Shabbat 43

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. ');">¹</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. ');">²</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. ');">³</span>

אמר רבה נר חנוכה מצוה להניחה בטפח הסמוכה לפתח והיכא מנח ליה רב אחא בריה דרבא אמר מימין רב שמואל מדפתי אמר משמאל והילכתא משמאל כדי שתהא נר חנוכה משמאל ומזוזה מימין:

And where is it placed? — R. Aha son of Raba said: On the right hand side: R. Samuel<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In She'eltoth, Wa-yishlah, 26 the reading is R. Jeremiah. ');">⁴</span> of Difti<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 35, n. 5. ');">⁵</span> said: On the left hand side.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Both meaning as one enters the house. ');">⁶</span> And the law is, on the left, so that the Hanukkah lamp shall be on the left and the <i>mezuzah</i><span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Glos. ');">⁷</span>

אמר רב יהודה אמר רב אסי (אמר רב) אסור להרצות מעות כנגד נר חנוכה כי אמריתה קמיה דשמואל אמר לי וכי נר קדושה יש בה מתקיף לה רב יוסף וכי דם קדושה יש בו דתניא (ויקרא יז, יג) ושפך וכסה במה ששפך יכסה שלא יכסנו ברגל שלא יהו מצות בזויות עליו ה"נ שלא יהו מצות בזויות עליו:

on the right. Rab Judah said in R. Assi's name:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cur. ed. adds: in Rab's name: Rosh omits it, and it appears to be absent from Rashi's text too. ');">⁸</span> One must not count money by the Hanukkah light. When I state this before Samuel, he observed to me, Has then the lamp sanctity?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Surely not. ');">⁹</span> R. Joseph demurred: Does blood possess sanctity? For it was taught: he shall pour out [the blood thereof], and cover it [with dust]:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XVII, 13. This refers to a beast or a fowl killed for food. ');">¹⁰</span>

בעו מיניה מרבי יהושע בן לוי מהו להסתפק מנויי סוכה כל שבעה א"ל הרי אמרו אסור להרצות מעות כנגד נר חנוכה אמר רב יוסף מריה דאברהם תלי תניא בדלא תניא סוכה תניא חנוכה לא תניא דתניא סככה כהלכתה ועיטרה בקרמים ובסדינין המצויירין ותלה בה אגוזים אפרסקין שקדים ורמונים ופרכילי ענבים ועטרות של שבלים יינות (של) שמנים וסלתות אסור להסתפק מהן עד מוצאי יום טוב האחרון של חג ואם התנה עליהן הכל לפי תנאו אלא אמר רב יוסף אבוהון דכולהו דם:

wherewith he pours out, he must cover,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. with this hand. ');">¹¹</span> i.e., he must not cover it with his foot,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Kicking the dust over it. ');">¹²</span> so that precepts may not appear contemptible to him. So here too<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Viz., the Hanukkah lamp. ');">¹³</span> it is that precepts may not appear contemptible to him.

איתמר רב אמר אין מדליקין מנר לנר ושמואל אמר מדליקין רב אמר אין מתירין ציצית מבגד לבגד ושמואל אמר מתירין מבגד לבגד רב אמר אין הלכה כרבי שמעון בגרירה ושמואל אמר הלכה כרבי שמעון בגרירה.

R. Joshua b. Levi was asked: Is it permitted to make use of the booth decorations during the whole of the seven days?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The booths which were erected for the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev. XXIII, 42) were adorned with fruit suspended from the roofs. ');">¹⁴</span> He answered him [the questioner], Behold! it was said, One must not count money by the Hanukkah light.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Being dedicated to a religious observance, it must not be put to secular use. The same applies here. ');">¹⁵</span> God of Abraham! exclaimed R. Joseph, he makes that which was taught dependent upon what was not taught: [of] booths it was taught, whereas of Hanukkah it was not. For it was taught: if one roofs it [the booth] in accordance with its requirements, beautifies it with hangings and sheets, and suspends therein nuts, peaches, almonds, pomegranates, grape clusters, garlands of ears of corn, wines, oils and flours; he may not use them until the conclusion of the last day of the Feast; yet if he stipulates concerning then,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' the prohibition is regarded as coming into force at twilight of the first day when they become dedicated to their religious purpose. The stipulation whereby the prohibition is lifted is: 'I will not hold aloof from them throughout the period of twilight', so that it does not become dedicated them, ');">¹⁶</span> it is all according to his stipulation. — Rather, said R. Joseph: The basis<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit. 'the father'. ');">¹⁷</span>

אמר אביי כל מילי דמר עביד כרב לבר מהני תלת דעביד כשמואל מדליקין מנר לנר ומתירין מבגד לבגד והלכה כרבי שמעון בגרירה דתניא רבי שמעון אומר גורר אדם מטה כסא וספסל ובלבד שלא יתכוין לעשות חריץ

of all is [the law relating to] blood.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As stated above: things taken for religious purposes must not be treated slightingly. ');">¹⁸</span> It was stated: Rab said: One must not light from lamp to lamp;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' One Hanukkah lamp must not be lit from another. Or, when a lamp with several branches is used, in accordance with the practice of the 'most zealous' (supra 21b; this too is the modern usage), one branch must not be lit from another. ');">¹⁹</span> but Samuel maintained, You may light from lamp to lamp. Rab said: Fringes<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Num. XV, 38. ');">²⁰</span> may not be detached<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit.,'untied'. ');">²¹</span>

יתיב ההוא מרבנן קמיה דרב אדא בר אהבה ויתיב וקאמר טעמא דרב משום ביזוי מצוה אמר להו לא תציתו ליה טעמיה דרב משום דקא מכחיש מצוה מאי בינייהו איכא בינייהו דקא מדליק משרגא לשרגא מ"ד משום ביזוי מצוה משרגא לשרגא מדליק מ"ד משום אכחושי מצוה משרגא לשרגא נמי אסור

from one garment for [insertion in] another, but Samuel ruled, Fringes may be detached from garment to garment. Rab said, The <i>halachah</i> is not as R. Simeon in respect to dragging; but Samuel maintained, The <i>halachah</i> is as R. Simeon in respect to dragging. Abaye said: In all matters the Master [Rabbah] acted in accordance with Rab, except in these three, where he did as Samuel: [viz.,] one may light from lamp to lamp; one can detach [the fringes] from one garment for [insertion in] another; and the <i>halachah</i> is as R. Simeon in respect to dragging. For it was taught: R. Simeon said: One may drag a bed, seat, or bench,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Over an earthen floor on the Sabbath. ');">²²</span> provided that he does not intend to make a rut. One of the Rabbis sat before R. Adda b. Ahabah and sat and said: Rab's reason<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For ruling that one must not kindle one lamp from another. ');">²³</span> is on account of the cheapening of the precept. Said he to them, Do not heed him: Rab's reason is because he impairs the precept.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It looks like taking light away from one lamp and giving it to another. ');">²⁴</span>

מתיב רב אויא סלע של

Wherein do they differ? — They differ where he lights from lamp to lamp:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Directly, without an intermediary chip. ');">²⁵</span> on the view that it is because of the cheapening of the precept, one may light from lamp to lamp;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' There is nothing degrading when it directly lights another lamp for the same religious purpose. ');">²⁶</span> but on the view that it is because he impairs the precept, even from lamp to lamp is forbidden. R. Awia objected: As to a <i>sela'</i><span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Glos. ');">²⁷</span> of