Chanuka Archives | Rosh Yeshiva Responds

Public Hanukkah Candle-lightings

January 13th, 2023|Berakhot, Candle lighting, Chanukah, Moadim, Orach Chayim|

QUESTION

CHICAGO, IL

What is the most appropriate way to handle public Hanukkah candle-lighting, that is not in a shul, and that does not fulfill anyone’s obligation? Should we participate in Chabad public lightings? Should we have lightings at a shul Hanukkah party?

ANSWER

I agree with the assumption of your question—that the practice to light in shul with a berakha is itself a chiddush, and ein lecha bo ela chidusho (i.e. the ruling here cannot be extended to other cases) (not to mention that it might also have greater weight because it is dumya d’beit HaMikdash—analogized to the Beit HaMikdash). Thus, a public Chabad

Lighting Chanukah Candles in Public Without a Shul

QUESTION

Baltimore, MD

We are building a 16 foot menorah in the shul parking lot in front of the shul. I was told it is potentially a problem to say the berakhot. My thought was that since it’s the shul lighting, and berakhot are recited at shul lightings, that the parking lot is considered part of the shul.

ANSWER

Yes – I think that that is a very creative solution to the debate in the poskim about doing it berabim without the shul context. One way of framing this debate

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