Every Chanukah, it seems that we discuss the famous dispute between Bet Hillel and Bet Shammai regarding the proper way to light the menorah (Shabbat 21b). Our general practice is in accordance with the opinion of Bet Hillel, who says that on the first night we kindle one light and on each subsequent night we add an additional light to the previous number, thus beginning with one light and ending with eight. Bet Shammai, however, maintains that one should begin with eight lights on the first evening, and decrease the lights by one each subsequent night. Bet Hillel and Bet Shammai are essentially arguing over whether to see the glass as half full or half empty; are the days of Chanukah on their way in or on their way out. Although this is certainly a fascinating disagreement, there is another dispute between our rabbis, one that reveals an even more important Chanukah lesson. The Talmud in Massechet Shabbat (21b) says that, in order to fulfill the mitzvah of kindling Chanukah lights, each household need only kindle one light every evening. The Talmud notes, however, that it is desirable to “enhance” the mitzvah by kindling more than this minimum: Those who want simply to enhance the mitzvah, hamehadrin, kindle one light for each member of the household. So, if the household consists of five members, five lights are kindled every night. Those who want to enhance the mitzvah even more, however, mehadrin min hamehadrin, begin with one light on the first evening, in accordance with Bet Hillel, and add an additional light each succeeding night until all eight lights are kindled on the eighth night. The great 12th-century Sephardic posek, the Rambam (Hilchot Chanukah 4:3), explains that we should incorporate both of these enhancements into our performance of the mitzvah. That is: a light should be kindled for each member of the household, and one light should be added to this number each evening. Thus, if the household consists of five members, five lights are kindled the first night, each on a separate menorah, ten the second night, fifteen the third night until forty are kindled on the eighth night, filling the five menorot. The great Ashkenazic 12th and 13th-century collection of commentaries on the Talmud, the Tosafot, disagrees with the Sephardic Rambam (Shabbat 21b, “Vehamehadrin”). The Tosafot explain that there should only be one menorah in each household so that no confusion arises as to how many lights are burning each night. (The Tosafot say that only the second of the enhancements recommended by the Talmud be utilized and not both like the Rambam suggests.) They fear that if all five members of a household kindle a light on the first night someone who comes to their house might think, seeing the five lights, that it is the fifth night. Therefore, according to the Tosafot, each household should kindle only one menorah, with the number of lights corresponding to the day of Chanukah. Interestingly enough, when we look in the Shulchan Aruch, the 16th-century Jewish Law code that dictates much of modern halachic practice, we see that its Sephardic author, Rabbi Yosef Karo, brings down the ruling of the Ashkenazic Tosafot (Orach Chaim 671:2). He says, “On the first night, one kindles one light. From then on, one should add a light each night until the last night when there are eight lights. Even if there are many members of a household, they should not kindle more than one menorah.” This is indeed the custom of Sephardic Jewry today. When we look at the Gloss of Rabbi Moshe Isserles on the Shulchan Aruch, which cites the prevailing practices of Ashkenazic Jewry, we see that this Ashkenazic Rabbi brings down the opinion of the Sephardic Rambam! He states, “Every member of the household should kindle a menorah.” This is indeed the current Ashkenazic practice. This halakhic anomaly is not lost on the commentators of the Shulchan Aruch. The Taz, a 17th-century rabbi, notes, “Uvekhan yeish chidush beminhag; “And here there is an innovation in custom.” The Sephardic Jews follow the Ashkenazic Tosafot, and the Ashkenazic Jews follow the Sephardic Rambam. “Vezeh lo matzenu beshaar mekomot; “And we do not find this in any other place!” When first looking at this unique occurrence, it is difficult not to see a missed opportunity for Klal Yisrael. Had the Ashkenazic Jews stuck to following the Tosafot, while the Sephardic Jews deviated to follow them, or had the Sephardic Jews held fast to the Rambam, while the Ashkenazic Jews veered off to hold by him - all Jews would be lighting the Chanukiyah in the same manner. To have all Jews practicing this halakhah in a unified way is a beautiful thought. When so many other areas of halachah contain a variation of customs, this could have been a beacon for Klal Yisrael. If just one of the two groups had followed their usual authority, lighting the menorah would have become a true example of ish ehad belev echad: of all the Jewish People acting as one, in memory of the rededication of our Holy Temple. Instead, this halachah appears to reveal a missed opportunity - as if two groups of five Jews passed each other on the road, never seeing the other, and thus failing to make a minyan. Yet, when one looks deeper into this scenario, it is possible to view the halakhic anomalies in the opposite manner and appreciate the great level of Klal Yisrael. These Ashkenazic and Sephardic Jews were so accepting of each other, that they actually altered their own customs to accept the view of the other. During these eight nights of Chanukah we can feel a great sense of Klal Yisrael knowing that Ashkenazic Jews are honoring Sephardic customs which, in fact, they have transformed into Ashkenazic customs. Sephardic Jews, in return, are honoring Ashkenazic customs which they have, in turn, transformed into Sephardic customs. This is the ultimate level of Klal Yisrael. ----------------------------------------- In the haftarah for Shabbat Chanukah, which we read today, the prophet Zechariah describes his strange night vision (2:14-4:7). “I see a large gold menorah,” he reveals, “with seven branches. Each branch has a bowl upon it and each bowl has a light shining within it. And two olive trees stand near the menorah, one to the right and one to the left; each with a golden tube leading to the menorah through which its oil flows.” The prophet, unaware of the meaning of his vision, asks an angel for help in interpreting its meaning. The angel explains that the seven lights are the eyes of HaShem, which see the whole earth, and the two olive trees filling the menorah with oil are the two “anointed ones” who attend to HaShem. The Talmud in Massechet Sanhedrin (24a) explains that these two “anointed ones” are, in fact, talmedei chachamim meEretz Yisrael umeBavel; the great Sages from the Land of Israel AND Babylonia. The menorah shines brighter, the rabbis of the Talmud realized, when various groups of Jews contribute their oil. Only together could these two groups, at once separate and united, serve HaShem adequately. So, this Chanukah, let us relish in the idea that, although we fulfill the mitzvah of kindling the menorah through separate customs, we are as united as the sages of Eretz Yisrael and Bavel, in having embraced each others' practices. Shabbat shalom.
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Today is Wednesday, May 23, 2012
