B"H

Tuesday, Kislev 27, 5777 / December 27, 2016

Happy third day of Chanukah.

Q.The candles are placed in the Menorah from right to left, but are lit from left to right (the new candle is lit first).  Why?

A. Mitzvot (except for Tefillin) are, in general, associatad with the right. For example, the Shofar is blown from the right side of the mouth. We hold a Kiddush cup with the right hand. Thus, the Chanukah candles are placed on the right sideof the Menorah. But since the new candle, on the left, represents the new dayof Chanukah, we honor it by lighting its candle first. 

One of the decrees during the time of the story of Chanukah, was the ban against studying Torah. The Torah, which is written in Hebrew, is read from right to left. Yet, when each individual letter is written by a scribe, it is started on the left and continued to the right!  Similarly, when we place the candles on the right side of the menorah and then light them beginning from the left side, we are also expressing our thanks to Hashem that through the miracle of Chanukah, we are able to study Torah.

Q.The three mitzvot of Shabbat, circumcision and Rosh Chodesh (sanctifying the new moon) were also amongst the mitzvot that were prohibited at the time of the Chanukah story. How does observing Chanukah for eight daysexpress our gratitude to Hashem for these three mitzvot?

A.Shabbat- As a result of Chanukah being eight days, Shabbat always falls out once and sometimes twice during Chanukah. 

Circumcission- Because Chanukah is 8 daysit reminds us of the eighth day– the day in which we perform the mitzvah of circumcision.

Rosh Chodesh- There is always a Rosh Chodesh during Chanukah (In fact, Chanukah is the only holiday, except for Rosh Hashana, which includes a Rosh Chodesh in it, for it begins in the month of Kislev and ends in the month of Tevet).

Q.  Why did the miracle of Chanukah have to be exactly eightdays?

A.  The Torah says, "He that touches a man's dead body, shall be unclean seven days" (Num. 19:11).  As a result of the war and coming in contact with the dead, Jews were spiritually unclean. Thus, they had to wait until the eighth day, when they were able to produce new oil fit for the lighting of the Menorah. Another reason: The oil for the Menorah had to be of superior quality. As a result, the oil was made from olives which grew on the land of the Tribe of Asher. It took eight daysto travel there and bring their oil back to Jerusalem. 

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY & HAPPY CHANUKAH