Minhagim of Chanukah

From Halachipedia
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Erev Chanuka

Tachanun

  1. There is no Tachanun at Mincha on Erev Chanukah (eve of Chanukah) and if Erev Chanukah falls out on Shabbat, at Mincha Tzidkatcha isn’t said. [1]

Fasting on Erev Chanuka

  1. Many authorities permit fasting on Erev Chanukah. [2] However, some hold that it’s forbidden to fast on Erev Chanukah. [3] However, it’s forbidden to decree a public fast on Erev Chanukah. [4]
  2. Preferably one shouldn’t fast for a Yeherzeit on Erev Chanukah and if one does one should break one’s fast before the time for lighting Chanukah Candles. [5]
  3. A groom who is getting married on Erev Chanukah may fast the day of his wedding. [6]

Reading Chagai on Erev Chanuka

  1. Some say that on Erev Chanukah one should learn Chagai chapter 2:10-23 (from “BeEsrim VeArba” until the end of the book). [7]

Preparing chanuka candles

  1. One should make sure to prepare one’s oil and candles for Chanukah Candles before Chanukah. [8]

Learning laws of Chanuka

  1. One should learn the laws of Chanukah before Chanukah. [9]

Having a festive meal on Chanuka

  1. Some say there is a mitzvah to eat a festive meal on Chanukah, while some say that there is only a partial mitzvah in commemoration of the Chanukat HaMizbe’ach of the Mishkan, and some say that there’s no obligation at all. [10] The minhag is to sing zemirot and say divrei Torah and then certainly the meal is a Seudat Mitzvah. [11]

Dairy, Sufganiyot, and Latkes

  1. The minhag is to eat dairy foods on Chanukah, in commemoration of the miracle that happened with the righteous woman Yehudit, who tricked and killed the enemy using dairy. [12]
  2. There is a Minhag to eat Sufganiot and Latkes that are fried in oil because the miracle of Chanukah happened with the oil of the menorah. [13]

Learning on Chanuka

  1. It’s recommended to learn Hilchot Chanukah on Chanukah [14]

Dreidel

  1. There’s a minhag for children to play Drediel. [15]

Chanuka Presents

  1. There is a minhag to give chanuka gelt to children.[16]
  2. Many poskim consider this a permissible practice and isn't a violation of following the ways of goyim (Bechukotayhem Lo Telechu).[17]

Sources

  1. ↑ Rama 683:1, Nitei Gavriel 1:2-3
  2. ↑ S”A 686:1
  3. ↑ Mishna Brurah 686:1 quotes that Bach and Pri Chadash who forbid fasting on Erev Chanukah. Nonetheless, Mishna Brurah writes that one shouldn’t protest those who have the minhag to fast on Erev Chanukah as a makeup for a fast on Erev Rosh Chodesh Tevet.
  4. ↑ Mishna Brurah 686:1
  5. ↑ Nitei Gavriel 1:8
  6. ↑ Nitei Gavriel 1:9
  7. ↑ Ben Ish Chai (Vayeshev 23), Kaf HaChaim 670:26
  8. ↑ Nitei Gavriel 1:11-13
  9. ↑ Nitei Gavriel 1:15 quoting the Shlah at end of Maasechet Shabbat s.v. Tochechat
  10. ↑ Gemara Shabbat 21b states that the days of Chanukah were instituted as days of “Hallel VeHodaah”. Rashi s.v. VeAsum explains Hodaah as Al Hanisim in birkat hoda’ah of amidah. However, the Rambam (Hilchot Chanukah 3:3) explains Hodah as Simcha. The Yam Shel Shlomo b”k 7:30 writes that the Rambam holds that meals of Chanukah are a mitzvah and not voluntary (see Moed Katan 9a). However, both the Tur and S”A 670:1 rule that festive meals on Chanukah are only optional. Lastly, Rama 670:2 writes that there is a partial mitzvah to have a festive meal on Chanukah as a commemoration of the Chanukat HaMizbe’ach in the desert.
    • Why didn’t Chazal institute a festive meal on Chanukah? 1)The Levush 670:2 explains that there is a meal on Purim because the miracle was that Jews lives were saved from a physical threat, whereas on Chanukah the threat was a spiritual one against the Jewish soul. 2) The Taz 670:3 asks on the Levush, isn’t a spiritual threat greater than a physical one?! Therefore, the Taz offers another explanation; since the miracle of Purim was made famous and brought happiness in this world, whereas on Chanukah the famous miracle of the oil only benefited the Jewish people in the next world and so there’s no institution of a festive meal.3) The Chochmat Shlomo 670:2 says that since the spiritual threat of Chanukah was more dire, the miracle Hashem performed deducted from the merits of the Jewish people. 4)Halichot Shlomo (pg 320 note 32) explains even though we won the war and returned to the Mikdash we continue to fight the culture of the Greeks to this day and so there’s no festive meal.
  11. ↑ Rama 670:2, Yalkut Yosef (Moadim, pg 193). Kaf HaChaim 670:16 writes that the practical application of this is that since it’s a Seudat Mitzvah a Talmid Chacham is permitted to benefit from it.
  12. ↑ Rama 670:2, Kitzur S”A 139:71, Chayei Adam Chanukah 154:3, Nitei Gavriel (Chanukah 51:12). See Nitei Gavriel who writes that the Sephardim don’t have this minhag and this is also implied by Chazon Ovadyah (Chanukah pg 18). However, Ben Ish Chai (Vayeshev (first year) #23) records this as a Sephardic minhag although he adds in Halacha 24 that the incident of Yehudit happened many years prior to the Chanukah story. Kaf Hachayim 670:17 agrees.
  13. ↑ Sarid UPalit (pg 8) translates a letter of Rabbi Maimon (father of Rambam) who writes that one shouldn’t be lenient in any Minhag and specifically mentions the Minhag is to make Sufganiot on Chanukah to publicize the miracle of the oil. This minhag is mentioned by the poskim including Yalkut Yosef 671:15 and Nitei Gavriel (Chanukah 51:13). Halichot Shlomo (Moadim, vol 1, pg 318) adds that perhaps the minhag is to have Sufganiyot because in Al HaMichya we say Al Mizbechecha remembering the Mizbe’ach which had to be put in genizah because of the Greeks. Nitei Gavriel (Chanukah 51:13) adds that the minhag is to have Latkes.
  14. ↑ Yalkut Yosef 670:4 writes that it’s good to learn Hilchot Chanukah on Chanukah and quotes Salmat Chaim who agrees. See Alim LeTerufah (Miketz 5769 pg 48) who quotes the Orchot Chaim (a Rishon) that this is an obligation, however, he comments that in the hand written copies of the Orchot Chaim this text is omitted.
  15. ↑ Otzer Minhagei Yishurun (19:4, pg 50) writes that the minhag is for children to play Dreidel because the Greeks who forbade gathering to learn the Talmidei Chachamim used the Driedel as a pretense for gathering to learn Torah. Minhagim VeHalichot Shel Maran Chatam Sofer (14:11, pg 181) writes that the Chatam Sofer kept this minhag. For more sources and reasons see Nitei Gavriel (Chanukah 51:1), Bnei Yisaschar (Kislev 2:25), and Piskei Teshuvot 670:4.
  16. ↑ Moed Kol Chai 27:77 offers a kabbalistic reason for giving children a monetary gift on Chanuka. chabad.org notes that such is the chabad minhag. Piskei Teshuvot 670:3 records that such was the practice of the steipler. A possible source for giving gifts on Chanuka is the Rambam (Chanuka 3:3) who writes that there's a mtizvah of simcha on Chanuka and regarding Yom Tov the Rambam (Yom Tov 6:18) includes giving gifts in simcha.
  17. ↑ Avnei Yishfeh 1:129 writes that there's no violation of following non-Jewish practices in giving Chanuka gelt since there's a reason for this practice and the prohibition of B'chukoteygem only applies to a nonsensical practice. Mishnat Aharon (p. 117) cites this. A few websites including Torah Acheri HaTzava and kipa.co.il believe that there's no prohibition of following the ways of non-Jews when giving fits on Chanuka since it isn't religious and has Jewish sources.
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