daf bit: Mai Chanukah? (Shabbat 21)

[cellio]

Chanukah, unlike the major holidays, has only a couple pages of talmud devoted to it. In honor of the season I'm breaking from the daf yomi today to teach something from there.

The g'mara has been discussing appropriate wicks and oil for kindling Shabbat lights, and then brings a dispute about whether the same restrictions apply for the Chanukah lights. The problem with using lesser materials for Shabbat is that the lights might go out and you would be tempted to relight them. R. Huna says the same applies during Chanukah; if the light goes out you must attend to it, and (implication) even when it is not Shabbat you should kindle lights that will stay lit. R. Hisda says you can use these materials during Chanukah except Shabbat, and you do not need to attend them -- if they go out, they go out. R. Zera said in Rab's name: you can use them during Chanukah even on Shabbat; it does not require attention and you do not make use of the light. (21b)

The Shabbat lights serve a practical purpose: you use them to see by. The Chanukah lights serve a different purpose: they are to publicize the miracle, and you do not make use of them. (For example, you don't sit down and read by the light of the chanukiyah.) R. Zera, and perhaps R. Hisda, seems to hold that since you can't use the light anyway, you won't feel the urge to relight it if it goes out. You don't have to publicize the miracle all night long, just for a portion of it.

Comments

[magid.livejournal.com]

It's part of the reason that while I sometimes take a moment to look at the candles with all other lights off, the rest of the time I have other lights on.

[cellio]

I like to look at the lights in the dark (especially on the last night, wow!), but I don't use them for anything. I just look.