The Inextinguishable Lights of Chanukah
“….It is a mitzvah to place the Chanukah lamp by the door of one’s house one the outside… in times of danger, one places it on the table and that is sufficient….” Talmud, Shabbat 21b ״תנו רבנן, נר חנוכה מצוה להניחה על פתח ביתו מבחוץ….ובשעת הסכנה מניחה על שולחנו ודיו….״ – מסכת שבת כא/ב It is rare for the Talmud to […]
The Menorah: A Tribute to G-d’s Love
Kindling the menorah was one of the many daily activities performed in the Beis Hamikdash. In the Chanukah story, however, it was specifically this avodah, service – and not a more central avodah, such as the daily offering of sacrifices upon the Altar – that was “singled out” for miraculous intervention to ensure that it could be done properly. This […]
Day-Old Accomplishments – Chanuka
The Talmud outlines three tracks that one may follow in the observance of kindling the Chanukah lights, the choice depending on your eagerness to observe the mitzvos. The base requirement is to kindle only one light per family on all eight nights, but the mehadrin, those who eagerly pursuemitzvos, kindle additional lights based on the size of their family. […]
Taking the High Road – Chanuka
The discovery of the one and only undefiled cruse of oil allowed for more than just a resumption of operations in the Beis Hamikdash on a bare minimum level. For by the simple standards of Jewish law, the Menorah may even be lit using oil that is ritually impure if no pure oil can be obtained (see Rambam, Temidin U’musafin […]
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