Page 42 - HaMizrachi Chanukah 5784 North America

After the Lighting

Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon

t is written in the Orchot Chayim seems that women should only refrain a beautiful custom for the entire family
(siman 21) and in the Kol Bo (siman from melachot that are forbidden on chol to sit together next to the candles with-
44) that women have the custom hamoed, meaning melachot that are a out rushing away, especially for the first
Ito not do melacha, work, while the bother, like doing laundry and ironing. half an hour. Sing together, talk with one
candles are lit, and so it is written in the Other melachot that are needed for Chanu- another, and share words of Torah. In this
Shulchan Aruch (670:1). In this way there kah or to prevent a loss are permitted, as way it is possible to feel the great miracle
is a built-in reminder that it is forbidden many achronim have ruled. Regardless, it of Chanukah, the light of G-d Who loves
to use the lights of the Chanukah candles. is permissible to cook and bake, because us, and to receive the abilities we need to
The custom is not to do work for about a these melachot are permissible even on bring good to the world through Torah,
half-hour, because this is the minimum yom tov. good middot and holy deeds.
time required to fulfill the basic mitzvah.
After this, it is permissible for women to In the Gemara, rishonim and Shulchan
do melacha. Aruch there is no mention of any custom
to remain next to the candles after they
Why, specifically, do women have the are lit. Nevertheless, the Chavot Yair
custom to not do melacha while the can- writes that there is a value to seeing and
dles are lit? It’s possible that since women enjoying the candles (Mekor Chayim, Kitzur
traditionally do more work in the home, Halachot, 672): “It seems to me that the
they need a reminder to not use the light main part of the mitzvah is for the one
of the Chanukah candles more than men. who lights to be near the candles for a
But it is also possible that women have half-hour to see them and enjoy them, for
this custom because they are attached the candles are also meant to remind us Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon
more deeply to Chanukah, for the miracle of the people’s joy when they were able to is Head of Mizrachi’s Educational
of Chanukah was performed through a light the menorah again after the miracle Advisory Board and Rabbinic Council.
woman. For this reason, they celebrate of Chanukah… And this is what it means He serves as the Chief Rabbi of Gush
Chanukah by refraining from work. when we say ‘We do not have permission Etzion, Rosh Yeshivah of the Jerusalem
to use the candles but only to see them,’ College of Technology and is the Founder
Which melachot, specifically, do women and therefore one who sees the candles and Chairman of Sulamot and La'Ofek.
have the custom of refraining from? Some can also make a blessing.”
say that for the first half-hour after light-
ing, women refrain from all melacha, as Technically, there is no halachic require- A member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau
mizrachi.org/speakers
they do on yom tov. Logically, however, it ment to stay near the candles, but it is

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