Rabbi AZ Thau
Shaliach and Judaic Studies
One of the most well-known discussions pertaining to Chanukah is the mitzvah of lighting candles. Many questions have been asked regarding the details of the mitzvah—for example: What is the most ideal fuel source to use? Can I use wax candles? How long does your fire need to last? And there are many others as well.
The Gemara in Masechet Shabbat 21b says that the bare minimum one needs to fulfill their obligation is to have a single candle lit in their home. Here the Gemara continues and adds in a fascinating concept of Hiddur Mitzvah/Mehadrin. This is the idea of beautifying and elevating the initial mitzvah to a higher level. There is a discussion as to how one accomplishes this.
The first opinion of Mehadrin is to have every member of the household light one candle. The next level of Mehadrin Min Hamehadrin is debated between Beit Hillel and Beit Shamai. Beit Shamai ruled we should begin lighting eight candles on the first night and on the eighth night of Chanukah light a single candle, corresponding either to the number of remaining days or correlated to the decrease in offerings brought over the holiday of sukkot. Beit Hillel however felt that the first night we should light one candle and on the eighth night we should light eight candles. His logic was that we increase in our levels of Kedusha and we do not decrease. Based on this, the Rambam codifies the Halacha (Mishneh Torah, Scroll of Esther and Hanukkah 4:1) like the Gemara.
The Shulchan Aruch OC 672:1 and the Rema have a slight difference regarding the most ideal opportunity for lighting candles. The Shulchan Aruch rules that regardless of the total number of people who are in the home, the highest observance is for one person to light and increase his number according to the night. In contrast, the Rema says everyone in the household should light and increase their total number of candles according to the night. The Rema adds that everyone’s candle should be in a place where their number is recognizable.
Lastly, the Tur in OC 671, says that this is such an important mitzvah that even a person who collects money from the community funds to support themselves is required to even go to such great lengths as to sell their clothing to be able to light Chanukah candles.
We can see how great and important of a mitzvah it is to spread the light and remembrance of the miracle of Chanukah. May we all merit to increase Kedusha and light in our own personal lives as well as the lives of others. Chanukah Sameach.
Aaron Breitbart
Grade 9 Student, Yeshivat Or Chaim
It says in the Gemara (Shabbat 21b):
בֵּית שַׁמַּאי אוֹמְרִים: יוֹם רִאשׁוֹן מַדְלִיק שְׁמֹנָה, מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ פּוֹחֵת וְהוֹלֵךְ. וּבֵית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים: יוֹם רִאשׁוֹן מַדְלִיק אַחַת, מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ מוֹסִיף וְהוֹלֵךְ.
Beit Shammai says: On the first day one kindles eight lights and, from there on, gradually decreases the number of lights until, on the last day of Hanukkah, he kindles one light. And Beit Hillel says: On the first day one kindles one light, and from there on, gradually increases the number of lights until, on the last day, he kindles eight lights.
This argument seems very simple, but have you ever wondered the basis of it? I recently heard a great answer in a speech: that the reason that Beit Shammai says that we start with eight candles and descend each day is because of potential. Shammai says we do it like this because every single day the potential of having oil is reduced. Every single night, the chance of having oil became smaller and smaller. The reasoning for Beit Hillel is much different. His reasoning is that every night, the miracle became greater. After the second night, the miracle was not even as close to as great as the seventh night. Every single night, when there was somehow still oil left, the miracle grew.
I think that the view of Beit Hillel is very important and we should use that view in our daily lives. In our lives, when something is not going great, or it is a time of desperation, we should always believe in miracles. When things are going wrong, we should hope that the miracle will grow and that we will persevere. Happy Chanukah!
Mia Jakubovic
Grade 12 Student, Ulpanat Orot
As we light the seventh candle tonight, the room fills with a quiet glow. It’s not just the glow of the flame; it is the glow of warmth, hope, and something deeper inside each and every one of us. Each candle represents more than just another day of Chanukah. They shine brightly and proudly, showing the strength of our nation and our resilience against those who wish to extinguish our eternal flame.
This year, the seventh night feels especially powerful. The number seven plays a significant role in Judaism. We celebrate Shabbat on the seventh day of the week, a day gifted by Hashem of rest and connection to those around us. As well, the number seven reminds us of October 7th, the day our nation faced unimaginable darkness. The pain of that day has remained in our hearts, magnified by the hatred we face on a daily basis. As the hatred towards us still continues, we must make sure to remain strong as a nation. Tonight, as the chanukiah burns brightly, it reminds us of one simple truth: that the Jewish flame can never be extinguished.
The story of Chanukah is a story about choosing hope when despair feels easier. It’s about finding strength in faith, even when the odds seem impossible. When the Maccabees lit the menorah in the rededicated Beit Hamikdash, they did not know how long the oil would last. They lit it anyway. That act of faith, that decision to bring light into the world despite the uncertainty, is what makes Chanukah more than a historical event: it makes it a guide for our lives.
October 7th was a day of darkness, but the chanukiah reminds us that even the deepest darkness can be pierced by light. Without darkness, we can’t see the light. Tonight, the seventh candle is not just a flame. It is a promise. It is our way of saying that no matter what we face, we will keep shining. We will keep believing. We will keep building a future for Am Yisrael. Let the Chanukah candles remind us that our strength is not only in surviving but in thriving, in building a future filled with hope, and in spreading that hope to others.
