Blessings
Special Prayers
Oils/Candles/Menora
Jewish Law
When/Where
100
What three blessings are said the first night?
What three blessings are said on the first night? On the first night of Chanukah, three blessings are recited immediately prior to the lighting: 1) L’hadlik ner shel Chanukah 2) She’asah nissim l’Avoseinu 3) Shehecheyanu. The third berachah is not recited on the other nights. However, if one forgot to recite Shehecheyanu on the first night, s/he should recite it on the next night that it is remembered.
100
What is the special Tefilla added during Channukah?
What is We add the special tefillah of Al HaNissim
100
What is the best fuel to use for the Menorah?
What is The ideal method of lighting is with olive oil — even though one may light with any type of oil or candles.
100
Is there any reward stated in the Talmud for lighting the channukah candles?
What is If one is careful, the reward is children who are talmidei chachamim. According to the Shulchan Aruch, even a poor person supported through charity should collect money or even sell his clothing in order to light. This is the only Rabbinic mitzvah that has such a requirement. Indeed, even many Torah mitzvos do not have such a requirement!
200
What 2 blessings are said after the 1st night?
1) L’hadlik ner shel Chanukah 2) She’asah nissim l’Avoseinu
200
When are the special TEFILLOS ON CHANUKAH added
Shmona Esra and Bentching
200
May one reuse wicks and oil?
What is One may reuse the wicks used during the previous night. This is not a bizayon to the mitzvah at all; it actually makes it easier to light the menorah.
200
How long should the candles last?
What is The candles or the oil placed in the lamps must be enough to last ½ hour. If someone lit a menorah that did not have enough oil in it, he or she should relight the menorah, but without a new blessing. Most authorities hold that there is no extra hiddur—beautifica- of the mitzvah — in putting a lot of oil in the lamp. However, some say that nowadays, since people are out until very late at night, there is an extra beautification in having more oil in the lamp.
200
Where should we light?
What is In the time of Chazal, the minhag was to light the menorah outside by the entranceway facing the street. However, when Jews started living among the gentiles, the minhag changed to light in the house on account of danger. Now the main pirsumei nissa is for the family members.
300
How should one light on eruv Shabbat?
On Erev Shabbos we light the Chanukah candles before the Shabbos candles. Enough oil must be placed in the menorah to ensure that the lights last ½ hour into the night. Regular Chanukah candles will not work unless they are frozen for at least 4 hours beforehand.
300
Which day is Hallel recited?
What is We recite the complete Hallel each day of Chanukah because a miracle occurred each and every day of Chanukah.
300
Any rules to a Menorah?
What is It is proper to make sure that the flames of each of the Chanukah candles are the same height.
300
Can one derive benefit from the candle light?
What is It is forbidden to derive any benefit (hanaah) from the Chanukah lamps or candles. One cannot read next to them or use the light for any other purpose. There are two reasons for this prohibition of hanaah. 1) Rashi explains that everyone must see that these lights are only for one purpose — to publicize the miracle. 2) The Ran explains that since these lights commemorate the Menorah that was in the Beis HaMikdash, the same halachos which pertain to the items of the Beis HaMikdash still apply: no benefit may be derived from these items. It is for this reason that we make sure to also light a shamash in addition to the candles or oil lamps. If one did inadvertently use the menorah’s light for any other purpose, we assume halachically that the light came from the shamash. The shamash should be placed in a different area than the regular Chanukah lights so that it is not confused with the Chanukah lights themselves.
300
When is the ideal time to light?
3 stars come out
400
How should one light on Motzie Shabbat?
On Motzaei Shabbos, the general minhag in our homes is to say Havdalah first and then light the Chanukah candles. The reason is that Havdalah is more tadir — common — than Chanukah candles. In shul, however, the Chanukah candles are lit first and then Havdalah is recited. The person who lights in shul does not fulfill his obligation to light at home, neither on Motzaei Shabbos nor during the week.
400
If the special Tefillahs are left out should one repeat the prayer?
What is f it was left out, however, it is not repeated; neither in Shemoneh Esreh nor in bentching.
400
How should one beautify the Mitzvos?
What is It is important to beautify our mitzvos because of the passuk “Zeh Keili v’Anveihu — This is my L-rd and I shall glorify him.” This applies to Rabbinic mitzvos as well. One should therefore try to purchase a nice menorah. Many people use a silver menorah for this reason.
400
Is the Mitzvah to actually light the candle or to place the menorah down?
What is Lighting is the Mitzva...Therefore, if one lit the menorah in a place that one would not have fulfilled the mitzvah (such as above twenty amos) and then moved the menorah later, the mitzvah has not been fulfilled and he must relight.
400
When is the latest time to light?
You have all night, ideally people should be awake
500
If not home, where and when should you light?
The rule of thumb is that if one will return home that evening, one lights when one gets home. If one had spent the night before at that place, then one may light there even if one will return home later.
500
What Torah Portion is read on Channukah?
What is Since the Mishkan was completed on the 25th of Kislev, we read the parashah of the gifts of the Nesi’im each day of Chanukah from the Torah during Shacharis. This also alludes to the promise that Hashem made to Aharon and the Levi’im about the Chanukah lights lasting forever.
500
Can one use an electric menorah?
What is An electric menorah has neither a wick nor oil and may not be used as a Chanukah menorah. If a person is a patient in a hospital and cannot light any other way, some poskim hold that the patient should not light with an electric menorah. Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef writes that in such circumstances one should use an electric menorah but should not recite a blessing.
500
Can a homeless person light a Menorah and credit?
What is The obligation to light is called “chovas habayis”; the obligation is upon the house, not the individual. Homeless people not staying in a house are technically exempt. Even though the obligation to light is on the house, the main obligation falls upon the baal habayis.
500
When is the earliest time to light?
What is Plag Mincha 72 minutes before sunset