Commentary for Shabbat 45:17

A lantern: A large vessel of glass; lanterne, in the vernacular.

It needed [to say,] one extinguishes it and lifts it and sets it down and lights it again: But perhaps you will say (ask), "Why does he extinguish it and light it again? It is enough with placing it - since placing accomplishes the commandment! For is it being lit and staying alit any worse than the lighting of a deaf-mute, a mentally compromised person or a minor?" But it can be said (answered) that it is speaking about when he lit it from its start for the needs of Shabbat. And therefore it is worse than the lighting of a deaf-mute, a mentally compromised person or a minor. For there - since he lights it at its time, it is recognizable that he is lighting it for the sake of Channukah. (Riva)

Burning: As he kindled it for the commandment of Channukah on the eve of Shabbat.

Conclude from this [that] lighting accomplishes the commandment: And if so, it is permitted to light from lamp to lamp. Nevertheless, since the world has been accustomed to be stringent, we should not change the custom.

And kindles it: For the commandment of that night.

Were in that miracle: Since the Greeks decreed upon all the virgins getting married to have intercourse with the high official first. And the miracle happened through a woman.

A lodger: A guest.

After I married: But I was sometimes [still] a lodger [in order to go somewhere] to study Torah.

Upon me: For my sake.

On top of my house: In my house.

Its light lasts: It does not quickly end like olive oil [does].

At first, my Master would seek sesame oil: It appears that it is referring to the Channukah lamp, and it is because of the reason that he concluded - that its light is [long-lasting]. But for the Shabbat lamp, it is obvious that olive oil is [used to perform] the choice commandment, since it is drawn more readily by the wick than all [other oils] - as it is shown in our mishnah. For they all conceded that we light with it.

Its light is clear: Clear and gives off light.

To mix: I found in the responsa of the Geonim, that we smoke a glass vessel with the smoke of olive oil until it blackens. And one [then] rubs off the blackness and puts a little oil into it, mixes it, dries it in the sun and [then] rubs it into the ink.

To smoke: This is also as I [just] explained.

Sap: Gome.

Balsam: Prunelier of the forests; like that which we make from sap.

One who sees: One who is passing through the marketplaces and sees it lit in one of the courtyards. But I found in the name of Rabbenu Yitzchak ben Yehudah, who said in the name of Rabbenu Yaakov, that this blessing is only required for one who did not yet light in his house or for one on a boat.

One who sees recites two: 'Who did miracles,' and 'who has sustained us.' For he should not recite the blessing, 'to light,' since he did not light.

What does he omit - the one who lights - on the other days? Which of the three does he omit?

It is present on all the days: For behold, they lit from the cruse all eight [days, in the Temple]. But [regarding the blessing about] time - from [the time] when He made us arrive to the beginning of the time (the first day of Channukah), He has [already] made us arrive.

Where did He command us: Behold, it is not from the Torah, but rather from [the Rabbis'] words.

From, "You shall not turn aside from the word which they shall tell you, etc."

One may use it to establish an eiruv: The joining of courtyards and the joining of borders.

Establish the merging in an alleyway. For if one wants, he can render his property ownerless and become poor; and [then the produce] would be fit for him. As we learn (in a mishnah), "We feed demai to the poor." Hence it is considered his.

And one recites a blessing: HaMotzi.

And one invites [a quorum]: This is the blessing of invitation.

And one may separate it: A person who is naked. Meaning to say that there is no need to recite a blessing upon it when he separates it.

"Therefore shall your camp be holy that He see no unseemly thing in you" - even the speech, of mentioning [God's] name, should see no unseemly thing in you.

A definite rabbinic law: Such as the Channukah lamp.

An uncertain rabbinic law: Such as demai. Since [the need for] its separation is only from an uncertainty.

And it requires a blessing: The sanctification (kiddush) of the day.

Rava said: An uncertain rabbinic law requires a blessing, but demai is not even uncertain. Rather it is just a mere stringency, since most ignoramuses do tithe.

A courtyard that has two entrances That the house has two entrances opening on to the courtyard. [Hence it] needs two lamps - one lamp for each entrance - on account of suspicion, as the reason is explained. For the one looking would think that the house is divided, and it surely belongs to two people. So they will say [that] one is not fulfilling the commandment of the lamp.

From two different directions: One in the north and one in the east.

The suspicion of people: The residents of another city, who pass through from there in the marketplace.

Even facing the same direction as well, they will think that the house is divided inside it.

And if it is the suspicion of the residents of the city who know that there is no division.

At the end of his field: At the end of his harvest. As it is written, "you shall not finish" - it is implied [that it must be] at the time of finishing, and not that he should put it aside before then.

Due to causing the poor to be idle: And it explains all of [the reasons].

A time [it is] is unoccupied: When the poor are not with him; and he will say to his poor relative, "Hurry and take [from] here before others come." But now that he leaves it to the end of the field's harvest, the poor see and come.