We finished Tav-Resh-Ayin-Gimel (section 673)—almost, not quite finish the Shulchan Aruch. I know it’s Isru Chag (the day after a festival). Yesterday we talked about the shamash (attendant candle).
Yud-Gimel (thirteen). “Ve-da she-yesh mi she-katav she-af al pi she-yesh ner acheret, asur lehishtamesh etzlan, mishum de-ro’eh yomeru letzorko hu de-adlik kulan.” Some say that even if you lit an extra candle, you shouldn’t sit by the candles to benefit from them, because the guy's not going to the the onlooker is going to say, “Oh, he lit it for himself. Look, he’s sitting by the nerot (candles).” It won’t be obvious that he’s using the shamash.
“Dilef’amim adam madlik kamah nerot.” Sometimes a person lights a few candles and benefits from them. “U-devarim temuhim hem.” So I don’t know what you’re talking about. “De-ha hedya mashma me-ha-Gemara ve-ha-Poskim (halachic authorities) de-cheshe-yesh ner acher (another candle), mutar lehishtamesh le-orah (permitted to use its light).” He says those rabbis are running directly against a Gemara meforeshet (explicit Gemara). The Gemara says that if you have a ner acher, mutar lehishtamesh le-orah. “Ve-af al gav de-al yedei ner Chanukah (Chanukah candle) yugdal ha-or (light)”—even though you’re right that there’ll be more light because the Chanukah candle is there—“lo chashinan lah (we are not concerned about it),” “de-ha ein kan bizui mitzvah (disgracing a mitzvah).” That’s the point: there’s no bizui mitzvah. That was the main issue, bizui mitzvah. Once you put an extra candle there, you show that you’re not being mevazeh (disgracing) the mitzvah, because you put the extra candle there. “Ve-nikar she-hu dalak leshem mitzvat Chanukah ve-gomer.” “Ve-lo huzkar davar zeh ba-Tur u-va-Poskim.”
Yud-Daled (fourteen). “Katav Rabbeinu ha-Rema.” “Katav Rabbeinu ha-Rema be-sof se’if alef, im nit’arev ner Chanukah (Chanukah candle), asur be-hana’ah (forbidden for benefit) mi-she’ar nerot, afilu echad be-elef lo batel (nullified), de-havai davar she-be-minyan (count).” Now, Marcelo, this is a story. If a Chanukah candle, which is forbidden for benefit, gets mixed up with other, ordinary candles, and they’re all lit, then you can’t say, “Well, it’s one in a thousand, so it’s nullified.” Why? Because it’s an item sold by count, something chashuv (significant), and something chashuv isn’t nullified.
“Ela yadlik min ha-ta’arovet (mixture) kol kach she-yihyeh be-vadai ner shel heter (permitted item) dolek im ner shel issur (prohibition), ve-az mutar lehishtamesh etzlan, ve-haynu...” In other words, he says to light from the mixture enough candles so that a permitted candle will certainly be burning together with a prohibited candle, and then it’s permitted to use their light. So what’s the case? It’s lit or it’s not lit? If it’s not lit yet, nothing’s kadosh (consecrated) yet, so what are we talking about? And if it’s lit, how did they get mixed up? You put other candles. He’s going to explain.
“Kelomar, she-hitchil lehadlik, ve-nikhbetah miyad.” He started lighting the Chanukah lights, and it went out immediately. It’s forbidden for benefit. Why? Because you have half an hour. “De-ilu lo hidlikah adayyin lo ne’esrah be-hana’ah. De-hazmanah lav milta hi.” If he hadn’t lit it yet, it wouldn’t have become forbidden for benefit, because setting it aside doesn’t make it so. I don’t care if you set up the menorah, like we said yesterday. Setting it up is nothing. This is talking about where you lit it, and then it went out within half an hour. Now this oil or candle is muktzeh le-mitzvah (set aside for a mitzvah).
“Aval keshe-hidlikah ne’esrah be-hana’ah. Ve-af al gav...” “U-ve-se’if kuf-yud pasak be-Yoreh De’ah yesh mi-gdolei hora’ah she-davka davar she-darko le-manoto tamid lo batel.” He’s talking about an item sold by count. It’s something that’s always sold by number, by quantity. You buy them by the piece. He holds that such an item isn’t nullified, but the Rema holds that this applies only if it’s always sold by count. Candles aren’t always sold by count, so why shouldn’t they be nullified? “Aval im lif’amim mokhrim gam be-mishkal”—sometimes they sell candles by weight—“ve-im ken gam nerot she-bizmanenu mokhrim lif’amim be-mishkal.” So they should be nullified according to the rules of bitul (nullification).
“Ach be-nerot Chanukah tamid mokhrim be-minyan, u-mi-penei chashivutah de-mitzvah.” Chanukah candles are always sold by count because of the importance of the mitzvah. “Give me 36 candles.” You buy them for the mitzvah: “How many candles do I need? Let me figure it out. I need one for tonight, two tomorrow.” They’re always sold by count, so they aren’t nullified.
“Ve-lakhen ein heter ela keshe-yihyeh ner shel heter dolek be-yachad.” What do you care if a permitted candle got mixed up with the others? You want to benefit from the light. You have to make sure some permitted candles are lit. Now they’re all mixed up. Maybe I’ll light only Chanukah candles from the mixture, and then I can’t benefit from the light. Maybe I’ll light only permitted candles and won’t light a Chanukah candle. So you have to light enough candles to know that you’ve lit both a Chanukah candle and a permitted candle, and thereby avoid the problem of benefit.
“Ve-lakhen ein heter ela keshe-yihyeh ner shel heter dolek be-yachad im ner asur, ve-haynu im nit’arev ner echad shel Chanukah, yadlik.” If one Chanukah candle got mixed in, light two. “Ve-im nit’arev shtayim, yadlik gimel.” If two got mixed in, light three. That means one for each Chanukah candle and one extra. We’re not talking about how many lights to light that night; we’re talking about whether you can benefit from them. Since you don’t know where the Chanukah candles are in the mixture, you need one extra candle to make sure a permitted candle is lit.
“Ve-chen le-olam, u-kemo de-ner Chanukah atzmo, im yesh ner echad mutar lehishtamesh le-orah, kemo she-nitba’er, kemo chen ba-ta’arovet, ve-yesh ner echad shel heter de-mutar lehishtamesh le-orah de-af she-ha-or mitrabeh gam al yedei ha-issur, mi-kol makom lo adifa mi-nerot Chanukah atzmah.” Just as we learned that when there’s one Chanukah candle, another candle allows you to use the light, so too in a mixture you need one permitted candle whose light you can use. Even though the prohibited candle adds light too, it isn’t more important than the Chanukah candles themselves.
“Im nit’arev ner echad shel Chanukah, yadlik shtei nerot.” If one Chanukah candle is mixed in, light two candles: one keneged (corresponding to) the Chanukah candle and one extra. If two Chanukah candles are mixed in, light three: two for the Chanukah candles and one extra. You always need one extra. On the eighth night, you have eight candles and one shamash, and you can benefit from the whole thing, according to Ashkenazim. The shamash gets rid of the bizui mitzvah: you’re not disgracing the mitzvah; you lit a separate candle to benefit from.
Was that Rav Moshe Feinstein? Yesterday we saw it from Rashba (Rabbi Shlomo ben Aderet). Rashba said that once you’re lighting an extra candle, that shows it isn’t disgraceful. That was tashmish mitzvah (use of a mitzvah object). Should it be next to the other candles? It could be next to them. All the halachic authorities say it should be next to them, but higher or lower, so that if you benefit from the light, you’ll benefit from that candle. If it was Rav Moshe, it could be. Continue.
“Ve-yesh cholkim mi-davar she-be-minyan.” He’s saying it isn’t an item sold by count: “de-le’achar ha-ta’arovet batlah chashivuto, ve-shuv...” Some say it isn’t an item sold by count, so if Chanukah candles get mixed up with other candles, the Chanukah candle is nullified. “Ve-chol she-ken...” “U-vatil chad bi-trei ke-din yavesh be-yavesh.” Since the prohibition of an item sold by count is only rabbinic, one can rely on the lenient authorities.
“Ve-yesh she-rotzim... Ein kan...” “Keivan she-ein ha-issur nikar bifnei atzmo, ve-kavua de-rabbanan eino ela mi-penei davar she-be-minyan, ve-cheivan she-be’arnu she-ein zeh davar she-be-minyan, mi-meila nistalek ha-kava ha-kavua, u-devarim elu devarim le-da’at Maran sham.” So there are two tzdadim (sides) here. The whole machloket (dispute) is whether you consider this an item sold by count. If it is davar she-be-minyan, it won’t be batel, and you have issur mixed with heter. The way to use the candles is to always light one extra. If I have two Chanukah candles, I light three: two for Chanukah and one extra. That way, one is certainly not a Chanukah candle.
I might not have lit the Chanukah candles at all, by the way. I could have lit three chol (ordinary, non-sacred) candles. Understand what I’m lighting three for? It’s le-chumra (to be stringent): if the two that are lit are the Chanukah candles, the third one is certainly not. You have five Chanukah candles, so you light six. What’s the third night? This isn’t someone lighting the menorah for Chanukah now. He wants to benefit from these candles and doesn’t want to throw them out. How can he benefit without running into the problem of benefiting from a prohibition? Separate candles. He isn’t lighting Chanukah candles. It’s not the third night or the fourth night. What’s the problem? The candles are forbidden for benefit. The enhancement is also forbidden for benefit. Are you allowed to benefit from the enhancement? Why are we putting a shamash, then?
That’s what we’re talking about. The case is that the candles burned for 15 minutes, and for the next 15 minutes they’re prohibited. Then they got mixed up with other candles. The person is stuck: he wants to use candles to light his house, but Chanukah candles are in the mixture. They ask, “How many Chanukah candles got mixed in?” He says, “I know I got two.” By lighting three, in the worst-case scenario, one is ordinary. Even if you happened to light the two Chanukah candles, the third one is certainly ordinary. You’re figuring out mathematically how to avoid benefiting from Chanukah candles. Why not say they’re nullified? Because they’re an item sold by count. You don’t always sell candles by count, but Chanukah candles are always sold that way, so you can’t say they’re nullified. Another side says they aren’t really an item sold by count, so they are never going to be nullified. Those are the two sides.
“Kaima lan de-Maran sham, de-kavtah ein zakuk lah, kelomar keivan she-hidlikah ve-hayah bo shemen ke-shi’ur, ve-ikar mitzvah hi ha-hadlakah, harei asah mitzvato, ve-eino zakuk lehadlikah od pa’am.” That’s the famous rule, kavtah ein zakuk lah (if it goes out, one need not relight it). You’ve got to put that in your brain: if it goes out, you don’t have to relight it, even if it goes out after 5 seconds. Which means you could do anything you want—no, it’s a free country; who’s going to stop you? The question is about Erev Shabbat (Sabbath eve), when you need the candle to last. You can’t do it on Erev Shabbat. Oh, yeah, let’s say Motza’ei Shabbat (after Shabbat) already and something. But the point is, as long as it lit, as long as it caught, and it was proper, I don’t care if it lasted only 5 seconds. You didn’t light it somewhere windy, where it was going to go out immediately. It lasted, and then it went out because the wick flipped over—an act of God. You didn’t have a problem. Kavtah ein zakuk lah. Rami’s right. You can do anything you want because you feel bad, you just had Chanukah, and you paid for the candles. No problem. We’ve got kids jumping back. But the halachah is kavtah ein zakuk lah.
“Ve-afilu be-Erev Shabbat she-madlik be-od ha-yom gadol ve-kavtah kodem kabalat Shabbat, she-hu adayin mi-be’od yom, mi-kol makom eino zakuk.” That’s a tremendous new point. I would have said on Sabbath eve, if it goes out, you have to relight it, because you’re lighting before the zman (time) and need it to last through the zman. So I would have said that if you lit it and it went out while it was still 18 minutes before Shabbat, you should relight it. No: kavtah ein zakuk lah. The main thing is you can relight it, but you don’t have to.
What are you going to tell me—because of pelag (half of a halachic hour)? I hear you, because that’s the answer. “Ha re’ayah”—you’re making a berachah (blessing). You can’t light on Sabbath eve at 2:00 in the afternoon; that’s why there’s plag. So that must be the beginning time. That’s right. If I light at plag be-di’avad (after the fact), then if it goes out be-di’avad, I also don’t have to relight it. Can you purposely put it out after 4 seconds? “Chalilah va-chas (God forbid),” “chas ve-...” No way. You have to do it in the—The synagogue is different. You don’t have to light in the synagogue in the first place; that’s minhag (custom). “Kavtah” means “lo kibah otah”: it went out by itself.
“Ve-hu ha-din im achar she-hidlikah ba-letaknah ve-kibah otah be-shogeg (unintentionally), eino zakuk lah.” That happens a lot. After you light, you start adjusting it to try to make it better, and by mistake you put it out. If it happened unintentionally, you don’t have to relight it. It wasn’t be-mezid (intentionally).
“Ve-yesh omrim de-mechuyav lehadlik pa’am shenit, ach be-lo berachah (blessing), she-harei kvar berach ke-ra’ui.” Some say that on Sabbath eve you should light it again without a blessing. “Ve-chol she-ken be-chol, mi she-rotzeh lehachmir al atzmo lachzor al ha-hadlakah, ein levarech aleha.” If you want to be machmir (stringent) and relight it, good luck to you. Nobody’s going to stop you from being stringent, but don’t make a blessing. “Ve-ra’ui lehachmir al atzmo ve-lachzor lehadlik be-lo berachah.” Oh-ho-ho-ho! Come on! Kavtah ein zakuk lah, kavtah ein zakuk lah, kavtah ein zakuk lah! But it’s appropriate to be stringent.
“Ve-af al gav de-mi-dina ein tzarich, lo gara me-hidur mitzvah.” You don’t have to do it, but it’s hiddur mitzvah (enhancement of a mitzvah). The whole Chanukah practice is an enhancement. By the way, why are you lighting two candles? An enhancement. You’re already enhancing the mitzvah, so be consistent.
“U-ve-chol zeh she-natan bah shemen ke-shi’ur, ve-gam lo he’emidah bi-makom she-ha-ru’ach sholetet. Ve-im lo natan shemen ke-shi’ur, o she-he’emidah bi-makom she-ha-ru’ach sholetet, she-mi-techilah amedah le-chibui, mechuyav mi-dina lachzor ulehadlik, ve-im berachah, de-ha-berachah shelo hayetah le-vatalah.” This is all when you put in enough oil and didn’t place it where the wind could blow it out. If you didn’t put in enough oil, or placed it where the wind could blow it out, so that from the start it was bound to go out, you’re required to relight it with a blessing. The first blessing was le-vatalah, so you have to make a new blessing. If you lit it where you knew it would go out in 2 seconds, it doesn’t count.
“Ve-yesh omrim de-ru’ach ein lo lachzor u-levarech, de-shema oto ru’ach lo hayah bari... bari ke-she-yichabehu. Aval im hayah bari ke-she-yichabehu...” When it comes to wind, you have to know that it would have put the candle out. Sometimes the wind isn’t really strong, and things like that.
Yud-Zayin. “Ner shel cheres (earthenware lamp) she-hidlik bo laylah echad na’aseh yashan u-ma’us, ve-ein madlikin bo laylah acher.” This is important. Let’s say you have earthenware lamps used for the candles. They become smoky and black, so don’t use them the second night. It’s an enhancement of the mitzvah not to use them. It’s not kavod to use them. The glass cups often turn black too. Clean them. I guess the earthenware ones are hard to clean, or they break.
“Ve-hineh, chadashim be-chol laylah. Ve-im ein lo ela yashan, masiko be-chol laylah ba-or ve-hu na’aseh ke-chadash.” Light it and put the earthenware in the fire to make it like new. Even though it’s darkened a little, putting it in the fire makes it like new. We don’t need to do that with those things. “Ve-ner shel matechet ein tzarich chadash, ve-shel zechuchit ve-shel cheres metzupah dino ke-matechet.” A metal lamp doesn’t need to be new; glass and glazed earthenware have the same law as metal.
“Ve-omnam, ha-petilot ein chosheshin le-hachlifan.” You don’t have to change the wicks every night. If they’re still good, of course. “She-ein ha-petilah nim’eset.” On the contrary, an old wick is better than a new one. “She-ha-yeshanah tovah yoter.” It lights better. “Ve-aderabah, petilah yeshanah tovah yoter lehadlikah me-chadashah.” It lights better when it’s already charred.
“That’s a very small wick; it burns out after...” Ah, so it burns out! “I hachi nami!” If it burns out, then obviously it won’t light better. It burned out! We’re not talking about that case. I heard a story with Rabbi Mansour: it went out right away. He said, “kavtah ein zakuk lah.” Of course! You’ve already made the blessing and fulfilled the mitzvah. If it went out, for sure. We’re up to Tav-Resh-Ayin-Gimel today. There are four se'ifim (sections). Yahya, do you want to start? Go slowly. Don’t rush.
“Halachah alef (Jewish law).” “Kol ha-shemanim ve-ha-petilot (wick) kesherim (fit for use) le-ner Chanukah, ve-af al pi she-ein ha-shemanim nimshachim achar ha-petilah, ve-ein ha-or nitlah yafeh otam ba-petilah.” All oils and all wicks are fit for use for the Chanukah candle, even though some oils don’t draw properly and some wicks don’t catch properly. Look at the Mishnah Berurah: “Hainu, ki yesh shemanim geru’im, she-einam nimshachim achar ha-petilah, ve-chen yesh petilot geru’ot she-ein ha-or nitlah yafeh ba-hem.” There are inferior oils that don’t draw up the wick properly, and inferior wicks that don’t catch properly.
“U-ve-Shabbat asur lehadlikam.” On Shabbat, it’s forbidden to light with them. Why? On Shabbat you’re allowed to benefit from the candles, so you might come to adjust them. You might think that on Chanukah it’s forbidden to light with them too, in case you come to put them out, or because they might just go out. “Ka-mashma lan de-ein lachush la-zeh, de-kaima lan kavtah ein zakuk lah.” It teaches us that we needn’t be concerned about that, because we know that if it goes out, one need not relight it. We’re letting you use inferior materials because if they go out, you don’t have to relight them. During the week, what do I care if they flicker? The reason is that if they go out, you don’t have to relight them.
“De-keivan she-hidlik na’asah zecher la-nes (remembrance of the miracle) ve-nigmerah ha-mitzvah. Ha-hadlakah osah mitzvah (the lighting itself constitutes the mitzvah).” Since he lit it, it became a remembrance of the miracle and the mitzvah was completed. The lighting itself constitutes the mitzvah. “Kesherim le-ner Chanukah, mi-kol makom mitzvah min ha-muvchar likach petilat tzemer gefen. O chuti pishtan.” They’re all fit for the Chanukah candle, but the preferred mitzvah is to use a cotton wick or flax threads.
“Shuman (fat) o chelev (forbidden fat) she-na’asah basar be-chalav (meat and milk), asur lehadlik mimenu ner Chanukah.” If you have a mixture of meat and milk, you can’t use it to light a Chanukah candle, because it’s forbidden for benefit. “Ve-gam ken asur be-nitbatel be-shishim lehadlik mimenu.” Even if it’s nullified in sixty, it’s forbidden to use it for lighting.
“Ha-minhag hu be-yom rishon echad u-mi-kan va-eilech mosif ve-holech, tzarich she-yehe ha-nosaf domeh la-ner ha-ikar.” The custom is to light one on the first night and add more each night. The added candle should be similar to the main candle. The candles should be uniform. But among those who light one candle for each member of the household, one person can light with oil and another with wax, because each has a separate menorah.
“U-ve-shemen ha-gazul tzarich iyun.” Stolen oil needs further examination: is it fit for the Chanukah candle? What’s the question? Look at number four. “Ayein mah she-katav...” We lost the place. Continue, Yahya. “U-mi-hu shemen zayit (olive oil) mitzvah min ha-muvchar. Ve-im ein shemen zayit matzui, mitzvah bi-she’ar shemanim (other oils), bi-shemanim she-oran zach ve-naki.” Olive oil is the preferred mitzvah. If olive oil isn’t available, the mitzvah is with other oils whose light is clear and clean.
“Ve-nohagim bi-medinot eilu (these countries) lehadlik be-nerot shel sha’avah (wax), ki oran tzalul kemo shemen.” The custom in these countries is to light wax candles because their light is clear like oil. “Ve-afilu be-leil Shabbat she-be-toch yemei Chanukah, mutar lehadlik be-ner Chanukah ha-shemanim ve-ha-petilot she-asur lehadlik ba-hen ner Shabbat.” Even on Shabbat during Chanukah, it’s permitted to light the Chanukah candle with oils and wicks that you can’t use for the Shabbat candle.
Why? During the week, we don’t care if it flickers because if it goes out, you don’t have to relight it. On Shabbat, before it goes out, you might come to adjust it. He says, “Lefi she-asur lehishtamesh be-ner Chanukah, bein be-Shabbat bein be-chol.” You’re not allowed to use the Chanukah candle, whether on Shabbat or during the week, so you won’t come to adjust it. But what about the shamash? Look at the Mishnah Berurah, section Gimel: “Aval lo le-ha-shamash.” On Shabbat Chanukah (Shabbat during Chanukah), you shouldn’t make the shamash from oils and wicks that aren’t suitable for Shabbat, because you’re allowed to use the shamash for some purpose, so we’re concerned that you might adjust it. That’s a stringency for the shamash: on Shabbat, you have to use very good oils, the kind that are fit for Shabbat.
Before you get to “Ve-afilu livdok ma’ot,” look at the Mishnah Berurah, section Heh. A mouse in the oil makes it disgusting, and it’s forbidden for the Chanukah candle. Wax is permitted, but in any case oil is preferred to wax. That’s a big point in the Mishnah Berurah: oil comes before wax, because the miracle happened through oil. So regular oil, even peanut oil, is better than wax. What about the peanuts? There’s no mitzvah with peanuts; it’s the oil that matters.
“Ve-afilu be-leil Shabbat she-be-tocho rotzeh lomar de-salka da’atach de-nechush la-zeh, kemo be-erev be-leilei Shabbat, shema yateh... shemen, hacha ein lachush la-zeh, de-asur lehishtamesh le-orah.” On Friday night, it won’t apply, because you’re forbidden to use the Chanukah candle’s light, so you won’t come to adjust it.
David, do you want to read number one? This is a very interesting text. “Kol ha-shemanim ve-ha-petilot kesherim, lehadlik be-shemen be-lo petilah.” That’s a great question: can I light oil without a wick, or do I need a wick at all? Just light the oil? The oil is flammable. “Katav ha-Sdei Chemed she-yotzim ba-zeh yedei chovah.” The Sdei Chemed says that you fulfill your obligation this way. “Ve-af al pi she-ba-Mikdash (Temple) hayah shemen u-petilah, mi-kol makom be-Chanukah lo ba’inan davka dumya de-Beit HaMikdash (Temple). She-harei kol ha-shemanim kesherim.” Even though in the Temple there was oil and a wick, for Chanukah we don’t specifically require something like the Temple, since all oils are fit for use. So the Sdei Chemed wants to say that you can even use oil alone.
“Im ken hu ha-din be-lo petilah, yotzim kol she-hu dolek yafeh, ela she-mitzvah min ha-muvchar lehadlik im petilah, ki heichi de-mitzvah min ha-muvchar lehadlik be-shemen zayit, dumya de-Mikdash.” If so, the same applies without a wick: you fulfill the obligation as long as it burns well. But the preferred way is to light with a wick, just as olive oil is preferred because it resembles the Temple practice. How does that work? You light oil—oil on fire, water? It’s flammable, like fuel. You can drop a lighter in. An oil truck can catch fire without a wick. If you can light it somehow, take a big torch and catch it.
Let’s see how the halachic authorities take it. And then chashmal (electricity). “Katav be-Kaf HaChaim she-ein yotzim bo yedei chovah, she-harei ha-nes hayah al yedei hadlakat shemen u-petilah, ve-ha-chashmal eino ela or be-lo tefisat mamashut.” The Kaf HaChaim says you don’t fulfill your obligation with it, because the miracle was through lighting oil and a wick, while electricity is only light without any tangible substance. A light bulb isn’t comparable to that. “Ve-od, she-ba-Menorah hayetah petilah nidleket al yedei adam, ve-zo al yedei mechonah.” The lamp in the Menorah was lit by a person; this is lit by a machine, the electric company.
“Ve-od, keivan she-ha-ashashit she-yesh bah ko’ach ha-or hi mele’ah or, havei ke-medurah (bonfire), she-eino oleh afilu le-ner echad.” Since the whole bulb is filled with light, it’s like a bonfire and doesn’t even count as one candle. There are a lot of sevarot (reasonings) here. It was also raised in Chazon Ovadia. Chacham Ovadia (Rabbi Ovadia Yosef) also doesn’t accept electric lights, so you can’t use a light bulb.
“She-af ha-Sdei Chemed she-hitir lehadlik be-lo petilah.” Even though the Sdei Chemed permitted lighting without a wick, what’s the difference? “Hacha she-ein shemen klal, modeh she-eino.” Here there isn’t any oil. The miracle was done with oil. Still, “mi she-ein lo ela ner chashmal, yadlikenu zecher la-nes be-lo berachah.” If you have nothing else and only have an electric light, turn it on as a remembrance of the miracle, without a blessing. Better than nothing. If afterward you get oil and a wick, “yadlik shuv nerot Chanukah bi-vrachah.” Light Chanukah candles again with a blessing. So you haven’t fulfilled the obligation at all; he doesn’t even say it’s doubtful. It’s just a remembrance.
“Hadlakah be-gaz, huvah mi-shemeih...” The gaon Rabbi Ben Tzion Abba Shaul, may the memory of the righteous be a blessing, says that you can make a blessing on lighting with gas. You put a little gas underneath and light it. But Chazon Ovadia says you don’t fulfill the obligation that way, because you need oil and a wick burning, like the Menorah in the Temple. So he’s stringent about this.
Now let’s look at what he says about oils that are fit for use. “Kol ha-shemanim kesherim lehadlik, ve-shemen zayit min ha-muvchar.” We saw that. Even if wax candles give a clear, beautiful light, the mitzvah is with olive oil as a remembrance of the miracle. The Mishnah Berurah says the Rema wrote that the custom is to use wax because its light is clear, but nevertheless the mitzvah is better with oil than with wax. That’s an important ruling: what’s better, a clear light or a remembrance of the miracle? The remembrance of the miracle is better. The Mishnah Berurah prefers oil.
If you don’t have olive oil, what should you take? Oil. “Ya’adif shemen acher me-hadlik be-sha’avah.” He should prefer another oil to lighting with wax. In any case, olive oil is preferable. That’s an important principle to remember: oil is more important.
“Ner chashmalit.” Here’s what we wanted to talk about: electric lights. “Ha-mechuberet le-zerem chashmal, nir’eh she-ein yotzim yedei chovah be-hadlakatah.” It seems that you don’t fulfill the obligation with a light connected to electric current. But a battery-operated lamp, a lamp that operates on gas, and a lamp that has enough fuel to burn for half an hour may fulfill the obligation. Flashlights! Put eight flashlights up. Do you make a blessing? Let’s see what Chacham Ovadia says.
Ohr LeTzion, part four, chapter 44. “Ve-ta’am ha-davar, mishum de-ba’inan shi’ur shemen she-yadlik chatzi sha’ah, ve-im ken, be-zerem ha-chashmal lo chashiv she-yesh kan ke-shi’ur she-tadlik chatzi sha’ah, lefi she-hu mit-chadesh be-chol rega.” You need an amount of oil that will burn for half an hour. With electric current, there isn’t an amount that will burn for half an hour, because the current is renewed every moment. A battery is different: the half hour is in the battery. What a reason! “Mah she-ein ken be-po’elet... harei yesh kan chomer ha-hadlakah ke-shi’ur chatzi sha’ah.”
The Kaf HaChaim has another reason to forbid gas and an electric Menorah: the miracle was through oil and a wick. You need oil and a wick; this isn’t that. There is a filament, though. He also says there has to be a tangible substance that burns, like oil, and that the Menorah was lit by a person. In any case, the words of our teacher, Rabbi Chacham Ben Tzion, answer those reasons well. That’s a big new point. But not fluorescent, because fluorescent doesn’t have a light. A real flashlight, a battery-powered flashlight.
Where is Chacham Ben Tzion’s book? Part four, chapter 44. If he says that, he would say you make a blessing on that too? Yes, that’s a tremendous new point, like in a hotel or something. We have to see what Chacham Ovadia says; Chacham Ovadia doesn’t agree.
“Ha-im efshar latzet yedei chovat hadlakat nerot Chanukah al yedei chashmal o gaz? Ner chashmal ha-po’el al yedei solelah.” Can you fulfill the obligation to light Chanukah candles with electricity or gas? A light that operates on a battery: “Yotzim bah yedei chovat hadlakah? Aval im po’el al yedei zerem, ein yotzim bah yedei chovah.” With a battery, you fulfill the obligation; with electric current, you don’t. “Ve-ner gaz asui lehavah achat bilvad, yotzim bo yedei hadlakah.” With a gas lamp, which is made of one flame, you fulfill the obligation.
“Ve-al ken mi she-ein lo shemen o nerot, rashai lehishtamesh be-ner chashmal ha-po’el al yedei bateriyah, u-vilvad she-yitkayem shi’ur hadlakah shel chatzi sha’ah, ve-yachol gam levarech aleihem.” If someone has no oil or candles, he may use a battery-operated light, provided it will burn for half an hour, and he can also make a blessing on it. “Ein tzarich shemen u-petilah dumya de-Beit HaMikdash.” You don’t need oil and a wick like those in the Temple. You don’t need olive oil specifically.
That’s a good case if you’re on a plane or train, or in a hotel room with no menorah. He’s assuming there’s an obligation to light in those places. Could be on a plane. I don’t go through the whole discussion like you, and I don’t know all the conclusions. I’m not the greatest Torah scholar in this neighborhood. But if you find yourself somewhere you can’t light with oil or candles, that’s what he’s saying. First of all, everybody says that if you’re on a plane, you don’t light. I didn’t see anyone light on a plane. What are you talking about? You’re asleep on the plane for three hours. It could be a train where you sleep overnight. A hotel room, yes.
What does Chacham Ovadia say? He has a discussion of wax and batteries. “Da’at rabim ve-chen shelemim me-achronei dorenu she-ein yotzim yedei chovah be-hadlakat nerot chashmal.” Many of the later authorities hold that you don’t fulfill your obligation with electric lights, so we won’t make a blessing on electric lights. Nobody said to make a blessing on an electric light. An electric lamp is much farther from the Menorah in the Temple than a wax candle is, although at least the wax candle has a flame. One may use wax candles for the mitzvah, based on the ruling of the Eliyah Rabbah. The wax under the flame melts, making it like an oil lamp. An electric bulb, however, isn’t comparable at all. Chazon Ovadia, page 94.
Why doesn’t he discuss battery-operated lights in this book? “Ein yotzim yedei chovah bi-menorot gaz she-ein la-hem petilah.” Maybe that’s the reason. How could a flashlight work? He says you need a wick. So he doesn’t accept that. “Ve-yesh linhog ke-vateihu gam le-inyan ner chashmal.” We should follow him also regarding the electric Chanukah light. If you say you need a wick, can you have open gas when it’s a real flame? It doesn’t have a wick. That’s right.
You could make a distinction: maybe with a battery-operated light, the filament acts as a wick. Maybe Chacham Ovadia would consider that differently. We don’t know; we’d have to see what he says in Chazon Ovadia. He has another new point about the candles.
“Ha-madlik be-fetilot muchanot ha-metzupot be-sha’avah.” These are wicks covered with wax. “Ein yotzim yedei chovat hadlakat ner Chanukah be-or ha-chashmal she-tzarich lehakpid al shemen u-petilah be-domeh le-hadlakat ha-Menorah be-Beit HaMikdash she-bah na’asah ha-nes.” It sounds like he requires oil and a wick, like the Menorah in the Temple, where the miracle happened. “Le-or ha-amur nireh... ha-muram mi-kol ha-amur she-im ein lo shemen o ner shel sha’avah le-mitzvat hadlakat nerot Chanukah yadlik nerot Chanukah be-chashmal be-li berachah.” If someone has no oil or wax candles for Chanukah, he should light electric Chanukah lights without a blessing.
“Ve-ha-tas ba-matos o nose’a ba-rakevet ve-ein lo efsharut lehadlik ner Chanukah be-shemen o sha’avah, tov she-yadlik panas chashmali be-lo berachah.” Someone on a plane or traveling on a train who can’t light Chanukah candles with oil or wax should turn on a flashlight without a blessing. That’s clearly without a blessing. Turn on the light on your phone or the light above your seat. Maybe they have an app now. That would be battery-powered? No, that’s electric. Turn on that thing.
“Shuv ra’iti le-ha-Garashz Auerbach she-katav she-yesh le-histapek im be-or ha-chashmal kasher ke-she-nikshu le-shem ner Chanukah. Ve-lakhen ke-she-ein lo bereirah yadlik panas ve-yevarech alav.” I later saw that Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach wrote that one can rely on electric light when it’s designated as a Chanukah candle. So when there’s no choice, light a flashlight and make a blessing on it. He says to make a blessing on it! That’s not Chacham Ovadia’s view. “U-mi-shum safek berachot, be-li berachah.” Because of the doubt about blessings, without a blessing.
“Ve-gam ra’iti et HaRav Elyashiv she-katav be-din hadlakat nerot Chanukah be-chashmal she-bi-mekom ha-dechak im yesadru nerot Chanukah be-ofen she-yihyeh lo heker she-hu ner Chanukah she-mi-dameh.” Rabbi Elyashiv wrote that in a difficult situation, if you arrange the electric Chanukah lights so that there’s a recognizable sign that they’re Chanukah candles, you may do so. One can question why he didn’t say to light without a blessing. These authorities say you can make a blessing on a flashlight when you have no alternative. Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach and Chacham Ben Tzion both say you can make a blessing on a flashlight.
That’s a fantastic new point. One more line before we pray. So halachah le-ma’aseh (practical halachah), why do we have to make a blessing? “I want to make a blessing.” Why do you want to make a blessing? “I want to do a mitzvah.” Knowing the opinions now, why would you? I agree that in practical halachah we follow Chacham Ovadia, but what are you going to do with Chacham Ben Tzion’s view? Put it under the table? He told you to make a blessing. Heads or mob! Chacham Ben Tzion says you don’t need to be like the Temple. We light all kinds of things that aren’t like the Temple. He says you don’t even need a wick. What are you talking about? You need enough oil to last half an hour? The battery lasts half an hour.
It’s a machloket ha-Poskim (dispute among halachic authorities). I wouldn’t want to—but I get the point. We agree we’re going to follow Chacham Ovadia in halachah le-ma’aseh (practical halachah), but it’s a major machloket (dispute). By the way, Ner Ish Uveito says to make a blessing. Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach and Rabbi Elyashiv say to make a blessing.
The last question is one that always comes up: these wax-covered wicks. Is that not the best because there’s no cotton? No, the cotton is covered. You have to light with olive oil, right? The first thing being lit is the wax. “Ha-hadlakah osah mitzvah,” so you’re saying the mitzvah is done with wax. When you light the first flame, the cotton is the fuel until the oil starts to draw. The cotton is fuel; it’s flammable. But practically, you’re lighting with wax. So is that considered wax, not oil? You’re using a wax candle. If the lighting itself is the mitzvah and the first flame is lit from the wax, then the oil comes in afterward.
Someone might say you have to dip the wax-covered wicks in oil. That happens automatically if you put the wicks in first and then pour the oil; they get dipped in oil. The top too? When you pour the oil on them, it goes up. Remember yesterday the rabbi said they bend down? These don’t bend down. They’re stiff because they have wax on them, so they stand straight. The ones that bend down are just cotton; they go limp when you put oil on them. These are the ones I use.
“Ken savar ha-Chacham Ben Tzion, de-haynu mishum de-ha-hadlakah osah mitzvah, u-miyad keshe-yadlik na’asah ha-mitzvah, u-ve-otah et she-madlik lo hitchil shemen le-himasech ba-petilah, ve-dolek be-ko’ach ha-sha’avah.” That’s his view: the lighting itself is the mitzvah, and as soon as it’s lit, the mitzvah is done. At that moment, the oil hasn’t begun to draw into the wick; the wick is burning by the power of the wax on it. So you’re lighting with wax. The simple solution is to dip it in oil.
“O ve-im ken ha-rotzeh lekayem mitzvah min ha-muvchar lehadlik be-shemen zayit, yesh lo lehasir ha-sha’avah me-hem, o al kol panim yasfigem heitev be-shemen kodem ha-hadlakah.” If you want to fulfill the preferred mitzvah with olive oil, remove the wax or, at least, soak the wicks well in oil before lighting. “Ve-haynu be-ofen ha-matzui she-ha-petilot einam metzupim be-sha’avah rak sevivam ve-lo be-rasheihem. Ve-al ken, im yanicham be-shemen...” That means letting the wick absorb some oil, so that when you light it, it’s burning with oil.
Here comes the answer to David’s question. “Ve-yesh leva’er ba-zeh: de-hineh be-emet be-chol hadlakat ner, le-olam ha-esh eino nitpeset al gabei ha-shemen ha-nozli bifnei atzmo, rak nitpeset al gabei ha-chomer she-ba-petilah, ve-af al pi chen ha-shemen na’aseh chomer be’erah.” Whenever you light a lamp, the flame catches on the wick, and then the oil begins to draw. Still, the oil is the burning material.
“U-mi-kol makom nir’eh pashut she-gam im yadlik be-petilah arukah, ve-ya’avor eizeh zman, mi-kol makom vadai nechshav hidlik be-shemen, lefi she-ken hi darko shel olam.” Even if you light a long wick and some time passes before the flame reaches the oil, it’s still considered lighting with oil, because that’s how an oil lamp works. I can’t make a new rule contrary to nature. But here it’s different, because you put something on the wick. You’ve already changed it. When there’s no separation between the wick and the oil, that’s fine. But when you’re putting a new material on the wick, perhaps it’s different.
Is that a major stringency? “Omnam le-ma’aseh horah she-ein chashash ba-davar.” In practical halachah, he rules that there’s no concern. Why? He says in Ohr LeTzion, part four, chapter 44, section 8. I’m very happy—no concern. Most people use those wicks. They sell them.
“She’eilah: metzuyim ka-yom sugei petilot ha-asuyim mi-petil mukaf sha’avah... Ha-im she-petil mukaf nechshav she-hidlik nerot be-shemen zayit?” Is a wick surrounded by wax considered lighting with olive oil? The Rema says olive oil is the preferred mitzvah because that’s what the miracle happened with. The Mishnah Berurah says oil is better than wax, even if the wax gives a better flame. That’s the whole point: the preferred mitzvah is with olive oil, even if it costs more.
“Ve-hineh yesh lirtzot lomar she-keivan she-ha-hadlakah be-shemen zayit mitzvah, ein lehishtamesh be-petil tzaf ha-mukaf sha’avah.” One could argue that since the mitzvah is to light with olive oil, you shouldn’t use floating wicks surrounded by wax. In the first moments, it’s the wax lighting the wick, not the oil. “Ulam nir’eh she-ein lachush la-zeh kelal, she-keivan she-ha-hadlakah be-ikarah hi mi-ko’ach ha-shemen zayit, ve-ha-sha’avah einah ela litpos et ha-petilah kedei she-tidbak yoter.” But it seems there’s no need to be concerned at all: the lighting is primarily powered by the olive oil, and the wax is only there to hold the wick so it catches more easily. The wick also draws from the oil, so it’s considered lighting with olive oil. He doesn’t make us crazy about this.
There's no way that you could yotzei with that, because that wick doesn't have anything to last the half hour. Even if you want to say For sure! So, it would No, no, no, but so I'm I'm using, I know. So, there's no way you could be yotzei. No, I'm using sha'avah, I'm using sha'avah and oil. Yeah, but the point But I was yotzei then as well with sha'avah. You weren't, cuz the only Why wasn't I? Why wouldn't I? I have enough, I have enough, I have enough oil to last. Or have enough of Or I have enough oil. Big It's the oil! Meaning the wick. But I was yotzei then with I have enough oil between sha'avah and oil I have enough. No, but without the oil I don't I don't need a half hour of sha'avah. So then you would never be yotzei with that. Why wouldn't I be yotzei? I have a half hour of sha'avah and oil. Don't Don't we need to light something that would that would last for a half hour? This candle is going to last a half hour. This wick will last a half hour. Only because of the shemen though. Or both. Why can't you say both? Because if I had the wick alone Who says I need I need a half hour of only one material? Let's say I have 15 minutes of oil, 15 minutes of wax. It's also, no? So how was I yotzei? I was yotzei with the with the wax. Combination. The wax in the beginning, at least the first eight seconds, which what's all I need, by the way. Which all I need, I have enough oil, but I was yotzei with that moment. “Ka-mashma lan,” don't be such a, don't be such a wise guy then I'm then I could have said it's oil, whatever. So the two halachot we came out with: Chacham Ben Tzion has a stringency and two kulot (leniency). The flashlight is a leniency, but don’t publicize it too loudly. And in practical halachah, we’re going to accept one leniency of Chacham Ben Tzion regarding the wax-covered floating wicks, but not the leniency of making a blessing on the flashlight. Tomorrow: Menachot (the tractate Menachot), Berachot (the tractate Berachot).