THU evenings, the
eves of 27, 28, 29, 30 KISLEV, and 1 TEVET (Dec. 21, 22, 23, 24, 25) The other opinion (that of "the rest of the world") is to light when the "light of the sun has left the sky", i.e. Stars-Out a.k.a. Tzeit HaKochavim). Remember that there are different opinions as to when Stars-Out occurs. Except for Motza'ei Shabbat, most people will use an early-ish Stars-Out time, in order to be closer to the Minhag Yerushalayim timing, and because Z'RIZIM MAKDIMIM, people who are enthusiastic about doing mitzvot, do them "right away". 5:05pm will work for this early Stars-Out time this Chanuka (except for Motza"Sh - as above). Those who light with Stars-Out should light right after Maariv, unless they have a fixed time later in the evening for davening. Those who light with sunset should daven Maariv at the appropriate time, after candles. Candles must burn at least a half hour after stars-out. This was the original time period after dark that people were still around outdoors and defined the PIRSUMEI NISA aspect of the mitzva. Although in our day, people are out later than this time, the halacha only requires the half hour after stars-out. However, it is recommended that one use longer candles or more oil to extend this time (one need not go overboard on this issue, but...), in recognition of the expansion of the current-day Pirsumei Nisa time-frame. TACHLIS: If one lights at 4:45 or 5:05 or earlier than 4:45 (remember, not before PLAG, 3:40pm) or as late as 5:20, then the candles should burn until at least 5:50pm, preferably somewhat longer. (Since Rabbeinu Tam's Stars-Out is approaching 6:00pm during Chanuka week (this year), one might try to have his Chanuka lights burn at least until 6:30-ish. This is not a requirement, but it does acknowledge the different opinions concerning Stars-Out. Treat this as an off-the-record suggestion, especially in light of the reality that the Pirsumei Nisa time is later into the night than it was in the time of the Gemara.) If someone lights after 5:20pm (and certainly if it is after 6:00pm), then the candles must last at least a half hour, regardless of what time one lit. (Preferably longer, as already mentioned.) For those who must light early, the earliest time one may light is PLAG MINCHA. For all of Chanuka, we can use 3:40pm as PLAG. As mentioned earlier, this time is padded slightly to avoid someone's being off a bit and lighting too early. Those lighting early should remember that the candles or oil must be able to last until the minimum half-hour after Stars-Out. If, because of one's work or travel schedule, one has to choose between lighting early or late, or between lighting early or appointing someone to light for you at the proper time, or between lighting late and appointing someone to light for you at the proper time - one should consult a Rav for a p'sak based on how early and how late, and any other relevant factors. Sometimes a less-than-perfect performance of a mitzva is a fine, acceptable "second best". Sometimes, not. Lighting Chanuka candles early or late is a poor second, at best. Lighting early lacks an element of Pirsumei Nisa at the time of lighting - which is when the mitzva is performed - because a candle flame is not eye-catching during full daylight. Lighting late is not so good because of the opinions that the time-period for Pirsumei Nisa from the days of the Gemara remains the optimum time (and some say the ONLY time) for the fulfillment of the mitzva. Although we follow other opinions, and basically allow lighting any time of the night, it is far less than ideal to light late. A "good" excuse makes it okay, but not great. One should consult a Rav especially for recurring situations, such as coming home late from work or school, and the like. Remember that having someone light for you is a valid alternative to your lighting for yourself, and sometimes it is even the preferred alternative. Ask your Rav. POINT Brachot (including SHE'HE'CHE'YANU) should be recited BEFORE beginning to light the candles. This complies with the general rule for Brachot of Mitzva, that they be recited immediately before performance of the mitzva, if possible. This means, that even on the eighth night, don't start lighting the candles until you finish both brachot. POINT Opinions differ, but a common practice is to place the first candle (or oil cup) in the right side of the Chanukiya. If one lights at the doorpost, then the first candle should be closest to the doorpost, even if it is the left side of the Chanukiya. From the second night on, the custom (one of the customs) is to "load" the Chanukiya from right to left, but to light it, left to right. At the doorpost, one loads it from the doorpost out, and lights it starting with the candle closest to the doorpost. Loading and lighting direction is not crucial to the performance of the mitzva, but there are reasons for the various practices. POINT The essential performance of the mitzva of Chanuka Lights is the lighting of a single candle each night, and the custom that we follow of increasing the number of candles each night is considered HIDUR MITZVA (enhancement of the mitzva). One practice that has developed because of this, is to begin reciting HANEIROT HALALU after the first candle is lit, while lighting the others. Alternatively, one can wait until the lighting is done to say HANEIROT HALALU. POINT One should not just light the Chanuka candles and then go on to business as usual, but rather one should look at the candles for a while, ponder G-d's miracles, spend some time with the family talking about the message of Chanuka and how it relates to our time, play a little dreidel, sing a song or two, have a snack, have some Chanuka fun. POINT It is recommended to learn some Torah, share a Dvar Torah, have a family shiur, or something like that, right after candle lighting. The decrees of the Greeks included a ban on Torah learning. Our celebration of Chanuka marks our freedom from Greek oppression, including the ability to learn Torah in public without fear. So let's do just that! POINT Notice on the "Chanuka Card" from last week's TT that the word SHEL in the first bracha is in parentheses. There is a dispute as to whether the bracha ends NER SHEL CHANUKA or NER CHANUKA. One should follow his own (or family) minhag, if you have one (and remember it). If not, you might want to ask your Rav which wording you should use. (Those who say NER CHANUKA have a bit of a problem if they sing the brachot, but don't let that determine your choice of wording.) Indoor/Outdoor Many people who have come to Israel, still light inside, at the window, as they had in their countries of origin. Others have gone back to the original practice of lighting outdoors. It seems that this is the preferred method in Yerushalayim. If you are considering changing any aspect of your Chanuka candle lighting routine, (candle to oil or vice versa, sunset to stars-out or vice versa, indoors to outdoors or vice versa, window to door or vice versa, each family member to one for the family or vice versa, etc.) it is advisable to consult a Rav. These pages should be considered a review of some - but not all - of the many Chanuka topics. (Others might be included in the body of TT, this week or next.) Often, different opinions were presented, but there were still sides of the different issues that were left out. It has been said often, but we repeat, it is best to consult your Rav to clear up any doubts you might have. Sunday thru Wednesday, 26-29 KISLEV
(Dec. 21-24) Thursday and Friday, 30 KISLEV and 1
TEVET,a.k.a. Rosh Chodesh Tevet (December 25,26) Friday, 1 TEVET (December 26th) Shabbat, 2 TEVET (December 27th) OU ISRAEL CENTER [The
Parshat Vayeishev Homepage]
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