Communities

Writing
Writing
Codidact Meta
Codidact Meta
The Great Outdoors
The Great Outdoors
Photography & Video
Photography & Video
Scientific Speculation
Scientific Speculation
Cooking
Cooking
Electrical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Judaism
Judaism
Languages & Linguistics
Languages & Linguistics
Software Development
Software Development
Mathematics
Mathematics
Christianity
Christianity
Code Golf
Code Golf
Music
Music
Physics
Physics
Linux Systems
Linux Systems
Power Users
Power Users
Tabletop RPGs
Tabletop RPGs
Community Proposals
Community Proposals
tag:snake search within a tag
answers:0 unanswered questions
user:xxxx search by author id
score:0.5 posts with 0.5+ score
"snake oil" exact phrase
votes:4 posts with 4+ votes
created:<1w created < 1 week ago
post_type:xxxx type of post
Search help
Notifications
Mark all as read See all your notifications »
Q&A

Welcome to the Judaism community on Codidact!

Will you help us build our community of learners? Drop into our study hall, ask questions, help others with answers to their questions, share a d'var torah if you're so inclined, invite your friends, and join us in building this community together. Not an ask-the-rabbi service, just people at all levels learning together.

Post History

66%
+2 −0
Q&A Which is a higher priority on Dec 24 at night?

I am rather dubious that fear of attacks suddenly stopped after December 25. That day, because of its significance in Christianity, certainly had some impact. But I doubt that it was that much safe...

posted 1d ago by manassehkatz‭  ·  edited 1d ago by manassehkatz‭

Answer
#2: Post edited by user avatar manassehkatz‭ · 2024-12-23T20:09:32Z (1 day ago)
word usage
  • I am rather dubious that fear of attacks suddenly stopped after December 25. That day, because of its significance in Christianity, certainly had some impact. But I doubt that it was that much safer to light visible Chanukah candles on December 1 vs. 23 vs. 26 etc.
  • The solution, as has been the case in many places over many years (but changes over time as governments and public opinion change) is to light inside. Cover the windows and light inside. That satisfies the Halachic requirements, even if the only people to see the candles are the people who live in the house.
  • Another possibility, which has also not always been an option, is to light inside a synagogue. I actually heard an explanation last night for why the rules are different, in particular that (except for Friday night, of course) in synagogue you can light at around sunset (ideal time at home is later) and can extinguish the candles after Maariv if nobody will be in the synagogue, even though it is not yet the proper time for lighting at home and even though the candles have not burned for the normal minimum of 30 minutes. The answer being that lighting in a synagogue with at least 10 people there (the Rabbi made it clear that this does not even have to be a Minyan for Davening - women can be counted since they have the same obligation of lighting Chanukah candles) is considered a publicizing the miracle.
  • And of course this remains me of a famous picture of a Menorah in Germany in 1931 with a Nazi flag in the background. This [article in the The Times of Israel has details](https://www.timesofisrael.com/iconic-menorah-from-photo-with-nazi-flag-lit-at-hanukkah-event-in-berlin/):
  • ![Menorah](https://judaism.codidact.com/uploads/28xsg45ebxfcbbzvd9iw9yacmpgh)
  • I am rather dubious that fear of attacks suddenly stopped after December 25. That day, because of its significance in Christianity, certainly had some impact. But I doubt that it was that much safer to light visible Chanukah candles on December 1 vs. 23 vs. 26 etc.
  • The solution, as has been the case in many places over many years (but changes over time as governments and public opinion change) is to light inside. Cover the windows and light inside. That satisfies the Halachic requirements, even if the only people to see the candles are the people who live in the house.
  • Another possibility, which has also not always been an option, is to light inside a synagogue. I actually heard an explanation last night for why the rules are different, in particular that (except for Friday night, of course) in synagogue you can light at around sunset (ideal time at home is later) and can extinguish the candles after Maariv if nobody will be in the synagogue, even though it is not yet the proper time for lighting at home and even though the candles have not burned for the normal minimum of 30 minutes. The answer being that lighting in a synagogue with at least 10 people there (the Rabbi made it clear that this does not even have to be a Minyan for Davening - women can be counted since they have the same obligation of lighting Chanukah candles) is considered a publicizing the miracle.
  • And of course this reminds me of a famous picture of a Menorah in Germany in 1931 with a Nazi flag in the background. This [article in the The Times of Israel has details](https://www.timesofisrael.com/iconic-menorah-from-photo-with-nazi-flag-lit-at-hanukkah-event-in-berlin/):
  • ![Menorah](https://judaism.codidact.com/uploads/28xsg45ebxfcbbzvd9iw9yacmpgh)
#1: Initial revision by user avatar manassehkatz‭ · 2024-12-23T19:28:41Z (1 day ago)
I am rather dubious that fear of attacks suddenly stopped after December 25. That day, because of its significance in Christianity, certainly had some impact. But I doubt that it was that much safer to light visible Chanukah candles on December 1 vs. 23 vs. 26 etc.

The solution, as has been the case in many places over many years (but changes over time as governments and public opinion change) is to light inside. Cover the windows and light inside. That satisfies the Halachic requirements, even if the only people to see the candles are the people who live in the house.

Another possibility, which has also not always been an option, is to light inside a synagogue. I actually heard an explanation last night for why the rules are different, in particular that (except for Friday night, of course) in synagogue you can light at around sunset (ideal time at home is later) and can extinguish the candles after Maariv if nobody will be in the synagogue, even though it is not yet the proper time for lighting at home and even though the candles have not burned for the normal minimum of 30 minutes. The answer being that lighting in a synagogue with at least 10 people there (the Rabbi made it clear that this does not even have to be a Minyan for Davening - women can be counted since they have the same obligation of lighting Chanukah candles) is considered a publicizing the miracle.

And of course this remains me of a famous picture of a Menorah in Germany in 1931 with a Nazi flag in the background. This [article in the The Times of Israel has details](https://www.timesofisrael.com/iconic-menorah-from-photo-with-nazi-flag-lit-at-hanukkah-event-in-berlin/):

![Menorah](https://judaism.codidact.com/uploads/28xsg45ebxfcbbzvd9iw9yacmpgh)