The Gemara (Shabbos
21b) asks what is Hanukkah? The rabbis explain that the 25th of
Kislev starts the eight days of Hanukka. It recalls how the Greeks entered the
sanctuary and defiled all of its oil. When the Hashmonean dynasty overpowered
them and defeated them, they only found one cruse of pure olive oil which was
enough only for one day. A miracle occurred and they lit from it for eight
days. In the following year this time were fixed as a holiday for which we give
praise and thanksgiving.
A major theme of
Hanukkah is to publicize the miracle. Therefore just as the miracle then
occurred through candles we light candles today, and if we fuel them with olive
oil just like olive oil that was used in the Holy Temple, it is splendid. The
mitzvah though is to display them to our family, friends, neighbors, and
anybody who may be passing by.
To dramatize the
miracle one candle is lit on the first night, two on the second night, and one
candle is added each evening until eight candles are lit. The Kitzur Shulchan
Aruch (139) explains that they should not be put in a place where candles are
not lit during the rest of the year so that they should be recognizable as
Hanukkah candles. It also says that if one can afford it a silver menorah
should be used in order to beautify the mitzvah.
For over 120 years now
people have been using electric bulbs for light rather than candles. As a
result lighting any candle is unusual. Often the menorah tells people that
these are Hanukkah lights rather than something else. In the days of the
Gemara, though, the candle was placed by the door of the house, leading to the
street, so as to publicize the miracle. In order that people should know that
it was not for ordinary lighting the rabbis set its place as between twelve
inches and forty inches from the ground, somewhat unusual, and that is the
halacha today.
The Kitzur Shulchan Aruch does say that it is
common for people to light the candles in their home, but adds that if this is
done they should be placed in a window facing the street. The Shulchan Aruch
(Practice of Hanukkah 571:5) rules that one should only do this if he does not
have a doorway that faces an oft traveled street. The basic idea is that others
should see the Hanukkah candles.
In the unusual situation
where it is impossible for those outside the building to see the candles, the
rule seems to be to place the candles by the door, recalling the way it was
done in ancient times. However it does not specifically state that it should be
outside the residence allowing one to take the position that the candles can be
inside so at least the home owner can appreciate them. The Shulchan Aruch also
instructs that when it would be dangerous, say due to anti-Semitism, to
publicly display Hanukkah candles, one should place them on the table, and that
is enough.
When pondering the
halacha as well as what people actually do, it seems that another dimension has
been added to the holiday of Hanukkah. Not only do we want to publicize the
miracle but we want honor it as well. It’s not enough that the world sees our
Hanukkah candles; we want to see them ourselves. Not only that we want them
displayed in a grand way by using large ornate silver menorah. Even if the
world cannot see them, even if the world is against us, we still want to see
them in our homes. The reason is because we like to be reminded that the world
has a Creator and He even occasionally gives the faithful miracles to let us
know that He is there.
לע"נ, הסבא ,אהרן בן יוסף ז"ל
נלב"ע כז טבת תשכ"ו
Acknowledgements to websites:
תורת אמת, וויקיטקסטdictionary.reference.com/, http://hebrewbooks.org/,
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