נר של חנוכה שהניחה למעלה מכ' אמה פסולה כסוכה וכמבוי: ואמר רב כהנא דרש רב נתן בר מניומי משמיה דרב תנחום מאי דכתיב (בראשית לז, כד) והבור רק אין בו מים ממשמע שנא' והבור רק איני יודע שאין בו מים אלא מה ת"ל אין בו מים מים אין בו אבל נחשים ועקרבים יש בו:
If a Hanukkah lamp is placed above twenty cubits [from the ground] it is unfit, like <i>sukkah</i> and a cross-beam over [the entrance of] an alley.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A sukkah (q.v. Glos.) built higher than twenty cubits, or a cross-beam which permits carrying in a side street (v. p. 30, n. 5 and 'Er. 2a) placed higher than twenty cubits from the ground, is unfit. Similarly a Hanukkah lamp, because it is too high to be noticed and does not advertise the miracle.
');"><sup>1</sup></span> R. Kahana also said, R. Nathan b. Minyomi expounded in R. Tanhum's name: Why is it written, and the pit was empty, there was no water in it?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XXXVII, 24.
');"><sup>2</sup></span> From the implication of what is said, 'and the pit was empty', do I not know that there was no water in it; what then is taught by, 'there was no water in it'? There was no water, yet there were snakes and scorpions in it. Rabbah said: The Hanukkah lamp should be placed within the handbreadth nearest the door.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On the outside, as stated on 21b. But if it is placed further away, there is nothing to show that it was set there by the owner of the house.
');"><sup>3</sup></span>
Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim
One should place [the Hanukkah light] above three handsbreadths [from the ground]. It is a mitzvah to place it beneath ten handsbreadths. But if he placed it above ten handsbreadths, he has fulfilled his obligation. However, if he placed it above twenty cubits, he has not fulfilled his obligation. Rem"a: And even if he took it as it is, lit, and placed it below twenty cubits, he has not fulfilled his obligation, because the kindling accomplishes the mitzvah. (Beit Yosef quoting Tosafot)
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Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim
It is a mitzvah to place [the Hanukkah light] in the handsbreadth closest to the entrance on the left, so as to have the mezuzah on the right and the Hanukkah light on the left. But if there is no mezuzah in the entrance, he should place [the Hanukkah light] on the right. If one places it in the doorway itself, he should place it on the leftmost half of the entrance. Rem"a: However nowadays, when all kindle inside, and there is no distinction for the people of the public domain at all, one should not worry so much if we do not kindle it in the handsbreadth closest to the entrance. In any case, the custom is to kindle it in the handsbreadth closest to the entrance, as in [our ancestors'] days, and one should not deviate; unless the household members are many, [in which case] it is preferable for each one to kindle in a unique place rather than mixing the lights together, with no distinction of the number of lights they are kindling. In any case, they should take care not to kindle in the same place where they kindle lights all year, since then there would be no distinction at all. And even though there is only no distinction except for the members of the household, some distinction at least is necessary. In the synagogue, one should place [the Hanukkah light] at the southern wall (or to the south of the lamp, and he should arrange them from east to west). (Terumat Hadeshen Section 104, Beit Yosef) We kindle and recite the benedictions (in the synagogue) for the sake of publicizing the miracle. Rem"a: A person does not fulfill his obligation with the lights of the synagogue, and needs to kindle again in his own house. (Isaac ben Sheshet Section 111) We have the custom to kindle in the synagogue between the afternoon prayer and the evening prayer. Some have the custom to kindle on the Sabbath Eve before the afternoon prayer. (Kol Bo and Book of Abudirham) If [the prayer leader] wants to quickly pray right away after [he] has recited the benedictions and kindled one of them, the synagogue attendant may kindle the rest, and the prayer leader may pray. (Jacob ben Moses Moelin)
