Hilchos Uminhagei Chanukah By Rabbi Y. Dov Krakowski

The following is meant as a convenient review of Halachos pertaining�to Chanuka. The Piskei Din for the most part are based purely on the Sugyos, Shulchan Aruch and Ramah, Nosei Keilim, and the Mishna Berura, unless stated otherwise. They are based on my understanding of the aforementioned texts through the teachings of my Rebeim. As individual circumstances are often important in determining the psak in specific cases, and as there may be different approaches to some of the issues, one should always check with one�s Rov first.

Rabbi Krakowski Serves as the OU Kashrut division�s Rabbinical Representative in Israel. He serves as a Posek in the Larger Shaarei Chesed Neighborhood in Yerusholaim. Rabbi Krakowski has been mishamesh many Rabbonim and Poskim both In America and in Eretz-Yisroel. Rabbi Krakowski started his Yeshiva years in Beis Hamedrash and Mesivta of Baltimore. He Then continued in Yeshivas Shaar HaTorah Grodna (Queens NY), South Fallsburg, Brisk (Yerushalayim), and currently still learns in Kollel Nachlos Elazar (Yerushalayim).

1. There are no stringencies regarding work on Chanuka. One can work all the days of Chanuka at any time of day.
1. There is a minhag that women don�t do any�work (i.e. laundry, house hold chores, or professional jobs) while the candles are lit.
1. This doesn�t mean if the candles stay lit for 5 hours they cannot work for five hours. Rather, it means that women should refrain from work only�until a half hour after�nightfall (Tzais),�(or a half hour from when the Chanuka lights were lit, if this was later than Tzais).
2. This��not working��does not include cooking for dinner that night or other things needed for then.
2. One should refrain from getting involved in a�job�or�starting to�eat a half hour prior to candle lighting (unless it is something that will certainly take only a minimal amount of time).
3. There is a minhag that even men don�t do melacha while the candles are lit so as to show that we can�t derive use from�the Chanuka lights.
1. This minhag should definitely not be kept at the expense of Talmud Torah.
2. It would seem that there isn�t any�obligation�to have any special Seudos Mitzva on Chanuka�(although there is a source to having such Seudos���see Ramah).
1. However, since�it has become�a�minhag to have special family gatherings and the like on Chanuka, it is important to turn�these�into Seudos Mitzvos by saying Divrei Torah, and singing praises to Hashem.
1. As there is a Mitzva to praise Hashem on Chanuka, if we utilize the Seuda (i.e.��Chanuka party�) for this purpose we are in essence turning the Seuda into a part of a great Mitzva.
2. There is a minhag to eat dairy products on Chanuka because a good part of the miracle�(the story of Yehudis)�occurred through the eating�of Dairy products.
1. By eating dairy products we are also fulfilling the�Mitzva�of praising Hashem on Chanuka as dairy foods help commemorate the miracles.
2. Even if one is making a Seudas Mitzva on Chanuka�one�can make it dairy for this reason.
3. There is a minhag to eat fried foods to�commemorate�the Miracle of the Oil.
1. Such foods are likewise being used as a tool to commemorate the miracles of Chanuka thus�integrating them into�the�Mitzva�of praising Hashem.
4. The Kaf Hachaim says that one should try to make a�Seuda every day of Chanuka, and that one should utilize it as a Seudas Mitzva.
3. One is not�permitted�to fast on Chanuka.
1. If one accidentally fasts on Chanuka�one�should fast after Chanuka to atone for their fasting on Chanuka.
2. If�one�had an�unpleasant�dream�on Chanuka and wishes�to fast a Taanis Chalom�one�should ask a�competent�Halachic�authority.
3. If one has a�Yartzeit�for a parent (and if�but for�Chanuka would have fasted)�one�should accept�upon oneself�a later date to fast instead of fasting on Chanuka.
4. There is a minhag to��gamble��either with cards, or by using�a�dreidel.
1. Many of the Achronim are very�opposed�to this Minhag.
2. The origin of the minhag to��gamble��(not per say�with a�Dreidel) is that�the Rabbonim at some point felt that gambling was starting to become an issue in the Frum community. They therefore made it a minhag on Chanuka to��gamble��so as to provide a bit of an appropriate outlet for it. This was as an attempt to keep gambling from becoming an all out epidemic in the community (Rabbi Belsky Shlita).

Lighting:

1. Everyone�must be very careful to light Chanuka candles.
1. Even a poor man who lives off of charity must either sell belongings or collect money in order to light.
1. Although he should collect money to light he should not collect to light more than a candle a night. (See�Halachos�that follow).
1. Even if right now a poor man has enough money to buy as many lights as the number of nights���he still should only light one as he will have to beg for more�money�in the future.
1. In our day in age�in which�needy people�don�t go around collecting, but rather receive stipends, and candles and oils are cheap���even poor people can light an additional light per night�(if they feel they can afford it).
2. There are different Minhagim regarding whether females living together with males (i.e. Father, brother etc.) light.
1. Wives do not light (unless the husband isn�t going to be lighting at home).
2. In Eretz-Yisroel, where Chanuka lights are kindled outside, unmarried girls don�t light (contemporary Poskim based�on Chasam Sofer).
3. In places where�Chanuka lights are kindled indoors many are noheg that girls light as well. From a purely Halachik perspective this would seem preferable as not only were women/girls�involved in�the miracle�but�were an integral�and key�part of�it�(nonetheless on shouldn’t change from Mesorah).
2. It is preferable that everyone should light for themselves and not fulfill their obligation through another person�s lighting.
3. The most preferable method of lighting is to add an additional light every night of Chanuka (i.e. the first night one; the last night eight).
1. Sephardim are noheg that if the lights are being kindled in this preferable manner��Mehadrin���Min Hamehadrin��then only one set of lights should be kindled per household. This is in order to allow for it to be completely clear�how�many lights have been kindled.
2. While Ashkenazim are Noheg that multiple sets of lights should be kindled���particular care must be given to see to it that the different sets are differentiable from one another.
1. The clearer the differentiation the better.
1. The first night or two we could allow for two people to kindle on the same Menorah/Chanukia, as there would still be a distinct difference between the two sets on the same Menorah. Whereas later on in Chanuka we should not.
2. If the choice is that�a�person can light�the appropriate number of lights each night, or that everyone can light�one light�that night���then everyone should light one light (Mishna Berura).
3. The number of candles being lit must be the same as�the number of nights; otherwise only one should be lit.
1. Since the Mehadrin Min Hamehadrin cannot be fulfilled, even Sephardim revert to Mehadrin (i.e. each household member should light one light).
4. Any kind of fuel may be�used�for Ner Chanuka. Likewise any kind of wicks may be used.
1. There is a hiddur to use a fuel and/or wick that will burn nicely.
2. There is a hiddur to use olive oil as a Zecher�(reminder)�of the�miracle of Chanuka.
1. Thus there are those who are mehader even more to try to use the most similar olive oil to that which was used in the Beis-Hamikdash -�???�???�??�????�?????, and therefore use virgin olive oil. More particularly, if possible with a low acidity level (Rav Eliyashiv Shlita).
3. One should not light in an item that will become heavily black and smoky (such as clay or uncoated ceramic).
1. If someone does light in such a�utensil�it should not be reused as the second time�the utensil in question is�already�unappealing.
2. Wicks can be reused as many times as they will still light and burn well.
1. As the wicks were used for the purpose of a mitzvah��Anshei�Maaseh��are particular not to�throw�them�out�and instead burn them.
1. There are those that save the wicks to be burned�with Biur�Chametz���so as to use them again and finally for a�Mitzva�as well.
5. From the time of the Rishonim there has been�a good deal of�discussion as to�what�is the best�location for�kindling�the Chanuka lights. What is clear is that there are two essential elements as to where one must light: 1)in�a way that the person who is lighting is enabling a��Persumei Nisa��(publicizing of the miracle)�to other people (even if nobody ends up seeing them). 2)�In a way that�makes�clear the candles may belong to the person who lit them.
1. The brisker Rov held�that one should�light at the Pesach Hachatzer.
1. In Yerushalayim this seems to be the prevalent Minhag, although not all do so:
1. Rav Shlomo Zalman Aurbach held that if the Pesach Habayis is seen from Reshus Harabim�(Public Domain)���then one should light by the Pesach Habayis�(next to the door of the house).
2. The Chazon Ish held that one should light at the Pesach�Habayis. The Chazon Ish held that the more visible the�door is�to Reshus Harabim the better. He also held that a porch door is (where the porch overlooks Reshus Harabim) is a�Pesach�that opens to�Reshus�Harabim. The Chazon Ish often held that�a porch door was the best place to light (Chazon Ish Mipi Hashmua).
3. Apartment buildings are�a�relatively new�phenomenon with regard�to the question as to where to light, and�the�Psakim�(rulings) differ.
1. When someone has a porch/balcony that is overlooking�Reshus Harabim and it is not more than 20 cubits high�(between 33 and 39 feet)�then according to the Chazon Ish one can light at the door to this porch/balcony.
2. According to the�Chazon�Ish�ruling�that one should light at the Pesach Habayis, it would then seem�that one can light at the door of his apartment that opens to the communal hallway/stairwell.
3. According to the Brisker Rav and to Rav Shlomo Zalman Aurbach one should light at the entrance to the building as long as there aren�t apartments that open to�the entrance area. If there are apartments that open directly to the entrance�those�should light at the entrance while the apartments that open up to a stairwell or the like may be�considered to have the din of��Hadar Bealiya��(�one who lives on anattic�apartment�):.
1. Someone who lives in an Aliya�should light at a window. If the window is above twenty cubits, but there are other raised areas from�which the�window isn�t 20 cubits higher�one should still light�at the window (Igros Moshe).
1. If there is no�location within 20 cubits below the window�(from where the Menorah could be viewed),�there are those that still maintain that it should be lit at the window�(see Igros Moshe).There are, however, others who�maintain�it should then be lit�beside�some doorway.�(Minhag Chasidim and Chacham Ovadia). There are those that compare�such a situation�to�ShaasHasakana and therefore maintain that it can be lit even at the table (Pri Chadash���not according to�Ritva).
4. In the Diaspora where the prevailing minhag is to light inside���the minhag is to light by a window that can be viewed from Reshus Harabim.
1. Many Chasidim are Noheg to still light inside their house at a doorway�(generally to the dining room).
1. In America this seems to be ok, but in Eretz Yisroel where the minhag is to light outside, it is worthwhile�reevaluating.
2. In Chutz LaAretz,�if someone would like to light outside���it is meshubach
5. The minhag in most Yeshivos is that the bachurim light in the�dining�room.

Regardless of where�one ends up lighting, one must make sure that the lights can theoretically be viewed by someone else, and that the lights appear to belong to the person lighting.

6. In the event a person lives in a residence that has two�or more doors (house, or courtyard), giving the impression that�there are two or more separate dwellings, the individual in question should then light near each of those doors.
7. If one is lighting at a doorway (whatever its�location)�one�should place the Chanukia on the left side (opposite the mezuzah) so as to be��surrounded by Mitzvos�.
1. If there is no Mezuzah (because there isn�t a proper doorway) the Chanukia should�then�be placed on the right (where a Mezuzah would usually be).
1. There are those that are Mehader to put up a doorway and put up a Mezuza at the�Pesach�Habayis/Chatzer in order to have the ideal situation.
1. This Hidur isn�t a�necessity�at all.
2. The Menorah must be placed in as close proximity as possible to the actual doorway (within a few inches).
8. One should set�up�the Menorah�by putting the first night�s light�in the right-most�spot.�Each succeeding night we then�add another light to its left.
1. When we light,�we start with the left most light (which will always be the new light).
1. There are differing�Minhagim�as to exactly how to set up, and in what order to�light the Menorah. If one has a different Minhag (if�one is for instance�Noheg like the GR�A etc.)�one�should�continue to adhere to that�minhag. If not, the above represents�the traditional way of lighting.
9. The first night we recite three Brachos�(blessings)�prior to lighting: Lehadlik Ner (shel) Chanuka, She�osoh Nisim, and Shehechianu.�From�the second night on,�we say only the first two prior to lighting (we don�t say Shehechianu at all).
1. If one forgot to make a shehechianu�or somehow didn�t light�the first night,�one�should make the Shehechianu when�lighting�the first time afterward.�(If one saw a Menorah and only made She�osoh and not Shehechianu it as if they should then make a Shehechianu the next time they light or the next night when they see a Menorah.)
2. If one didn�t�(and won�t be able to)�light,�and also cannot have someone else light on his behalf, that person should say She�osoh Nisim if and when he sees�someone�else�s�Ner Chanuka.� If this happens on the first night, that person should�a Shehechianu as well.
3. After lighting the Chanuka candles we say Haneiros Halalu.
10. Chanuka candles should be lit with Tzeis�(at nightfall).
1. There are those that held that the Chanuka lights should be�kindled�at Shkia�(sunset)�(GR�A���see Mishna�Berura, and accompanying Biur Halacha).
1. Many�of the recent Poskim (Rav�Moshe, R��Aharon Kotler, and The Chazon Ish)�consequently�had calculations of intermediate times to light so as to be Yotzei all the opinions.
11. Chanuka candles should be lit within a half hour from Tzeis.
1. This�is because in olden days�there was in essence already no more traffic in the streets by�a half hour after nightfall.
1. Nowadays, since there is usually�traffic outside until considerably later,�there are those Poskim who are maikel to light later (see Aruch Hashulcan).
2. If one is lighting inside�one�can light as long as there is still someone around to�view the Chanuka lights (and as long as it is�still�night).
3. There must be sufficient fuel for a half hour (Chazal�established the minimum amount of oil necessary based on the time frame in which people would be around to�notice the lights).
1. No matter when a person lights his Ner-Chanuka there must be sufficient oil for�the light to burn�at least a half hour�past nightfall.
2. If the lights are still burning beyond this half hour one can extinguish them.
1. There are those that are Noheg not to extinguish them no matter how long they are burning.
2. Nowadays that there is traffic outside beyond a half hour after�Tzeis -�it still isn�t�necessary to allow the lights to burn past a half hour�after�Tzeis.
1. The Brisker Rov was makpid to place enough oil to burn to the wee hours of the morning as there�are�still passerbies even then.
12. The most important aspect of Ner Chanuka is its lighting.�Ner Chanuka�must therefore be lit�in a place that is halachicaly fit for Hadlokas Ner Chanuka. It must also be lit in the place where it is to remain.
1. Moving the Ner Chanuka after it is lit is tantamount to extinguishing it.
2. One cannot even pick up and hold the Chanuka lights in a stationary position.
3. It must be lit in�such�manner that it can remain lit�for�the entire time that it needs to be lit (a minimum of a half hour after nightfall, or a half hour if it was lit after nightfall).
4. If a candle is extinguished before a half hour,�although�it was initially lit�in such a way that it should have�burned�for a half hour���the light does not have to be rekindled.
1. If it was lit in�such a�way�that it wasn�t likely to last a full half hour�(i.e. in a windy location), it must then�must be relit, and�relit with a Bracha even�(if there was an interruption����hefsek����between when the Bracho was made and when it was relit).
2. There are those that are Mehader to relight the lights within this half hour even�when strictly speaking�they are not obligated to.
1. Those who are mehader to keep their candles burning for a prolonged period of time (as mentioned in the name of the Brisker Rov) may also be mehader to relight the candles if they are blown out.
1. Since the�hadloka�(lighting)�is the�Mitzva�and not anything done subsequently there is no hidur in adding oil at a later point in time so as to allow the lights to last even longer (so long as there is sufficient fuel for a half hour).
13. On Erev Shabbos we light Chanuka candles�first,�and then Shabbos candles.
1. The�candles must have enough fuel to last a half hour past�Tzeis�(nightfall).
1. According to the GR�A there need only be enough oil to last a half hour after Shkia�(sunset).
2. In America the candles should have enough fuel to last about 95 minutes or so (unless�someone wants to be makpid on Rabeinu Tam and then they would need sufficient oil for 120 minutes).� According to the GR�A�there should be enough oil�for about 50 minutes.
3. In Yerushalayim one needs enough fuel for the�lights�to last about 105 minutes�(according to the GR�A 70 minutes).
2. If a man lit�Shabbos�candles first then�he�still should light Chanuka candles.
1. If�a woman�forgot and lit Shabbos candles first, she cannot�then light Chanuka candles afterwards (just as she cannot do any Melacha). If she had�in mind for�some reason�or another to do melacha after she lit (and not to be Mekabel Shabbos) then she may also light afterwards Ner Chanuka.
1. If a woman�was�confused and thought that she would light Chanuka candles afterwards,�she can then light the Chanuka candles even though she already lit Shabbos candles.
1. She can also continue to do other Melachos until she lights Chanuka candles, but once the Chanuka candles are lit she must�cease�doing Melachos immediately.
14. If one�finds himself with only one candle to light on Erev Shabbos, he�should light the candle inside and not make a bracha on it (Aruch Hashulchan).
1. If there is an incandescent bulb in the house�one�should�use the bulb as�Ner Shabbos (as�R��Chaim Ozer and the Avodas Hamelech used to do) and light�the candle for Ner Chanuka (electricity cannot be used for Ner Chanuka as there isn�t sufficient fuel present at the time of the hadloka for a half hour, since electricity is received on an as need basis).
15. On Motzei Shabbos there are those�who�maintain that Ner Chanuka is first and there are those that maintain�Havdala�is first.
1. Nowadays that we are not so makpid to light at Shkia or Tzeis it would seem preferable to make�Havdala�first.
1. According to the GR�A no matter what Ner Chanuka should be first.
2. If�someone doesn�t have a minhag they should make�Havdala�first.
16. ��We do not light any of the�Chanuka�candles from any other�Chanuka�candles.
17. ��As it is forbidden to derive benefit from the Chanuka candles,�we light a Shamesh�(an extra candle used to light the�Chanuka lights).
1. The Shamesh should be lit in a way that�makes clear�that it is separate from the rest of the Chanuka candles.
2. Even if there are strong electric lights around one should still light a shamesh.
3. There should be a shamesh for every Menorah (not just one for all the sets together).
18. Children of educational age�(perhaps as young as three but definitely by the age of nine) should light Chanuka candles of their own (for Ashkenazim�as all members of the household light�their own).

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