This will be a combination of a halachic review, practical suggestions, useful information, and more. Do not take anything written here as “the last word”; if you have any doubts, check things out with your Rav. The material has been presented before, but has been reviewed, reshaped, and refreshed for Chanuka 5765. Note concerning times: The times contained in this review apply to Jerusalem. To adjust the times to your locale, go to the front page of TT, see how much later or earlier Havdala is, and add or subtract to the Jerusalem times stated. It would be better, of course, if you had PLAG, sunset, and stars-out time for your locale. The listed times are slightly padded. Chanukiya during the afternoon so that there will not be a delay in lighting at the proper time. This is especially so on Friday, Erev Shabbat-Chanuka because things get hectic as Shabbat approaches. 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. 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; also "the end of sunset"). 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 (20-25 minutes after sunset) 5:00-5:05pm will work for this early Stars-Out time this Chanuka (except for Motza"Sh - see further). Those who light with Stars-Out should daven Maariv first (TADIR...), unless they have a fixed time later in the evening for davening with a minyan. Those who light with sunset should daven Maariv at the appropriate time, after candle-lighting. 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 4:40 or 5:00 or earlier than 4:40 (remember, not before PLAG, 3:35pm) or as late as 5:20ish, then the candles should burn until at least 5:50pm, preferably somewhat longer. (Since Rabbeinu Tam's Stars-Out is around 5:55pm during Chanuka week (this year), one might try to have his Chanuka lights burn at least until 6:25-ish. This is not required, but it does cover the different opinions concerning Stars-Out.) 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 mentioned.) For those who must light early, the earliest time one may light is PLAG MINCHA. This year, 3:40pm will work all over Israel and throughout Chanuka. 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. See further for other POINTS that apply to Chanuka-candle lighting. FRIDAY, Dec. 10 - 4th candle Something else that one should try to do on Erev Shabbat-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 Friday, December 10th at 12:02pm, in the Wolenitz Family Shul Ohel Shmuel, on the ground floor of the Center. (Men and women are invited.) LIGHTING Be very careful not to get too close to sunset. Let 4:30pm 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 is 4:01pm. Either keep to this time for Shabbat candles, with Chanuka candles right before, or wait until 4:15-4:20 to light Chanuka candles followed immediately 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. Also, as mentioned earlier - 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 (somewhat) longer. For Friday lighting, this could mean 1½-2 hours. 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: If many Chanukiyot are lit in your home, and you usually have everyone gather for each lighting, you might want to speed things up on Friday by having people light close to simultaneously. (Just a suggestion.) Suggestion: Hold MA’OZ TZUR for the Shabbat table as one of the Z’mirot, rather than sing it with candle lighting, so you can get to shul right after lighting. It also makes Friday night feel more like Chanuka. 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 Seudat Mitzva. MOTZA"SH Dec 10 - 5th candle 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 5:16pm 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.) This dispute is one of the few in halacha that is resolved in the following manner: "Whichever opinion you follow, you have performed correctly". Either procedure may be followed. Family and community custom should play a deciding role in this issue. Again, a Rav should be consulted, especially if one is considering a change of his/her practice. 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 yet 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 the first opinion). Those who say havdala first can light the Shamash for the Chanuka candles with the havdala candle before extinguishing it, thus dovetailing two mitzvot. Those who follow the second opinion can light the havdala candle from the Shamash (but not from any of the mitzva candles), thereby dovetailing one mitzva into another. 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". POINTS to keep in mind... • 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. • 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. • 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. • 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! • Notice on the "Chanuka Card" (part of this 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.) The original place for lighting and displaying of the Chanukiya was out- doors at the entrance to one's courtyard or home. Over many generations in exile, where lighting outdoors was often inconvenient to say the least, and sometimes dangerous, the practice evolved to light indoors. In some circumstances, the lightingwas to be done at a window, so that the candles would be visible to passersby in the street. In other cases, the Chanuka lights were lit in a conspicuous location for the attention of the members of the household. 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. AL HANISIM is added to every Amida and all Birkat
HaMazon through- out 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 or 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... HALLEL Day 1 - One Sefer Torah. Three Aliyot. Kohein gets the introduction of the Dedication of the Mishkan portion, from the beginning of Bamidbar 7 (first 11 p'sukim). Some shuls begin the reading 6 p'sukim earlier, to include the Birkat Kohanim parshiyot with the Chanuka reading. This is appropriate because the Chashmona'im were kohanim. Levi and Yisrael Aliyot split the account of the gifts of the leader of Yehuda, Nachshon b. Aminadav, 3 p'sukim each. Days 2,3,5,7 - One Sefer Torah. Three people to the "Tribal Leader" of the day (from Naso, Bamidbar 7). Each day's portion has 6 p'sukim. The first three are read for the Kohen, the next three for the Levi. The third Aliya is a repeat of the whole portion. (Outside of Israel, the third Aliya is the next day's portion.) Day 4, Shabbat - Two Sifrei Torah are taken out. Parshat HaShavua - MIKEITZ (not always, but most often, including this year) is read from the first, and the Chanuka portion - gifts of Elitzur b. Sh'dei'ur of Reuven - is read for the Maftir in the second Torah. Torah reading is followed by the special Chanuka Haftara, which preempts the regular Haftara of Mikeitz. The reading is from Zecharya, and includes his vision of a golden Menora. (More on this in next week's Sedra Summary.) Day 6, Rosh Chodesh Tevet - Two Sifrei Torah are taken out. 3 people are called to the first Torah, and the reading is the weekday Rosh Chodesh portion (including the daily sacrifices, the Musaf of Shabbat, and the Musaf of Rosh Chodesh). In the second Torah, the Chanuka portion of Elyasaf b. D'u'eil from Gad is read. (This year there is only one day Rosh Chodesh. Often there are two. It depends upon how many days Kislev has - it's usual 30 or it's occasional 29.) Day 8, Zot Chanuka - One Torah. Kohein gets the first half (3 p'sukim) of the CHanuka portion of Gamli'el b. P'datzur of Menashe. Levi gets the second half of the Day 8 Nasi. The third Aliya gets days 9, 10, 11, and 12, the summary of all the gifts, and the beginning of B'ha-a'lo-t'cha, i.e. the portion of Aharon and the Menorah. [The Parshat Vayeishev Homepage]
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