Commentary for Shabbat 42:19

One is not bound to it: Hence it is permissible during the week.

And it is for forbidden to use its light:: Such that it be recognizable that it is the light of a commandment, and there is no concern about tilting.

And he did not accept it: Since they were not considered [reliable enough] to rely upon their words.

Had I merited: If I had merited to learn it, I would have have taught it when I heard it at first.

The teaching of one's youth is preserved better than that of old age.

For its measure: That there should be this measure of oil in it. However if it was extinguished, he is not bound to it.

That if one did not light, he must light: But from then on, the time has passed. RI Porat says that one should be careful and light immediately at night, so that he not delay too much. Nevertheless, if he did delay, he should light out of uncertainty. As behold, another answer is [also] answered. But it appears to RI that now there is no concern when one should light; for we only have the recognition of the members of our household [in our times], since we surely light indoors.

The traffic of the tarmoda’ei: It is the name of a nation of wood collectors. And they stay in the marketplace after the people of the marketplace go to their homes after dark and light the fire in their homes. And when [the latter] need [more] wood, they go out and buy [it] from them.

A light for a person and his household: One light on each night. And it is sufficient for a man and all the members of his household with one light.

And the mehadrin of the mehadrin (those who seek to beautify, among those who seek to beautify): It seems to RI that Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel refer only to "a man and his household" (i.e. the head of the household alone lighting on behalf of his entire family). Because in this way, there is more beautification; since there is something recognizable when he keeps adding or removing [lights], corresponding to the days that are entering (the days of Channukah still to come) or exiting (the days of Channukah that have already passed). However, if he makes a light for each one (i.e. each member of his household gets his own light), even if he adds from now onwards, there is nothing recognizable, because [people] would think that this is the number of people in the household (i.e. instead of attributing the increase or decrease in lights to the intention of the owner to correspond to the day of Chanukah, people would attribute it to the intention to correspond to the number of people in the household).

And the mehadrin (those who seek to beautify) the commandments do one light for every night for each of the members of the household.

Corresponds to the incoming days: Those that are to come in the future.

The outgoing days: That have already left; and the one in which he is situated is counted with the outgoing ones.

The bulls of the festival: They continue to decrease in the sacrifices of Parashat Pinchas.

We elevate in sanctity and we do not downgrade: We learn this from a verse - in Menachot (99a) in the chapter [entitled] Shtei HaLechem.

On the outside: [This is] in order to publicize the miracle. And it was not in the public domain, but rather in the courtyard; as their houses were open to a courtyard.

It is a commandment to place it at the entrance to one’s house on the outside: And it is speaking about when there is no courtyard, but is rather a house standing adjacent to the public domain. But if there is a courtyard in front of the house, the commandment is to place [it] at the entrance of the courtyard. For later on (Shabbat 23a), it says, "A courtyard that has two entrances requires two lamps." And we also say (Shabbat 23b), "A lamp that has two spouts counts for two people." This implies two houses; but if they placed [it] at the entrance of their houses, it would be to the right for this one and to the left for that one (whereas it should be to the left for both of them). But if they place [it] at the entrance to the courtyard, it comes out fine.

And if he lived upstairs: Such that he does not have a place in his courtyard, to place it there...

And in a time of danger: It appears to RI that this is from the time that the chabarei (Zoroastrian fire priests) came to Babylonia, as it said in the chapter [entitled] Kirah (Shabbat 45a), "What is [the ruling with regard] to moving a Channukah lamp from before the chabarei on Shabbat?" But perhaps you will say, "They would also take it from upon the table, like it said in Gittin (17a), 'Rabbah bar bar Chanah became ill. A chabar came and took the light in front of them." But it can be said (answered) that they are not so accustomed to search inside houses.

He places it inside, in front of the window to the public domain.

Of danger: Since the Persians had a law on their holiday, that they should only burn a lamp in their house of idolatry, as we say in Gittin (Chapter 2 - Gittin 17b).

Another light: To make the thing noticeable.

But if there is a bonfire: A fire. [Then] there is no need for another light, since one will use the light of the bonfire, so it will be noticeable that the [Channukah} light is for the commandment.

But if he is an important person who is not accustomed to using the light of a bonfire...

He must have another light: For if not, it would not be noticeable.

What is Hanukkah: For which miracle did they establish it?

That was placed with the seal of the High Priest: If they had already decreed (Niddah 34a) upon the gentiles to be [considered] like zavim (those rendered impure by an abnormal genital discharge), we must say that it was placed with a seal into the ground; such that they not lift the vessel (since zavim render something impure when they lift it).

With his seal: Hidden and sealed with his imprint, so he recognized that they had not touched [the oil].

This is [the version] we should teach, "And made them holidays with Hallel and thanksgiving": It is not that work is forbidden on them, as they were only fixed with regard to reciting Hallel and saying, Al HaNissim, in [the blessing of] thanksgiving (in the daily prayers).

Gatz: A spark, etincelle.

Patish: A large blacksmith's hammer.

The camel owner is liable: As he should not have made such a large load that it would enter into the store.

By the Channukah light, he is exempt: [Meaning the] storekeeper. As he was allowed to place it there to publicize the miracle.

That is to say: That which was taught, "By the Channukah light, he is exempt."

What is Channukah, etc.: And the Ran explained, "Meaning to say, they rested on the 25th (chanu be kah), etc." See there. But it is a little difficult - how is resting relevant here? As work is permitted on [Channukah], and they only made it a holiday for Hallel and to thank [God]. And it appears that it can be explained [as follows]: That it is called Channukah, based on the dedication of (channukat) the altar - as we say in the chapter [entitled] Rabbi Yishmael, that the Hasmonean dynasty stored away the stones of the altar that the idolatrous people had defiled. So they needed to build a new altar. And that is why it is called Channukah. But here, "What is Channukah," only [means], for which miracle did they fix it - to light lamps on it. [This approach works] also according to the midrash, Bereishit Rabbah - that the work of [building] the tabernacle] was completed on the 25th of Kislev but they did not dedicate it until Rosh Chodesh Nissan, upon which the forefathers were born. So the Holy One, blessed be He, payed [the 25th of Kislev] back in the days of Matatyahu, etc. This is also like that which I wrote - that He payed it back to be the day of the dedication of the altar, through Matatyahu, since the idolatrous people had defiled the old altar.

They defiled all the oils: And it was impossible to arrange pure oil for eight days, since they were impure from contact with the dead - as the Beit Yosef and the Re'em wrote in his explanations of the Semag. And see there in the Re'em, how the gentiles were rendering [the oil] impure. He also wrote there - that since they were all impure from contact with the dead, how did they light the [Temple] candelabrum, as behold [they would] render the oil impure when they light it? And he answered that they lit it with simple wooden vessels (which do not transmit impurity). To here [are his words]. But this is not sufficient. For even so, since they were all impure from contact with the dead, how did the one lighting enter the Temple when he was impure? Hence it appears that they were not all impure from being in contact with the dead. Rather is was from some [other] reason that they did not have pure oil. And it was, like the Ran wrote, that they had oil at a distance of four days, etc. See there. And with that, that which the Re'em asked - how did they light the candelabrum when impure, etc., see there - is also resolved. As now since they were not all impure from contact with the dead, they were able to make a new candelabrum. And the Re'em wrote according to his approach - that they were all impure from contact with the dead - [that] it can be said (answered) that they made a candelabrum of wood, as it is taught in the chapter [entitled] Kol HaTzlamim, "Rabbi Yose said, 'We may not fashion a candelabrum of wood, in the manner that the Hasmonean dynasty fashioned.'" See there. But I don't know what he fixed with this. As the candelabrum was rendered impure by touching [it] when it was made, even if it is from wood. As behold, the candelabrum had a receptacle (which makes even wood susceptible to impurity). And even Rabbi Yose only said that it was wood because the Hasmonean dynasty was poor then. But it is [still] possible to answer, according to his approach, that the wooden menorah had already been made by someone in another place, and it was not rendered impure there; and they took it with simple wooden vessels and carried it to the Temple. And it must be said that that man who already made it like the form of the candelabrum, [violated] a prohibition when he made it, even [if] it was from wood, according to Rabbi Yose - [according to whom] wood is also forbidden, from the inclusion of a verse. And be precise and you will find it simple.