Page 10 - HaMizrachi #25 Chanuka 2020 USA

TORAT MIZRACHI

Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon Rabbanit Sharon Rimon

We are All Kohanim

on Chanukah!

fter lighting Chanukah can- to wait until after finishing lighting the candles and the prohibition of utilizing
dles, we have the custom of candles! their light. The Rishonim explain that
Areciting the passage תֹורֵּנ ַ ה One could indeed fulfill one’s obliga- despite the fact Chanukah candles are
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ּול ָּ ל ַ ה. According to Masechet Sofrim, tion with just one candle, but there is tashmishei mitzvah, objects used to
we recite it after the beracha קי ִ ל ְ ד ַ ה ְ ל hidur, glorification, in lighting multi- fulfill a mitzvah (which may be used
ה ָּ כֻנ ֲ ח ל ֶ ׁש רֵנ and before םי ִּ סִנ ה ָ ׂש ָ ע ֶ ׁש and ple candles. The berachot must also for purposes other than the mitzvah
ּונָי ֱ ח ֶ ה ֶ ׁש. involve the additional ‘glorified’ can- itself), our Sages instituted that the
Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach explains dles; one must not create an interrup- Chanukah candles are like the candles
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that from this passage we see that the pur- tion between the blessings and lighting of the Menorah and therefore they
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pose of lighting the candles is “in order to them. have a certain holiness.
express thanks and praise,” an inherent part How then does the Maharshal under- In light of this (excuse the pun), we
of the purpose of the mitzvah. Therefore, stand this? could say that by instituting the com-
after the blessing קי ִ ל ְ ד ַ ה ְ ל, we say תֹורֵּנ ַ ה It is possible that in his opinion, parison between Chanukah lights and
ּול ָּ ל ַ ה, so that during the lighting we know although one must not interrupt Mikdash lights, our Sages were imply-
to focus on the miracle of the salvation and between the berachot and the begin- ing that a person’s home is like the
on the triumph in the war (and since this is ning of the observance of the mitzvah, Mikdash, and that the person lighting
a fundamental part of performing the mitz- one may stop during the performance them is like the Kohen. As a result, the
vah, it is not an interruption between the of the mitzvah for things related to the mitzvah of lighting candles is not like
blessing and performing the mitzvah). mitzvah. any other personal mitzvah a person
does in his home. It is a shared mitz-
However, according to the reading of the vah which belongs to all of Am Yisrael,
Tur, we say ּול ָּ ל ַ ה תֹורֵּנ ַ ה only after lighting Chanukah Candles and and it is certainly worthy to glorify a
the candles, and thus rules the Shulchan Mikdash Candles shared mitzvah!
Aruch: It could be that the Maharshal’s Now we can understand the Maharshal.
“After one lights, one should say: ‘These approach is connected to something The reason for glorifying the mitzvah is
lights we kindle upon the salvations, the deeper. the holiness of the lights and their simi-
miracles, the wonders… (ּול ָּ ל ַ ה תֹורֵּנ ַ ה)’”. The Shulchan Aruch does not men- larity to the Mikdash, and therefore the
The Maharil explains that since recit- tion the basic level of obligation for most appropriate thing is to say ת ֹורֵּנ ַ ה
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ing ּול ָּ ל ַ ה ת ֹורֵּנ ַ ה is only a custom, it cer- lighting (one candle per household) or ּול ָּ ל ַ ה immediately after the basic light-
tainly should not be said in between the even the mehadrin ruling, but only the ing and before the additional ‘glorified’
brachot, but only after the lighting. mehadrin min hamehadrin custom. lighting, to explain why we are lighting
It turns out that the fundamental tra- the extra candles.
The Approach of the Maharshal dition of the whole Jewish nation has
Another approach is that of the been the mehadrin min hamehadrin 1 20:4.
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Maharshal: after we recite the bless- standard, and therefore the Shulchan 2 Minchat Shlomo, Part 2:54.
ings, we light the first candle. We then Aruch does not bring the alternative 3 Responsa 145.
recite ּול ָּ ל ַ ה תֹורֵּנ ַ ה while lighting the rest customs. Why does everyone keep the 4 Responsa 85.
of the candles. mehadrin min hamehadrin standard 5 The Pri Megadim asks this on the Maharshal.
This approach seems odd. If there is no specifically for this mitzvah? 6 See my book, “Chanukah - Halacha Mim-
kora,” published this year.
problem of interruption, we could have There is a comparison between the
said ּול ָּ ל ַ ה תֹורֵּנ ַ ה before lighting the first Menorah in the Mikdash and Chanu- Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon is Rosh HaYeshiva
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candle, and if there is a problem of inter- kah candles. One such comparison is at JCT–Machon Lev and Head of Mizrachi’s
ruption, it would have been necessary tied to the holiness of the Chanukah Educational Advisory Board.

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