Esrog
12-07-2004, 08:04 AM
What is the time according to Chabad to light Chanukah lights tonight and why? Is it right after sunset? Why would it not be after nightfall or 3 medium stars or whatever?
The Rebbe says that the idea of the Chanukah lights is to light up the darkness.
Also, the Torah says specifically that Greece represents darkness. This is from the second verse in Genesis, which talks about the chaos and darkness of the world, and I think it is the Midrash (?) that says the words in that verse refer to the different evil empires that are destined to oppress the Jewish people. In that teaching, the word "darkness" is said to refer to the Greeks.
Why then, not wait until it is fully dark to light the lights?
Also, aren't there different opinions about when night really starts just as there are different opinions about when dawn starts? (And hence there are different opinions as to when is the earliest you can put on tefillin.)
Since a day begins with night ("The evening and the morning were the first day"), why shouldn't one wait until it is really dark to be sure one is lighting the menora when the first day of Chanukah has definitely started?
I've also heard that there are different opinions or subtleties about when the exact start of Shabbos is, whether it is at sunset or how you define that, that is, I have heard that it means when the sun has begun to set and is already partly below the horizon, not after it is fully below the horizon or something.
My point is, why not wait until it is fully night to light the menora so there is no brocha levatulla? Why is it valid in Chabad minhag to light the menora right after sunset and is that the minhag (have I got it right?) and if so, what is the reason?
Sorry I don't know this more clearly. Maybe someone can enlighten me. You only have a few hours to explain it to me before Chanukah starts tonight.....Please, please, DON'T give me a one or two sentence answer...Give me a full clear explanation. Thanks.
I know Hashem gave nine tenths of the power of speech to the women, but He also made the men the primary mashpias, so explain it to me.....
The Rebbe says that the idea of the Chanukah lights is to light up the darkness.
Also, the Torah says specifically that Greece represents darkness. This is from the second verse in Genesis, which talks about the chaos and darkness of the world, and I think it is the Midrash (?) that says the words in that verse refer to the different evil empires that are destined to oppress the Jewish people. In that teaching, the word "darkness" is said to refer to the Greeks.
Why then, not wait until it is fully dark to light the lights?
Also, aren't there different opinions about when night really starts just as there are different opinions about when dawn starts? (And hence there are different opinions as to when is the earliest you can put on tefillin.)
Since a day begins with night ("The evening and the morning were the first day"), why shouldn't one wait until it is really dark to be sure one is lighting the menora when the first day of Chanukah has definitely started?
I've also heard that there are different opinions or subtleties about when the exact start of Shabbos is, whether it is at sunset or how you define that, that is, I have heard that it means when the sun has begun to set and is already partly below the horizon, not after it is fully below the horizon or something.
My point is, why not wait until it is fully night to light the menora so there is no brocha levatulla? Why is it valid in Chabad minhag to light the menora right after sunset and is that the minhag (have I got it right?) and if so, what is the reason?
Sorry I don't know this more clearly. Maybe someone can enlighten me. You only have a few hours to explain it to me before Chanukah starts tonight.....Please, please, DON'T give me a one or two sentence answer...Give me a full clear explanation. Thanks.
I know Hashem gave nine tenths of the power of speech to the women, but He also made the men the primary mashpias, so explain it to me.....