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TORAT MIZRACHI

Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon Rabbanit Sharon Rimon

We are All Kohanim

on Chanukah!

fter lighting Chanukah can- One could indeed fulfill one’s obliga- used to fulfill a mitzvah (which may
dles, we have the custom of tion with just one candle, but there is be used for purposes other than the
Areciting the passage תֹורֵּנ ַ ה hidur, glorification, in lighting mul- mitzvah itself), our Sages instituted
ּול ָּ ל ַ ה. According to Masechet Sofrim, tiple candles. The berachot must also that the Chanukah candles are like the
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we recite it after the beracha קי ִ ל ְ ד ַ ה ְ ל involve the additional ‘glorified’ can- candles of the Menorah and therefore
ה ָּ כֻנ ֲ ח ל ֶ ׁש רֵנ and before םי ִּ סִנ ה ָ ׂש ָ ע ֶ ׁש and dles; one must not create an interrup- they have a certain holiness.
ּונָי ֱ ח ֶ ה ֶ ׁש. tion between the blessings and light-
ing them. In light of this (excuse the pun), we
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Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach explains could say that by instituting the com-
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that from this passage we see that the pur- How then does the Maharshal under- parison between Chanukah lights and
pose of lighting the candles is “in order stand this? Mikdash lights, our Sages were imply-
to express thanks and praise,” an inherent ing that a person’s home is like the
part of the purpose of the mitzvah. There- It is possible that in his opinion, Mikdash, and that the person lighting
fore, after the blessing קי ִ ל ְ ד ַ ה ְ ל, we say although one must not interrupt them is like the Kohen. As a result, the
ּול ָּ ל ַ ה תֹורֵּנ ַ ה, so that during the lighting we between the berachot and the begin- mitzvah of lighting candles is not like
know to focus on the miracle of the salva- ning of the observance of the mitzvah, any other personal mitzvah a person
tion and on the triumph in the war (and one may stop during the performance does in his home. It is a shared mitz-
since this is a fundamental part of per- of the mitzvah for things related to vah which belongs to all of Am Yis-
forming the mitzvah, it is not an interrup- the mitzvah. rael, and it is certainly worthy to glo-
tion between the blessing and performing rify a shared mitzvah!
the mitzvah). Chanukah Candles and
Mikdash Candles Now we can understand the Maharshal.
However, according to the reading of It could be that the Maharshal’s The reason for glorifying the mitzvah is
the Tur, we say ּול ָּ ל ַ ה ת ֹורֵּנ ַ ה only after approach is connected to something the holiness of the lights and their simi-
lighting the candles, and thus rules the deeper. larity to the Mikdash, and therefore the
Shulchan Aruch: most appropriate thing is to say תֹורֵּנ ַ ה

“After one lights, one should say: ‘These The Shulchan Aruch does not men- ּול ָּ ל ַ ה immediately after the basic light-
lights we kindle upon the salvations, the tion the basic level of obligation for ing and before the additional ‘glorified’
miracles, the wonders… (ּול ָּ ל ַ ה תֹורֵּנ ַ ה)’”. lighting (one candle per household) lighting, to explain why we are lighting
or even the mehadrin ruling, but
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The Maharil explains that since recit- only the mehadrin min hamehadrin the extra candles.
ing ּול ָּ ל ַ ה תֹורֵּנ ַ ה is only a custom, it cer- custom. It turns out that the funda-
tainly should not be said in between mental tradition of the whole Jewish
the brachot, but only after the lighting. nation has been the mehadrin min 1 20:4.
Minchat Shlomo, Part 2:54.
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hamehadrin standard, and therefore
The Approach of the Maharshal the Shulchan Aruch does not bring 3 Responsa 145.
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Responsa 85.
Another approach is that of the the alternative customs. Why does 5 The Pri Megadim asks this on the
Maharshal: after we recite the bless- everyone keep the mehadrin min Maharshal.
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ings, we light the first candle. We then hamehadrin standard specifically for 6 See my book, “Chanukah - Halacha Mim-
recite ּול ָּ ל ַ ה תֹורֵּנ ַ ה while lighting the rest this mitzvah? kora,” published this year.
of the candles.
There is a comparison between the
This approach seems odd. If there is Menorah in the Mikdash and Chanu-
no problem of interruption, we could kah candles. One such comparison is
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have said ּול ָּ ל ַ ה תֹורֵּנ ַ ה before lighting the tied to the holiness of the Chanukah
first candle, and if there is a problem of candles and the prohibition of utiliz-
interruption, it would have been neces- ing their light. The Rishonim explain Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon is Rosh HaYeshiva
sary to wait until after finishing lighting that despite the fact Chanukah can- at JCT–Machon Lev and Head of Mizra-
the candles! dles are tashmishei mitzvah, objects chi’s Educational Advisory Board.

What Jews remembered from that victory over the Greeks
8 | twenty-two centuries ago was not a G-d of war but the G-d of light.
RABBI SACKS