The Shulhan Aruch, in Siman 677 (listen to audio recording for precise citation), discusses the status of oil that is left over in the Menorah after the Hanukah candles have gone out. He writes that oil which was placed for the minimum half-hour of lighting is considered designated for Misva use and is therefore forbidden for other purposes. Meanin…

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraRabbi Eli J. Mansour

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraRabbi Eli J. Mansour

The holiday of Hanukah begins on the 25th of Kislev and continues for eight days. As the Gemara in Masechet Shabbat (21) relates, on the 25th of Kislev the Hashmonaim defeated the Greek oppressors and rededicated the Bet Ha'mikdash. As part of this process they kindled the Menora with the only jug of pure oil they found, and the candles of the Meno…

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraRabbi Eli J. Mansour

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraRabbi Eli J. Mansour

There is an obligation to recite the entire Hallel service on each of the eight days of Hanukah. This obligation applies regardless of whether one prays privately or with a Minyan; in either case, one is required to recite Hallel. Before reciting Hallel, one recites the Beracha, "…Asher Kideshanu Be'misvotav Ve'sivanu Li'gmor Et Ha'Hallel," and aft…

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraRabbi Eli J. Mansour

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraRabbi Eli J. Mansour

Many people go away for all or part of Hanukah and stay in hotels. How does one fulfill the Misva of Hanukah candle lighting in a hotel? Hacham Bension Abba Shaul (Israel, 1923-1998), in his responsa (vol. 4, 47; listen to audio recording for precise citation), rules that a hotel guest fulfills his obligation only by lighting in his room. The hotel…

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The Shulhan Aruch in Siman 675 establishes an important Halachic principle: "Hadlakah Osah Misva"-The act of lighting the Menorah fulfils the Misva, as opposed to "Hanaha Osah Misva"-the placement of the Menorah is the Misva. That is, it makes no difference if the Menorah was set up by a minor or others who are exempt from the Misva; one would not …

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraRabbi Eli J. Mansour

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraRabbi Eli J. Mansour

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraRabbi Eli J. Mansour

The Misva of lighting the menorah begins fifteen minutes after sunset for one half hour. Yet, on Friday night, we light 20-40 minutes before sunset to avoid the problem of chilul Shabbat. Even though it is not yet the time for the misva, we still light with a beracha. The Bach (Bayit Hadash, responsa by R. Yoel Sirkes, 1561-1640) marshals this prec…

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraRabbi Eli J. Mansour

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraRabbi Eli J. Mansour

The Halacha discusses how a guest should fulfil the Misva of Hanukah lighting in his host's home. In general, the guest should participate in the cost of the wicks and oil of his host by giving him a coin and thereby become a partner in his lighting. The most common case today is when married children spend a few days in their parent's home during …

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraRabbi Eli J. Mansour

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraRabbi Eli J. Mansour

If one forgot to inset "Al Hanisim" in the Amidah, he does not have to repeat the Amidah. However, if he remembers before the completion of the Amidah, he should insert it after "Yeh'Yu L'Rason," before "Oseh Shalom." This applies even if he remembered after saying "Baruch Atah Hashem," before concluding "Ha'tov Shimcha." He should not quickly conc…

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraRabbi Eli J. Mansour

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraRabbi Eli J. Mansour

In Siman 682, The Shulhan Aruch outlines the Halachot of inserting the special Hanukah addition of "Al Hanissim" in the Tefilot and Birkat Hamazon. One issue is whether it is permissible for the Shliah Sibbur to remind the congregation to insert "Al Hanisim" in the middle of Arbit. Does announcing "Al Hanisim", after the Kaddish before the Amidah, …

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraRabbi Eli J. Mansour

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraRabbi Eli J. Mansour

On the first night of Hanukah, we recite three Berachot over the candle lighting: "Le'hadlik Ner Hanukah"; "She'asa Nissim La'abotenu Ba'yamim Ha'hem Ba'zman Ha'zeh"; "She'hehiyanu." Our community follows the custom to recite as the text of the first Beracha, "Le'hadlik Ner Hanukah." Although the Rambam (Rabbi Moshe Maimonides, Spain-Egypt, 1135-12…

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraRabbi Eli J. Mansour

The Shulhan Aruch, in Orah Haim (672), writes that the proper time for lighting the Hanukah candles is the "end of sunset," or Set Ha'kochavim – nightfall (listen to audio recording for precise citation). Practically speaking, this means that one should light the Hanukah candles fifteen minutes after sundown. One should make an effort to light the …

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraRabbi Eli J. Mansour

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraRabbi Eli J. Mansour

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraRabbi Eli J. Mansour

The Misva of the Hanukah candles, as we know, is Pirsumeh Nisa – to publicize the Hanukah miracle. And therefore the candles are generally positioned (by those who light indoors; some people light outdoors) near the window facing the street, in order to publicize the miracle. The question arises as to whether one who lives on a high floor in an apa…

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraRabbi Eli J. Mansour

The custom is to light the Menorah in the Bet Knesset with Berachot. On Friday, it is lit, before Minha, once a Minyan is present. On Mosa'eh Shabbat it is lit during Arbit before the Kaddish Titkabal, before people rush home. This custom was not recorded in the Gemara, but it was accepted by the Shulhan Aruch. The question is whether a Menorah sho…

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraRabbi Eli J. Mansour

The Shulhan Aruch rules (671:5) that one must light an additional candle, called a Shamash, alongside the other Hanukah candles. This insures that any benefit one may receive from the light of the Menorah, in essence, is derived only from that extra candle, and it is therefore permitted. However, the Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-190…

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraRabbi Eli J. Mansour

The preferred way to light on Chanukah is with olive oil, because it was used in the Bet Hamikdash. Today, we find some olive oils made expressly for lighting, labeled "Not fit for human consumption." Is it permissible to light with these oils? The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) discusses a certain olive oil that is too bitter t…

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraRabbi Eli J. Mansour

Does Halacha require using a Menorah, or some other utensil, for the Hanukah candle lighting? If, for example, one has wax candles which he wishes to use for the Hanukah lighting, is it sufficient to simply place them on the windowsill, sticking them to aluminum foil, or must he use a Menorah? Hacham Bension Abba Shaul (Israel, 1923-1998) addresses…

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The Hesed L'Avraham, (Mysical work by R. Avraham Azulai, grandfather of the Rav Chida, Ch. 55), discusses various materials that a menorah should be made of. He lists them in the preferred order of hashivut. 1. Gold 2. Silver 3. Golden Bronze 4. Copper 5. Iron 6. Tin 7. Lead 8. Glass 9. Wood 10. Bone 11. Glazed Porcelain 12. New Unglazed Porcelain …

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraRabbi Eli J. Mansour

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraRabbi Eli J. Mansour

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraRabbi Eli J. Mansour

The text of many editions of Birkat Ha'mazon features a prayer in the "Ha'rahaman" section that reads, "Ha'rahaman Hu Yefarnesenu Be'chavod Ve'lo Be'bizui, Be'heter Ve'lo Be'issur, Be'nahat Ve'lo Be'sa'ar" – "The Merciful One shall sustain us honorably, and not disgracefully; permissibly, and not through prohibited means; easily, and not with distr…

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraRabbi Eli J. Mansour

In some situations, Birkat Ha'mazon is required by Torah law, and in other situations, it is required Mi'de'rabbanan – by force of Rabbinic enactment. The practical difference between a Torah obligation and one required Mi'de'rabbanan is in cases of Safeik – uncertainty. If one ate and cannot remember whether or not he recited Birkat Ha'mazon, then…