Channukah, von Baghdad nach Berlin

Ben Ish Chai, Channukah, Year One

... we find that the Torah and its commandments are complete only in regard to these three things [thought, speech, and action], and this is why the Torah is known as "light", and the mitzvot are called "candles" - because candles have three elements: themselves, their wick and the oil. If one of these three are missing, the candle can not function. Light, too, has three colours. Therefore, on Channukah, the miracle was performed through the triple light of the tripartite candles of the Menorah, because the Israelites merited the miracle through living in holiness in thought, speech and action.

Therefore, also, Joseph the Righteous, because he served God completely through these three paths, was granted a miracle with regards to Potiphar's wife through a candle (which is triple, as we have seen). For, as we know from Targum Yonatan, she [Potiphar's wife] brought egg-white and spread it on the bed in order to strengthen her slander. The verse says "see, a Hebrew man has been brought to mock us", and Yonatan explains that "see" means that the sheets were checked with a candle, and therefore her lie was discovered and he was not killed... (or zarua latzadik...)

This is why the festival is called Channukah (חנו-כ"ה), because the 25th word in the Torah is 'light', and the miracle occurred on the 25th of the month... and because of their observance of these three things, they were saved from the three decrees of the Greeks, who forbade Shabbat, Chodesh and circumcision... and the miracle involved oil, which is called משח, and it is at the end of the month, so that it always includes Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh. This is also the reason we begin with three blessings.

1. On the first night, we bless three blessings: Lehadlik, She'asa, and Shehechiyanu. Our blessed sages gave us a mnemonic for this, namely, the verse "Make a fiery seraph, raise it up on a staff (nes), behold it and live." [Numbers 21:8]... and after lighting the first candle, one says hanerot halalu . In the correct version of this text there are 36 words, corresponding to the candles of all eight days of the festival. And one should stand, together with one's wife and children, during the lighting of all the candles.

2. Even though the blessing on Shabbat is lehadlik ner shel shabbat, on Channukah we bless lehadlik ner channukah, and we do not use the word shel, so that one can intend to the initials of the words, which spell out the holy name נחל, which allude to the verses notzer chesed lealafim and nafshenu chikta ladonai, since [in the story of Channukah] they were saved because of their trust in God and hoped for his salvation. My opinion is that this is why the miracle occurred in the month of Kislev, whose first and last letters spell out כו, which is equivalent to God's name, and the remaining letters are the initials of lefurkanach savrit ad0nai, which is Aramaic for "I hope for your salvation, O Lord."

3. If one didn't bless shehechiyanu on the first night, it should be recited on the second night instead. Even a mourner blesses shehechiyanu, but an "onan" should light the candles without a blessing - and if it is possible to do it by proxy, this is surely better.

4. The commandment is to place the Chanukiya on a pedestal by the doorway, even in our times, when it is lit indoors. If there is no mezuza on the right, it should be placed on the right, and if there is, it should be on the left (of one entering the house). This would allow one to fulfil three commandments simultaneously as they walk in wearing tzitzit, whose initials are צמח, and this will bring the Messiah, whose name is also צמח, and fulfil the verse "Open the gates, and let the righteous nation enter... you will spread to the right and to the left." When the Channukiya is placed by the left doorpost, the first candle should be set on the far end [on the right]. On the second night, the new candle should be set closer to the doorpost, and should be lit first, and so on, until on the eighth night the candles reach the doorpost and one turns to the right as they light. Yet if there is no mezuza on the right, and the Channukiya is by the right doorpost, one should do the opposite, placing the first candle close to the doorpost etc., so that one still turns to the right when lighting the new candles.

5. The [flame of the] candles should be higher than three tefachim, and the commandment is to have them lower than ten tefachim. However, in retrospect, if they are higher than ten the obligation is fulfilled. According to the secret, they should be placed slightly above seven. If they were placed higher than twenty amah, one has not fulfilled their obligation.

6. The candles have to be lit in the place that they are set down. Even if the master of the house is sick and lying in bed, it is forbidden to bring the candle to the bed to have it lit and then set back in the chanukiya. Therefore, if it is impossible to get up and reach the place of the chanukiya, one should appoint a messenger to light the candles. The one who is sick can say the blessing, and the messenger immediately lights in the next room.

7. The proper time to light the candles is when the stars are visible. When this time comes, one should not eat or study until they light. If one began to eat or study, they should stop and light. If, however, one didn't light the candles at star-time, it is permitted to light them as long as people in the house are awake. If they are asleep, the candles are lit without a blessing (in fact, it is enough that two people be awake.)

8. There should be enough oil to have the candles stay lit for half an hour. If there was not enough oil at the time of lighting, and oil is added, the commandment has not been fulfilled. If one said the blessing, and then realised that the oil is not sufficient for the next half hour, it is better to put out the candles, add oil and relight them without a blessing. Therefore, it is critical to visually inspect the candles before making the blessing to check that there is enough oil - since it is possible that one's wife poured enough oil at first, but it spilled out of the candle by accident. So, first look and the light.

9. If wind came and blew out the candle - if the channukiya was placed where winds normally rule, and where a candle cannot normally survive, the obligation has not been fulfilled, and it must be placed elsewhere and lit with no blessing. But if it was in a place normally unaffected by winds, and an accident occurred, one is not legally required to relight it. Yet if you do - may you be blessed!

10. If one forgot to recite the blessing after lighting the [first] candle - if there are still more candles to be lit, then the blessing should be recited, even though the additional candles are only supplementary. However, if one had already finished lighting all the candles, even if one remembered only a moment later, one does not recite lehadlik (since there is controversy over this, and we don't recite doubtful blessings), yet one should still recite she'asa nissim and shehekhiyanu ... and if after lighting the first candle, another candle is knocked over, or one realises that not enough candles have been prepared, one should silently wait for more candles to be set down and then light them. If one speaks, then the final blessings are not said.

11. One lights candles in the synagogue and blesses, yet the one lighting needs to also light at home too. If one is a guest, one does not bless shehechiyanu at home, because the blessing in the synagogue suffices.... If the first night of Channukah is on Shabbat, and one has already lit candles at home and said shehechiyanu, and everyone in the synagogue for the evening prayers already said the blessings at home, there is no need to say shehechiyanu again.

12. The best way to perform the commandment is with olive oil. If this olive oil, however was placed under a bed, it may not be used for shabbat or for channukah lights, because anything edible can receive evil spirits under a bed, and is rendered unfit for eating and for performing commandments. But if the oil was bitter and inedible, it does not receive evil spirits, and is permitted.

13. It is forbidden to light some candles with oil and some with wax, since it may seem that two people lit them, and it is also not an adornment of the commandment. In addition, it is proper to have all the candles equal in size and appearance, to adorn the commandment. Yet the additional candle called shamash should look different to the channukah candles, so that it will be obvious that it is not part of the commandment - this is what I do.

14. It is forbidden to make use of the light of the candles, whether for holy or secular purposes, although it is permitted for the additional candle. Some are more stringent, and forbid the additional candle too. According to the secret, if one uses the light, a great rupture is created and the outer forces have access to the supernal light, as R. Isaac Luria pointed out. All of this applies only to the time of the mitzvah.

15. In the case of a blind man - his wife should light the candles. If he has no wife, he should pay to have candles lit for him. And if he lives independently, he should light with the assistance of someone, but not bless.

16. The custom here in Baghdad (may God guard it), is that a child does not light, even if they are grown-up, but rather rely on their father. If a son is married, he should light again in his bedroom without a blessing - and during his father's blessing he should stand by him and intend [that the blessing apply to his lighting too], and then go and light in his room.

17. Two or three adults who eat separately but live together should join together financially, like a guest, and take turns in lighting the candles.

18. It is fitting to allow small children to light the additional candles, in order to educate them, since even the additional candle has some aspect of the commandment. This is what I do, and it is fitting to do so. But they should not light the obligatory candles, even though some permit it.

19. An educated small child should not light for others, nor should a chanuka candle be lit by another chanuka candle.

20. Channukah candles should be lit before shabbat candles. And even though it is usually men who light channukah candles and women who light Shabbat candles, a wife should wait for her husband before lighting.... However, if Shabbat is on the seventh or eighth night, when there are many candles, and the wife is stressed because of lack of time, she may go and light after her husband has lit the first candle... Minchah should also be said before lighting, and one shouldn't act like those idiots who light candles and then pray, since it is a paradox.

21. At the end of Shabbat, in the synagogue, the channukah candles are lit before havdalah. But at home, havadala is done first and the candles second, and this is more correct.

22. One does not go to cemeteries on the day of the yahrzeit, and one who has a yahrzeit during Channukah should go beforehand. But one does go to the tombs of the righteous, and in our city, we all go to lean on the tomb of Joshua the High Priest.

23. On the 24th of Kislev, one reads from the second chapter of the book of Hagai. And it brings luck to recite the verse vayehi noam seven times each night after lighting the candles...

24. One eats dairy products on Channukah, in memory of the milk that Judith gave to the enemy, who was a Greek king, as we read in the book Chemdat Yamim (!). Even though this event preceded the main miracle of Channukah by a number of years, since the enemy was also a Greek king and also wanted the Jews to leave their religion, we also recall it during these days... And in my opinion, milk hints at the three laws that were forbidden and which the Jews risked themselves to keep, since the first letter of חלב is the first letter of חודש, and the ב is the second letter of שבת, while the ל is the third letter of מילה.

27. Women should be careful to avoid doing work while the candles are burning, and this is an ancient custom that women have taken upon themselves.... I personally have taught that it is important to keep this custom, except for those women whose livelihood depends on daily work, in which case they shouldn't be too strict. I have also written letters to ask of the custom in the Holy City of Jerusalem, and was told that women work there on all the days of Channukah. But they do have a tradition that if a woman is in danger, she should vow not to work on Channukah, and will be saved. Some vow for one day, and some for two...

28. The festive meal of Shabbat on Channukah should be greater than a normal Shabbat, and even more so if Rosh Chodesh happens to land on the same day. Rosh Chodesh Tevet, which falls during Channukah, should also be particularly celebrated....