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Minhagim of Chanukah: Difference between revisions
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* 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 Chanuka 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 Chanuka 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. </ref> The minhag is to sing zemirot and say divrei Torah and then certainly the meal is a Seudat Mitzvah. <ref> 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. </ref> | * 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 Chanuka 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 Chanuka 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. </ref> The minhag is to sing zemirot and say divrei Torah and then certainly the meal is a Seudat Mitzvah. <ref> 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. </ref> | ||
==Dairy, Sufganiyot, and Latkes== | ==Dairy, Sufganiyot, and Latkes== | ||
# 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. <Ref> Rama 670:2, Kitzur S”A 139:71, Nitai Gavriel (Chanuka 51:12). See Nitai Gavriel who writes that the Sephardim don’t have this minhag and this is also implied by Chazon Ovadyah (Chanuka pg 18). </ref> | # 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. <Ref> Rama 670:2, Kitzur S”A 139:71, Nitai Gavriel (Chanuka 51:12). See Nitai Gavriel who writes that the Sephardim don’t have this minhag and this is also implied by Chazon Ovadyah (Chanuka pg 18). However, Ben Ish Chai (Vayeshev (first year) #23) records this as a Sephardic minhag. </ref> | ||
# There is a Minhag to eat Sufganiot and Latkes that are fried in oil because the miracle of Chanuka happened with the oil of the menorah. <Ref> 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 Chanuka to publicize the miracle of the oil. This minhag is mentioned by the poskim including Yalkut Yosef 671:15 and Nitai Gavriel (Chanuka 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. Nitai Gavriel (Chanuka 51:13) adds that the minhag is to have Latkes. </ref> | # There is a Minhag to eat Sufganiot and Latkes that are fried in oil because the miracle of Chanuka happened with the oil of the menorah. <Ref> 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 Chanuka to publicize the miracle of the oil. This minhag is mentioned by the poskim including Yalkut Yosef 671:15 and Nitai Gavriel (Chanuka 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. Nitai Gavriel (Chanuka 51:13) adds that the minhag is to have Latkes. </ref> | ||
==Learning on Chanuka== | ==Learning on Chanuka== | ||
# It’s recommended to learn Hilachot Chanuka on Chanuka <ref> Yalkut Yosef 670:4 writes that it’s good to learn Hilchot Chanuka on Chanuka 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. </ref> | # It’s recommended to learn Hilachot Chanuka on Chanuka <ref> Yalkut Yosef 670:4 writes that it’s good to learn Hilchot Chanuka on Chanuka 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. </ref> | ||
