Tonight is Rosh Hodesh Tevet and I need to take a break from the stories I have been posting. This blog is dedicated to Women of the Wall, Rabbis Regina Jonas, Rabbi Regina Sandler-Philips and Rabbi Linda Shriner Cahn.
“Light One Candle” on the third night of Chanukah was the request that came from Women of the Wall. They were denied the ability to light a large menorah on the Kotel plaza by the rabbi who governs the Western Wall. I was appalled. I was angry. This denial was a clear violation of halacha. This was the opposite of the song “Light One Candle” whose opening verse is “Light one candle for the Maccabee children , Give thanks that their light didn’t die . Light one candle for the pain they endured, When their right to exist was denied.” This is the opposite of the story I posted earlier this week with the woman, Hannah, who helped make the miracle by giving up some of her own oil.
I am happy to light a candle (I already had by the time the call came out). Happy is the right adjective for Chanukah as we are told in the halacha precisely how to light Chanukah candles and in what order. Hillel argues that we light so that the light increases each night and with each night so does the beauty and our joy.
The pictures of women lighting candles all over the globe prove the point that women light Chanukah candles. Period. The Talmud says look and see what the people are doing. Here is a clear example, in photographic evidence.
But this denial of the rabbi at the Western Wall calls for more than lighting candles and increasing light and joy. It calls for an actual t’shuvah, responsa, using halachic arguments. Because the halacha on this is clear. Women light chanukiot.
In what seems like a long time ago, my chevruta partner, Rabbi Linda Shriner Cahn, and I were studying the halachic codes for Chanukah. We started with the Mishnah and Gemara and made our way through Rambam and Shulchan Arukh. What we learned surprised us and at one stage made us giggle uncontrollably. We giggled uncontrollably over mixed up two Hebrew words, shemesh, the sun, and shamash, the helper candle. I still wonder how the words are related. They must be. Perhaps it is the sun that is a great helper candle, providing light for all. Perhaps it is the shamash that ultimately gets its light and energy from the sun.
The idea that Women of the Wall called for this on the third night of Chanukah, the same night another organization, Ways of Peace (http://waysofpeace.org ) called for remembering Rabbi Regina Jonas, seems beshert. Rabbi Regina Jonas is recognized as the first ordained woman rabbi. She perished in Auschwitz in late 1944, 70 years ago this month. Those of us who are women rabbis stand on her shoulders. But it is more personal than that. Linda Shriner-Cahn’s mother, Herta, had Rabbi Regina Jonas as her Hebrew teacher in Berlin before the war. Her mother thought she was crazy. Here was a woman who wanted to be a rabbi. But I have this feeling if Regina Jonas had not taught Herta, then Herta would not have been able to teach her daughter Linda. Had Herta not survived the Holocaust by going with her family to Shanghai, she would not have had her daughter. Had her daughter Linda not gone to rabbinical school (and not told me how to take the train to Brooklyn while I was applying to school), I would not have written this t’shuvah. Perhaps this is part of the miracle of Chanukah and part of what needs to be publicized.
Rabbi Regina Jonas said, “May all our work be for the blessing of the future of Israel, and of humanity.”— From a Theresienstadt sermon by Rabbi Regina Jonas (1902-1944). May this teshuvah be for that. May it spread more light and more joy as we continue our celebration of Chanukah.
So here it is:
Question: What is the Jewish law concerning women lighting Chanukah candles? What is the halacha in general about women and Chanukah?
Answer:
Women are obligated to light Chanukah candles. You might argue that lighting Chanukah candles is a time-bound mitzvot and so women might be exempt as they are from other time bound mitzvot. However, the Gemara is clear in Shabbat 23a. “But a woman may certainly light [it], for R. Joshua b. Levi said: The [precept of the] Hanukkah lamp is obligatory upon women, for they too were concerned in that miracle.”
Since women are obligated, if a husband is away traveling, it is permissible to have his wife light at home for him in order to fulfill his obligation.
It is comprehensive and clear. See notes below.
And then, because this is Judaism, it is not perfectly clear. Some hold that a married woman should rely on her husband’s lighting. Unmarried girls living in their father’s house can rely on their father, according to the Ashkenazic custom. If they want to light, Ashkenazim can light with a Bracha. Again see the note below. However, note that this says it is a custom, not a halacha.
Woman should not do any work while the candles are burning. There are two reasons for this. The first is because unlike Shabbat candles which are lit to increase the light in the house, Chanukah candles are lit only to “publicize the miracle.” That is why they are put just outside the door or in a window except in a time of danger. Because they are only for “publicizing the miracle” they cannot be used for any other purpose. (Shabbat 21a and Rashi)
Some have argued that the purpose of the shamash was to provide additional light, not just to be the helper candle so that work could continue. This argument doesn’t work well, since many leave other lights on or light lots of additional candles to make the room more festive (or light).
Nor does it explain why the women are singled out to not work. It could have just as easily said all people, men, women, children, slaves. Why especially the women? The texts answer because they participated in the miracle. Women played an active role in helping the miracle happen. Judith, Yehudit, is specifically mentioned.
So there you have it. Women are obligated to light Chanukah lights and can even light them on behalf of their husbands. Women are obligated to rest during Chanukah because Judith helped make the miracle of Chanukah happen.
Notes: Rambam (Chanukah 4:9), Tur 665, and S”A 665:5 codify this as halacha. Kitzur S”A 139:16 concurs.Piskei Maharam Riketani (154) holds women can fulfill a man’s obligation on his behalf. This is also the opinion of Rabbenu Yerucham 9:1, Rokeach Chanukah 226:3, Ritva and Meiri (Shabbat 23a, Megilah 4a), Maharil (Chanukah pg 407). Levush (675), Bach (675), Taz(675:4), Magan Avraham 675:4, Olot Shabbat 675:1, Pri Chadash 675:4, Eliyah Raba 675:6, Sh”t Shar Efraim 42, Shulchan Gavoha 675:6, Mor Ukesia 675:6, Machzik Bracha 675:4, Mishna Brurah 675:9. Sh”t Yechave Daat 3:51 writes that since some rishonim and achronim hold one can only light at Tzet HaKochavim one should let his wife light at the right time and fulfill his obligation according to all opinions. The Yechave Daat holds like the Chaye Adam 154:33. Kaf Hachiam 676:25. Chaye Adam adds that Ashkenazim can light without a bracha. Interesting point: S”A 689:2 says a women can read the megillah to fulfill for a man his obligation of megillah, and some hold otherwise. [Bahag (quoted by Tosfot Megilah 4a, Erchin 3a) and Morchedai 4a in name of Ravyah (Megilah 569,843) hold women can’t fulfill the obligation of a man, but Rashi Erchin 3a, Or Zaruh 2:324, Rambam(Megilah 1), Rif (quoted by Sefer Eshkol 2:30) hold a women can fulfill obligation of a man]. However Smag (brought by Magan Avraham 589:5), Itur (Megilah 113d), Eshkol 2 pg 30 differentiate between Megilah which is like Torah reading but by Chanukah women can fulfill the man’s obligation according to everyone. Also Torat Moadim Chanukah pg 40 says the Behag only held a women can fulfill megilah for a man since a women’s obligation is derebanan and a man’s is from divrei kabalah (Ketuvim). Similarly, Sh”t Maharash Halevi O”C 24 says Chanukah isn’t an obligation on each person but on the household and so a women can fulfill it for a man. Thus even those who say by Megilah a woman can’t fulfill a man’s obligation agree by Chanukah.(http://halachipedia.com/index.php?title=Lighting_Chanukah_Candles )
A married women is exempt by her husband because “Ishto Kegufo Dami”(a husband and wife are like one person). So writes the Maharshal 88, Knesset Hagedolah 671, Mateh Moshe 982, Eliya Raba 671:3, Machasit Hashekel 675:4. Mishna Brurah 675:9 quotes this in name of Sh”t Olot Shmeul 105 and says if women want they can light with a Bracha like any mitzvah for which one’s exempt according to the Ashkenazi Minhag. Mishmeret Shalom 48 says since a married woman doesn’t light and relies on her husband, her daughters also don’t light as derech eretz. Similarly, Chiddushei Chatom Sofer (Shabbat 21b D”H Vehamehadrin) writes since the practice used to be to light outside it wasn’t Derech Eretz for women to light if her husband is already lighting and since then the Minhag hasn’t changed. Ashel Avraham Mebustatesh 675:3 says according to kabbalah women don’t light (unless they have to). However it seems as the minhag is that Ashkenzic unmarried girls also light. Rav Moshe Feinstein (1895-1986) is quoted in sefer Moadei Yeshurun 1:4 says if a woman wants to light and recite the beracha, she should light before her husband does.(http://halachipedia.com/index.php?title=Lighting_Chanukah_Candles )