Rav Yisrael Moshe azzan Academy of Jewish Law and Philosophy

" "

Shulan Qadmonim Halakha leMa'ase

Practical Guide to the

Laws of anukka
Compiled and Organized by

Rabbi Ramiel 'Ezra Travitz

"

First Edition

'"
2015

Dedication
In Memory of my grandparents Miriam Limas who extended insurmountable love and
strength, and Beatrice Louise Brooks and Count Thomas (Yaakob) Brooks who helped in their
guiding the generations after them.
-- Poril-Shelom Limas

Copyright 2015
All rights reserved
This article/booklet may be published and disseminated freely on condition that it is unchanged in
any form or sold. For permission to edit or use this article/booklet in any way that may be construed
as breaching Copyright, please email me at rachmiel.travitz@gmail.com

Foreword and a Note to Readers

It is increasingly common to find practical halakha guides disseminated in Jewish communities
across the globe. The main purpose of this booklet is to fill a much-needed gap for the less learned
amongst those Sepharadim (and Ashkenazim!) who identify with the idea of Halakha
keQadmonim, and more specifically, the Babylonian Geonic/Maimonidean Legal Tradition, whose
most distinguishing feature is strict adherence to the words of the Talmudic Sages, as passed down
through various Masoretic lines of Geonim and Rishonim.
It must be noted that this guide is intended to be mainly practical, and as such, it is not
comprehensive, and only covers the Halakhoth that I felt to be most common to the average
observant Jew. Therefore, one should always ask a competent halakhic scholar of this tradition if
something is unclear or uncovered in this booklet. I also generally only discuss customs mentioned
in Shulan 'Arukh, or extremely prevalent ones.
Furthermore, due to time constraints, as well as limited access to certain books, the references and
footnotes in this work are not as extensive as I would have liked, nor entirely complete. Hopefully,
this will be fixed in later editions.
It is true that a number of statements in the booklet are based off of my understanding of the
Halakha, especially in more modern issues, not covered by Geonim, Rishonim, or Shulan
'Arukh, etc. I endeavour to note those instances, and any scholar is free to disagree.
Similarly, it is likely that I have made a few errors of various kinds. I trust that people will judge me
favourably, and I would be most grateful for corrections or additions.
Last and most importantly, I thank my sponsor for enabling me to work on this project.
", , ,
With blessings for a joyful and enjoyable anukka,
Ramiel 'Ezra
The contents of this booklet are divided as follows:
I. Introduction What is anukka?
II. The Obligations and Prohibitions of anukka
III. The Time for Lighting Ner(oth) anukka
IV. The Materials that can be used for Lighting the Ner(oth)
V. The Process of Lighting Ner(oth) anukka Place and Amount of candles
VI. The Blessings on Nero(th) anukka
VII. Prayers Added during anukka

Introduction What is anukka?

In the Second Temple when the Seleucid Greeks ruled, they decreed decrees upon Israel and
nullified their Divine Law, and did not leave them to be involved in Tora and Mivoth, they took
their money and their daughters, they entered the Hekhal broke boundaries and unpurified the pure.
Israel was greatly pained because of them, and they pressured them with great pressure, until the
God of our forefathers had mercy upon us and redeemed us from their hands. The Hasmonean
Kohanim dynasty overcame them, killed them, and saved Israel from them, and appointed a king
from amongst the Kohanim (i.e., themselves), and the Monarchy returned to Israel for more than
200 years until the destruction of the Second Temple.
When the Israelites overcame their enemies and destroyed them (in Jerusalem 1) on the 25th day of
the month of Kislev, they entered the Hekhal, yet they could not find pure oil except a single jug,
and there was only enough in it to light the Menora for one day, yet they lit the required set lighting
for eight days, until they pressed new olives and made pure oil.
Because of this the Sages of that generation decreed that these eight days shall be marked and
celebrated, starting from the night of the 25 th of Kislev, as days of joy and praise, in which we light
candles in the evening at the openings of houses, on every night of the 8 nights. These days are
called anukka.2
It took eight days to make new oil since the oil came from the portion of Israel of the tribe of Asher,
from a place called Taqoa' who had the best quality olives, which was a distance of 8 days travel
from Jerusalem3.
Many4 have asked that if the Temple was recaptured on the 25 th, then they would light in the
evening, which would be the 26th, so anukka should start then. However, in light of the Halakha
that the Menora is also lit during the day5, in the morning, it seems to be the best answer that they
first re-lighting after the recapture was during the day of the 25th.
1 It is important to note this, as the war continued for quite a while afterwards, elsewhere, including a counterattack on
Jerusalem which was defeated on the 13th of Adar
2 Until here is based on Mishne Tora (henceforth, MT), Laws of Megilla and anukka, Chapter 3, Laws 1-3, with a
loose translation.
3 Teshuvoth HaGeonim , Siman 104, attributed to Rabbenu Hayye Gaon (?)
4 See, for instance, Peri adash on Shulan 'Arukh (Henceforth, SA) O Siman 670 who asks this question, and
provides an alternative answer. However, the above answer appears to me to be the best.
5
" " ), -- ,"
, " -- ,(; ,
' " " .(,; ," )

The Obligations and Prohibitions of anukka

1) Lighting the Ner anukka is a Rabbinic Miva, the same as reading the Megilla on Purim6
2) Therefore, anyone obligated in Megilla is obligated in Ner anukka, which includes women7.
Therefore, women may fulfill the obligation for men, like any commandment they are equally
obligated in. A child may not light for adults8.
3) The obligation of blessings on lighting and seeing the Ner anukka will be discussed later on in
its own section.
4) This Miva is extremely precious and one must be very careful in fulfilling the obligation of
lighting of Ner anukka. Even a pauper who relies on alms to survive is obligated in this Miva,
even if he must sell his garment 9. However, not at the expense of things of Shalom Bayyith, peace
in the home10.
5) These days are forbidden to fast in 11. It is also forbidden to eulogize someone12, unless they are a
akham in front of him (the eulogizer)13. One does not fast even if it is the day that his or her father
or mother passed away14.
6) The Sages even made the prohibition on fasting and eulogy stricter (in certain ways) on Purim
and anukka than other festive times, in order that people not treat them lightly just because they
are Rabbinic.
7) The extra, festive meals of anukka (that some are accustomed to make) are optional, regular
meals, since the Sages did not set the days of anukka as days of drinking and joy15 (as in, joy
which requires a festive meal with the eating of meat and drinking of wine16).
8) It is nonetheless customary in many circles to make a festive meal with zemiroth and song about
anukka and the miracles etc., to make a sort of se'udath miva. Some are accustomed to eating
cheese on anukka because of the story of Yehudith. However, none of this is obligatory, and is a
matter of optional custom17. Furthermore, some have adopted a custom of eating foods fried in oil in
memory of the miracle of the oil. This is a relatively recent custom, not mentioned in Shulan
'Arukh or other sources, and is a matter of personal choice.
9) There is a custom recorded that women do not work all the time that the Neroth anukka are lit,
6 MT, anukka pereq 3 Halakha 3.
7 MT ibid., Halakha 4
8 MT ibid., pereq 4 Halakha 9
9 MT ibid., Halakha 12, SA O 671:1
10 See the exact example in MT ibid, Halakha 14. Also, SA O 678:1
11 MT ibid. pereq 3 Halakha 3, SA O 670:1
12 MT ibid., and SA ibid. se'if 3
13 BT Mo'edh Qaan 27B, SA ibid.
14 Rema on SA ibid.
15 Tur, SA ibid., se'if 2
. ' " . , , 16
" " ,
, ". , ", "" ,""
. ,
17 These customs are mentioned in Rema to SA ibid.

yet this is also optional18.

11) In my opinion, the custom of dreidel is a mistaken custom adopted from German gentiles,
which should be avoided particularly since it is incorrect education to teach Jewish children to
gamble.
10) The extra obligations in prayer for anukka will be discussed further on.

The Time for Lighting Ner(oth) anukka

1) The correct time for lighting is at the time of Sheqia'th haama (sunset). This is the moment that
the ball of the Sun disappears below the horizon, and it is at this moment that one should light the
Ner19 (eth haKokhavim (shalosh kokhavim benonim) is 20 minutes after this time, in every
place20). If one did not light in this time, they may light until the time it takes until the feet of the
wood-choppers have finished from (i.e., completely left) the marketplace. This amount of time
equals approximately 30 minutes total from sheqia', and 10 minutes after eth haKokhavim, and it
is a set time, and is not subjective to different places, as is the view of some 21. If this time passes,
one may no longer fulfill the obligation22, and one who lights with a blessing has blessed in vain.
2) Shabbath ends 20 minutes past sheqia', which is when 3 stars come out 23. One therefore has a ten
minute window of time within which to light Ner anukka. Many communities believe that
Shabbath comes out much later. Hence, if one fears that lighting outside will cause people to
suspect them, it may be better to refrain, even if one loses the miva, yet on the other hand, one may
consider doing the right thing more important, and choose to do it properly in its correct time
nonetheless. In my humble opinion, no one should feel forced to do either one of these ways, and it
is a matter of choice.
3) It is forbidden to light before sheqia'24 except when lighting before Shabbath where there is no
other choice.
4) When lighting before Shabbath, one lights Ner Shabbath first, and Ner anukka afterwards. This
is the view of the Geonim and others, all of whom do not consider lighting Ner Shabbath to be
accepting Shabbath upon oneself25. Furthermore, there is a rule that we do the more commonly
practiced miva before the less commonly practiced, tadir veshe-eno tadir, tadir qodhem.
18 SA ibid., se'if 1. The author of the SA himself rules that this is optional, even though he records an opinion that it is
not. , . See also my article about Halakhically obligatory customs (Hebrew),
,( " )available at academia.edu.
19 MT, ibid. pereq 4, Halakha 5
20 MT, Terumoth pereq 7, Halakha 2.
21 See Rabbi Yosef Qafi (Kapach)'s fantastic footnote to MT, anukka pereq 4, Halakha 5, proving the time to not be
subjective from place to place, but to be a set halakhic time.
22 MT, anukka pereq 4, Halakha 5
23 This is, incidentally, also the view of the Vilna Gaon. Bi'ur HaGra on SA O 235 and 261
24 MT, ibid.
25 The Behag felt that one should light Ner anukka first, since he considered Ner Shabbath to be accepting Shabbath.
A Teshuva from a Gaon quoted in Shibbole haLeqe haShalem end of Siman 185, brought in Oar haGeonim on BT
Shabbath 24A, says that lighting is not considered Qabbalath Shabbath, although it does say there that the practice
was to light Ner anukka first. A Teshuva from Rabbenu Hayye Gaon in Teshuvoth haGeonim Sha'are Teshuva 91
(the same Teshuva is in Teshuvoth haGeonim Siman 82 in the name of Rabbenu Sherira and Rabbenu Hayye
Gaon) explicitly states that the berakha on, and the Hadlaqa of, Ner Shabbath are not considered Qabbalath
Shabbath. See Iyye HaYam there, ".

5) One must place enough oil or have large enough candles that they will last from the time that
they are lit until the end of the time for lighting, that is, 30 minutes after sheqia' 26. Therefore, if one
lights 10 minutes past sheqia', the neroth have to have enough fuel to last until 20 minutes later.
6) If the candles go out, one does not need to relight them 27, as the lighting itself is the Miva 28.
Even if it goes out on 'Erev Shabbath29.
7) It appears that one may not extinguish the neroth purposefully30. It further appears that one
should not light it in a place where it will certainly be extinguished.
8) If the neroth are lit once the time ends, if one wishes to extinguish or remove them, one may31.

The Materials that can be used for Lighting the Ner(oth)

1) All oils or fuels and wicks are valid for use in a Ner anukka, even if they don't burn well 32.
Nonetheless, some say that olive oil is considered the choicest way of performing the Miva33.
2) One may use incandescent electric lights for Ner anukka, as the filament is the wick. One may
even bless on it. This, even though electricity is not Halakhically fire.
3) Even on the Shabbath Eve, it is permitted to light Neroth anukka even with fuels and wicks
forbidden for Ner Shabbath34. Some have written that this is only the case if one lights only the
amount necessary for the amount of time till the obligation ends, but no more, since then the Neroth
become permissible to use, like a Ner Shabbath35. However, this seems incorrect in my opinion36.
4) One may use left over oil and wicks from a previous night for the next night 37.
5) Regarding the amount of fuel that must be used for Ner anukka, see above, The Time for
Lighting the Ner(oth) near the end.

26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36

37

MT, ibid.
MT, ibid., SA O 673:2
SA ibid, similarly MT ibid. Halakha 9
SA ibid.
Implication of MT ibid., and even more so in SA ibid.
MT ibid, Halakha 5
BT Shabbath 21B. MT ibid., pereq 4 Halakha 6. SA O 673:1. The reason is because it is forbidden to use the light
of the Ner anukka anyway. See the sources in footnote 45 below.
Rema on SA ibid., from BT Shabbath 23A, from the Mordekhi in the name of Maharam miRotenburg, Kol Bo,
Maharil
MT ibid., SA ibid.
Teshuvoth haRishba, eleq 1 Siman 170, quoted in Rema on SA ibid.
Because the akhamim did not require an extra candle (shamash) if the Ner anukka is lit outside, where it is
supposed to be lit, because there is no reason to think that a person would use it, because it is outdoors! Similarly
here, even if the candle lasts beyond the required time, there is no reason to suspect a person will use the Ner
anukka. We only suspect a person when it is in his house, unless there's another light there. Therefore, this would
only present a problem in a time of danger where everyone lit inside when they anyway would've been obligated
to light another Ner to use, to not come to use the Ner anukka.
Teshuvoth haGeonim Sha'are Teshuva Siman 92

The Process of Lighting Ner(oth) anukka Place and Amount of

candles
1) In order to fulfill the basic obligation, only one candle per house needs to be lit 38, at the entrance
to the house or courtyard closest to the public thoroughfare on the outside 39, unless there are
entrances from different sides of the house or courtyard towards the public areas, in which case one
candle must be lit at each entrance40. If there are two entrances on one side of the house, one need
only light at one of them41.
2) As above, it is a Miva that the Ner(oth) be placed at the opening of one's house on the outside,
within one handbreath of the opening42, on the left of a person who enters the house, in order that
the mezuza should be on his right and the Ner on his left43, a reason for this being that one should be
surrounded by Mivoth when they enter - from which we see that if one does not have a mezuza,
they place the Ner on the right hand side of the person entering44.
3) Only in a time of danger may a person place the Ner(oth) inside, but in that case even just on the
table. However if one does so, they must have another Ner lit or another source of light, in order not
to use the light of the Ner(oth) anukka, which is forbidden45. Any electric light can suffice for this
purpose.
4) If one lives in an apartment, they should place it at a window close to the public thoroughfare46. It
appears to me that if there are windows on more than one side facing the public thoroughfare, they
should light at each side, just like a house or courtyard with multiple openings to the public
thoroughfare. However, if one's apartment is above 20 amoth, since the ner is not noticeable to
passers-by, they do not fulfill their obligation at all47. Rather, in my opinion, they should light a
candle at the entrance to the apartment lobby, just like one who lives in a courtyard would, since it
appears that the lobby has the same status as a courtyard.
5) A guest for whom the people in his regular home light, does not have to light in the place where
he is staying. But if they do not light, or he does not have another home, he must light at the place
where he is, at least by taking part in their lighting by paying partly for the oil. If he is a guest in a
house alone, even if they light for him at his permanent house, he nonetheless needs to light in order
that the passers by should see a Ner there.48
6) As above, the minimal amount that must be lit each night to fulfill the obligation of Ner anukka
is one Ner per household.

38 BT Shabbath 21B. MT pereq 4, Halakha 1

39 MT ibid, Halakha 7, SA O 671:5
40 MT ibid, Halakha 10, SA O 671:8. Even though these sources only say a courtyard, it appears to me to be the same
halakha with a house.
41 MT ibid.
42 MT ibid, Halakha 7, SA O 671:7
43 BT Shabbath 22A, MT ibid., SA ibid.
44 Oar HaGeonim to BT Shabbath 22A, from the Manhig, in the name of HaGaon zl. I am uncertain of its
authenticity at this current point in time. SA ibid.
45 MT ibid, Halakha 8, SA O 671:5 and 673:1
46 BT ibid, MT ibid. Halakha 7
47 MT ibid., SA O 671:6
48 All of this from MT ibid., Halakha 11. See also SA O 677

7) The Talmud49 states that it is Mehadrin that one candle is lit for every person in the household
(perhaps only for those who are obligated50).
8) Similarly, it states there that it is Mehadrin min haMehadrin, i.e., the best way to perform the
miva, to light one Ner on the first night, and add one more each night according to the number of
the night, thus on the last night, 8 neroth are lit.
9) However, there is disagreement (due to this not being explicitly clarified in Talmud) whether this
means that each person in the household lights their own candles and add each night 51 (meaning, if
there are 2 people in the household, on the 8th night there would be 16 neroth), or one person in the
household lights and adds a Ner each night 52. Even though Rambam understands the Gemara in the
former way, he notes that the Minhagh Sepharad is the latter way53. Similarly, even though the
Ba'ale haTosafoth understood the Gemara the latter way, the Rema 54 notes that Minhagh Ashkenaz
is the former way, as the Rambam understands the Talmud55.56
10) When lighting more than one Ner, there is no Halakha about which one to light first, only nonobligatory custom.

The Blessings on Nero(th) anukka

1) Before lighting the Ner(oth), one blesses the following two blessings and then lights, and on the
first night or the first night that one is lighting if they hadn't had their obligation fulfilled before (for
instance, if someone lit for them in their house), they add sheheeyanu as a third blessing before
lighting57. The blessings are:
a) Barukh ata Adhonai Elohenu Melekh ha'Olam, asher Qiddeshanu beMiwothaw
weiwwanu, lehadhliq Ner Shel58 anukka (Yemenites pronounce it as one word,
shellaanukka59).
b) Barukh ata Adhonai Elohenu Melekh ha'Olam, she'Asa Nissim la-Avothenu, baYamim
haHem, baZeman haZe.
2) One who sees any Ner anukka, on any night, blesses she'Asa Nissim, and on the first night,
sheheeyanu as well60. However, this should only be done if the miva is done properly, and hence,
one should not bless on public menora lightings, or synagogue lightings, only lightings done outside
a person's house, or inside only if it is a place of danger. Similarly one should not answer amen to
blessings said at such events61.
49 BT Shabbath 21A
. , "50
MT, ibid. Halakhoth 1-2
Tosafoth on BT Shabbath 21B, "
MT, ibid. Halakha 3
On SA O 671:2
See TaZ Maghen Dawidh se'if qatan 1 on SA ibid
. " , " , 56
57 MT, ibid. pereq 3 Halakha 4. SA O 676:1-2 and Rema there.
58 Even though some Kabbalistic opinions say not to say Shel, they are not Halakhic, and one should not change
from the Nusa of the blessing as recorded by our Sages in Talmud. SA removes the shel in deference to
Kabbalah.
59 Siddur of Rabbi Yosef Qafi (Kapach), and others.
60 MT, ibid. Not like SA ibid. se'if 3.
61 Even though Shulan 'Arukh does say to bless in a synagogue lighting, he himself does hold like Rambam that one
51
52
53
54
55

Prayers Added during anukka

1) During 'Amida one says 'al haNissim, however if they forget, they do not go back to say it, nor
repeat 'Amida62.
2) Similarly with 'al haNissim in Birkath haMazon. However, there is in some nusa-oth a
haRaaman that one can say if they remember before they finish Birkath haMazon to make up for
it.
3) On each of the 8 days of anukka, one must complete the Hallel, upon which one blesses
liGhmor eth haHallel, whether saying Hallel alone, or in a ibbur, although the original custom is
that while praying in a ibbur, only the azzan blesses63.

does not bless on customs, and the only reason he says to do so is similar to the same reason he gives for making
qiddush in the synagogue on Friday nights, because the synagogues then used to have rooms for boarders and hence
people would eat and sleep there. It would be fitting to write further on this subject, however, due to limited time and
the scope of this guide, I will not do so here.
62 MT, Tefila, pereq 10, Halakha 14
63 Numerous Halakhoth in MT, anukka, pereq 3.