Q: At the Jewish school where I teach, we plan to end the school days of Chanuka as follows. We will daven a late Mincha in a classroom, followed by a d'var Torah. Then we will light Chanuka candles with the berachot and dismiss the class. May we blow out the candles for safety reasons? A: Regarding your question, even the Chanuka candles that are lit in a shul should preferably remain lit for a half hour (Mishna Berura 675:6). However, it is probably not responsible to leave the candles unattended in a school building. Therefore, we suggest that you extinguish the lights before leaving, which most poskim allow under such circumstances. (See Mikra'ei Kodesh (Harari), Chanuka 10:28, who cites Rav Eliyahu as saying that one should stipulate before lighting that he plans to extinguish them.) Allow us to raise issues related to your assumption that you should light the candles with berachot. The Gemara does not mention lighting Chanuka candles in shul, but by the time of the Rishonim it was an accepted minhag. The Beit Yosef (Orach Chayim 671) cites the Kol Bo that it is intended to fulfill the mitzva of those who do not light at home and to increase the level of pirsumei nisa (publicizing the miracle), which is the heart of the mitzva. The Rivash (#111) develops the latter reason beautifully. Originally, the candles were lit in front of everyone's house. Because fear of non-Jews forced the lighting inside, the minhag developed to "spread the light" at least in shul. The Rivash explains that we recite a beracha, as we do for certain other minhagim, and this is the broadly accepted practice (Shulchan Aruch, OC 671:7). Others explain that since a shul corresponds to the Beit HaMikdash, where the original miracle occurred, it is appropriate to also perform the commemoration there. Acharonim debate whether it is appropriate to light Chanuka candles with a beracha in public gatherings other than in a shul. Some claim that since the minhag is so novel, we may not extend it further (Minchat Yitzchak VI 65). Others counter that the important matter is publicizing the miracle, wherever that may be. If there are also people present who have not yet fulfilled their mitzva (see Piskei Teshuvot 671:15) and/or there will be a minyan for Ma'ariv (Torat Hamo'adim (Yosef) 7:16), there are stronger grounds to extend the minhag. It appears that the classroom you mention is considered a shul, certainly if there is a regular minyan there. However, the timing is not simple. The minhag is to light the candles between Mincha and Ma'ariv (Rama, OC 671:7), even when this is earlier than one would light at home (Mishna Berura 671:46). This facilitates proper pirsumei nisa throughout Ma'ariv, after which people run out (Shev Yaakov 22). Therefore, one can question whether your classroom is like a shul in this regard, when you are not davening Ma'ariv, which is the time to light. One might consider lighting the candles before the d'var Torah, so the children will be seeing them during the next several minutes. If the d'var Torah is to begin before sunset and finish after it, it probably pays to light after sunset (see Torat Hamo'adim 7:(4)). There is also a question whether one needs a real minyan to light in shul (see Mikraei Kodesh, ibid.:6). (We don't know the children's ages.) Depending on the details, there are likely halachic reasons to prefer lighting the candles without a beracha, which also makes blowing them out simpler. However, you may decide that the educational factors tip the scale in favor of doing a regular lighting. (One major factor is the presence of children whose parents do not light at home.) Your email indicates that you are a rabbi. Not only can you decide the halachic elements, but you, who "live" the children's education, should also factor in educational elements of the experience. Whatever you decide about the berachot, you may extinguish the candles for security reasons. Ask the Rabbi Q&A is part of
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Please leave the subject blank. Ask the Vebbe Rebbe is partially funded by
the Jewish Agency for Israel In his plea to enlist the aid of the royal butler in securing his release from prison, Yosef informed the butler that he had been kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews. Rabbi Yonatan Eybeshitz [Yaarot Dvash Drush 14] explains why Yosef found it necessary to mention his kidnapping from the land of the Hebrews. In this statement, Yosef expressed his true motivation for requesting parole. Yosef understood that he could realize himself only in the Land of Israel. One can maximize his potential and achieve the highest level of personal perfection only through clinging to God. In turn, one who truly wishes to cling to God must ascend to Eretz Yisrael, which is, as it were, God's abode. Yosef wished to reach his
ancestors' level and become a "throne and chariot for God". This could be
accomplished only in Eretz Yisrael. Thus, in essence, Yosef is saying: "my
goal in requesting release from prison is not to achieve freedom per se,
rather to be allowed to return to the land of the Hebrews, where I can
achieve the highest level of self actualization." After he had finished his speech, R' Meir saw a child standing in the crowded shul. "My child", R' Meir asked him, "did you understand my speech?" "No", answered the child truthfully, "I didn't. I only understood one thing: that one must give money." "If you caught that," said R'
Meir with a smile, "you understood my speech better than many of your
elders." 2) Yosef had two dreams
relating to his brothers bowing to him - one with sheaves of grain and one
with stars. (See 37:5-9) Why was it necessary for him to have two different
dreams and visions to convey the same exact message? 2) The Bais HaLevi explains each dream conveyed a different message. The first dream, with the sheaves of grain, represents the fact that the brothers would have to rely on Yosef for their physical sustenance. The stars in the second dream allude to the constellations which represent spiritual forces. This dream taught that the brothers would have to rely on Yosef for spiritual leadership as well. 3) The Vilna Gaon points to the
fact that the word BOR (pit) is written twice in the verse with different
spellings. When describing that they threw him into the pit the word BOR is
spelled without a VAV, which indicates something lacking. This hints to the
understanding of the brothers that the pit was completely empty. However,
when relating that the pit had no water, the Torah writes BOR in the full
way with a VAV to indicate that while it was lacking water it was full with
something else, namely snakes and scorpions. This shows that the brothers
were unaware of the dangers inside of that pit. Rashi asks this same question and answers that these type of traders would usually have carried neft vataran (petroleum oil) which smells bad. Instead they were carrying things with good smells; N'chot is wax or gum that is usually identified with tragacanth, the aromatic sap of a species of Astragalus shrub. The Midrash Lekach Tov says it is carob. Rashi says it is the generic word for spices. Tz'ri is a gum resin extracted from the sap of the tree Commiphora apobasamum, and it is used for incense and perfume. Lot is usually identified as labdanum, a soft dark resin derived from various bushes known as rockroses. It is used for making perfume. The midrash defines it as the resin of the mastic tree, a member of the pistachio family. The Targum renders it letum which is identified as chestnut (Rambam) (See Aryeh Kaplan The Living Torah for pictures, he translates the verse : the camels were carrying gum, balsam, and resin.). Rashi says that the verse is coming to teach us about G-d's love for his servants and how He "rewards them". For whatever reason Yosef had to go down to Egypt, he was deserving of some type of punishment, but Hashem didn't add any extra hardship to this sentence. Hashem takes care not to hurt us unnecessarily. He is merciful in his judgment, ,RAV CHESED V'EMET. From this Pasuk we also see a hint of G-d's method of punishing MIDAH K'NEGED MIDAH. The brothers sold Yosef to people carrying these spices and later on (in Miketz) they have to bring these same objects to Yosef as a gift from Yaakov to buy Yosef's forgiveness (43:11). "Take some of the land's famous products in your baggage, a little balsam, a little honey, and some gum, resin, pistachio nuts and almonds." We can learn so much about Hashem's relationship with us in His world if we take the time to read the Torah carefully and pay attention to each and every word. For this Shabbat you can serve pistachio nuts, roasted chestnuts, carobs or give everyone a piece of gum, "mastic". Nowadays mastic gum comes from
the Greek Island Chios. In Cyprus and all Arab countries it is considered
the most essential spice. It is proven to absorb cholesterol and is good for
oral hygiene and as an antiseptic for the mouth. You may want to have some
mastic if you serve carobs as the midrash Lekach Tov says, they are called
charuvim because they MACHRIVIN HASHINAYIM, destroy the teeth. Initially, we take note that the Land is associated with Yitzchak who was commanded not to leave Eretz Yisrael. As if to tell us that Ya'akov's departure from Canaan was an unfortunate necessity and certainly not the preferred action for our forefather, or any Jew, for that matter. While the Torah refers to Yitzchak's experience in Eretz Yisrael as 'sojourning' (that implies wandering and transience), the term Vayeishev attributed to Ya'akov suggests settlement and permanency. The Midrash explains that Ya'akov now yearned to live securely and in tranquility in the Land. But it was not to be; the anguish of Yosef's kidnapping would shortly overwhelm him. For Rabbi Gedaliah Schorr, the Mid- rash indicates that Ya'akov's mission was not yet fulfilled. It was not enough that he fathered the twelve tribes and emerged from his confrontations with Esav and Shechem. The ensuing events were to pave the way for the people of Israel. And Ya'akov would now teach us that despite the travails, a Tzaddik is willing to sacrifice temporary peace for the sake of the eternal elevation of his offspring. Shabbat Shalom and Chanukah Sameach, Menachem Persoff [The Parshat Vayeishev Homepage]
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