Ask The Rabbi 
19 December 1998 
Issue #218
Parshat Miketz
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This publication is available in HTML format at 
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Researched at Ohr Somayach, Jerusalem 
This Issue Contains: 
1. Your First Degree 	6. Hasmonean Kings 
2. Straight Answer   	7. Yiddle Riddle
3. Where in Blazes? 	8. Yiddle Riddle Special
Glowing Report 	9. Public Domain
Rudolf the Red-Nosed Roast Beef 
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____Your First Degree____ 
 
Rudolf the Red-Nosed Roast Beef

Name@Withheld wrote:

Dear Rabbi,

Where should I light Chanuka candles if I'm not allowed to light them in my 
room?  The dorm policy in my dorm at U. of M. is that we're not allowed to 
smoke, light candles, etc., in the dorm rooms.  Should I light anyway?  Or 
should I not do it at all?  Thanks.

Dear Name@Withheld,

	Your dormitory policy is very sensible.  It's obviously intended to 
ensure that the first degree you get will be a piece of paper, not a burn.  
Breaking this rule endangers you and others, besides the fact that it is 
simply against the rules.

	I recommend that you light your menorah at the entrance to the dorm 
building, or if that's not possible then in the dining room.

Source:

* Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 671:5


____Straight Answer____

Allan Grant   <agrant@pop.mindspring.com> wrote:

Dear Rabbi,

Where can I, a complete novice, find the rabbinic or halachic rulings on 
the construction of a chanukia (chanuka menorah)?  I've enclosed a photo of 
a chanukia that I had custom-built for my wife and I can't find anyone to 
give me a straight answer.

I have been told that they've got to be in a straight line, that there is 
no variation from this style.  But I've also been told that there can be 
different shapes and alignments as long as each candle is separate and can 
be viewed as such.  Obviously, I'm confused.

I've been told that there are rules and regulations in the Talmud, Shabbat 
23b, but I don't have a Talmud near me, and the closest shuls are more than 
20 miles from here, so that's out.

What are the requirements?  Where can a layman find them? How do the above 
opinions get resolved?  Where do I go?  HELP!!  Please help with a good 
explanation, not just a one word sentence that doesn't tell me why.

************

Dear Allan Grant,

	Traditionally and ideally, the chanukia is a straight line.  The one 
pictured which you made is also OK, because each candle is distinct from 
the others.

	The idea is, that the onlooker can see which night of Chanuka it is 
by looking at the candles, which is easiest if in a straight line.  For the 
same reason, the shamash must be distinct, preferably a little higher than 
the other candles.

Sources:

* Rema, Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 671:4
* Mishna Berura ibid. 17


Where in Blazes?

Evan Sehgal <Bns357@aol.com> wrote:

Dear Rabbi,

In the Shulchan Aruch it says a chanukia must be no higher than 20 amos 
(cubits).  Is this height measured from the base of the chanukia, the base 
of the candle, the base of the flame or the top of the flame?  Is this an 
issue as the candle burns down?  Does this have implications for the giant 
menorahs lit in public places?

************

Dear Evan Sehgal,

	The flame must not be higher than 20 amos (approximately 30-40 feet) 
above ground level of the public thoroughfare.  If the flame is higher, the 
person has not fulfilled the mitzvah.  Large public menorahs are anyway not 
intended to fulfill the mitzvah because they are not in or next to any 
individual's dwelling.  The mitzvah is to light the menorah at home.


____Glowing Report____

Name@Withheld wrote:

Dear Rabbi,

How soon after the Maccabean victory was Chanuka celebrated on an annual 
basis?  When were the first chanukiot created and used?  When was the ban 
on constructing a seven-branched menorah rescinded?


Feldi3 <Feldi3@aol.com> wrote:

Dear Rabbi,

I have to do a project for my Torah teacher on the menorah, could you send 
me some pictures, and information on the menorah.  Thank you for your time.  

Sincerely, Feldi3


Name@Withheld wrote:

Dear Rabbi,

Can you give me information on the significance of the 7-branched menorah, 
as opposed to the 9-branched chanukia?

************

Dear Feldi3 and Names@Withheld,

	The original Menorah was the golden candelabra that G-d commanded the 
Jewish People to make and place in the Holy Temple.  It had six branches 
and a stem, making seven lamps in all.  The kohanim (priests) lit it once a 
day.  The Torah relates its measurements and design in Exodus 25:31-40.

	The Sages teach that the Menorah was the vessel that G-d used to 
blend the spiritual light of the World to Come with the physical light of 
this world.  For this reason, the windows in the Temple were narrow on the 
inside and wide on the outside -- to spread out this blended light to the 
world.

	There is a prohibition against making a metal seven-branched menorah.  
This prohibition is part of the general prohibition against making vessels 
like those of the Holy Temple, and it was never rescinded.

	Chanuka was instituted as an annual holiday the very first year after 
the Maccabean victory (165 BCE) to celebrate the victory and the miracle of 
the oil that burned for eight days.

	The Chanuka menorah has place for eight candles and for a ninth 
candle set off somewhat from the rest.  The eight candles commemorate the 
miracle of the oil while the ninth candle, the shamash, is for light.  The 
first use of an eight-armed menorah for Chanuka is not known, although 
there are some dating back over 500 years.

	There's no absolute requirement to use a Chanuka menorah, because you 
can fulfill the minimal requirement with one candle per night.  But since 
it's ideal to add a candle each night, the custom arose to use an eight-
branched menorah.  A friend of mine from Yeshiva used to line up eight soda 
cans as his menorah!

	For more information, look at Ohr Somayach's Chanuka web pages at:
www.ohr.org/special/chanuka/index.htm

	And Feldi, let me know what grade I get, er, I mean, what grade you 
get, on the report!

Sources:

* Tractate Shabbat 21b
* Tractate Avoda Zara 43a
* Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 141:2
* See also Igrot Moshe Yoreh Deah 3:33


____Rudolf the Red-Nosed Roast Beef____

Heather Coats from Anchorage, Alaska <hcoats@micronet.net> wrote:

Dear Rabbi,

Do you know if reindeer sausage is kosher?  It is made locally at Indian 
Valley Meats.  Thank you.

************

Dear Heather Coats,

	Reindeer is a kosher-type animal.  But, like all kosher-type animals, 
it isn't actually kosher until it is ritually slaughtered and goes through 
a special process.  If it doesn't go through this process, then it's not 
kosher.  That's why all meat needs Rabbinic supervision.

	If it's difficult in Anchorage to find meat that is actually kosher, 
I am including an address of a Rabbi in Anchorage who will be able to help 
you obtain kosher food (address omitted from published version).


____Hasmonean Kings____

Russell Gold from Bala Cynwyd, PA <russgold@acm.org> wrote:

Dear Rabbi,

Why was the Davidic line not restored to the throne after the Maccabean 
revolt overthrew the Syrian-Greek occupation?  Why did the people accept 
the Hasmonean line instead?

************

Dear Russell Gold,

	The Hasmoneans were the military commanders of the coup; they kept 
the throne for themselves being the family in power who had the capability 
of maintaining law and order.  In fact they were punished for not returning 
the throne to the house of David, and eventually not only lost the throne 
but the whole family died out.  The people themselves had little to say 
about the matter, as the monarchy could not have been retrieved by force 
(i.e., a civil war) out of gratitude to the Hasmoneans.

===========================================================================

Yiddle Riddle

Last week we asked:  This riddle is attributed to the Ibn Ezra.  Two 
characters in Tanach: one's name makes him sound as though he's his own 
uncle, and the other's would have him appear to be his own grandfather.  
Who are they?

Answer:  King Achav ("Ach" means brother, "av" means father; hence "Achav" 
means "Brother of father" or "uncle.")  (Melachim I 16:28) Avner son of Ner 
("Avner" sounds like "the father" (av) of Ner).  (Shmuel I 26:5) 

Riddle submitted by Dovid Solomon <dsolomon@actcom.co.il>

===========================================================================

Yiddle Riddle Special

	As a Chanuka present to our readers, we're offering you another 
riddle this week, including the answer!

Avraham Rosenthal <rosentha@netvision.net.il> wrote:  

	Here is a Yiddle Riddle which I heard from a prominent cheder rebbi 
in Yerushalayim:  Name four people in Sefer Bereishis (Genesis) whose names 
consist of two words.

Answer:  

	Tuval Kayin (Bereishet 4:22);  May Zahav (Bereishet 36:39); Poti Fera 
(Bereishet 41:45); Tsafnas Panayach (Bereishet 41:45).

Ohrnet Notes:  

	What about Adam HaRishon?  (Just kidding.)  But on a more serious 
note:  Ben Oni!  That was Rachel's name for her son Binyamin. (Bereishet 
25:18)  And what about Malki Tzedek, king of Shalem? (Bereishet 14:18)

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The Public Domain
Comments, quibbles, and reactions 
concerning previous "Ask-the-Rabbi" features

Re:  Providence:

	This isn't a question but it's a true story that I heard that I'd 
like to share.  My friend received a 500 Rand inheritance and decided to 
give 50 Rand to charity. His parents said they thought that was too much 
but he told them that whatever you give to charity, Hashem gives back to 
you.  So he gave it to charity and later, when cleaning his drawers and 
going through cards from his past birthdays, he found a 50 Rand note that 
he had not seen.

* Berzack from South Africa <robert.berzack@pixie.co.za>

**********

Re:  Sanctifying the Moon Versus Moon-Worship (Ask #212):

	Many people are careful to face away from the moon while saying 
Kiddush Levana.  The reason is to avoid giving the appearance of moon 
worship.  

* Rabbi Yitzchok D. Frankel, Cedarhurst, NY <Ydfrankel@aol.com>

**********

Re: B'SD (Ask #215):

	In a recent Ask the Rabbi regarding the letters "beit, samech, 
dalet," you wrote:  "It's a custom to write it on top of the page as a 
prayer for success in what we are about to write, but it's not an absolute 
requirement.  I've never noticed anyone writing it when they write a 
check."

	An interesting thing just happened to me before I read the above.  A 
gentleman from Spain came into my Judaica store and wrote "beis samech 
dalet" above his signature on the credit card slip.  He said that he has 
officially incorporated it as a legal part of his signature and showed me 
that it appears above his name on his driver's license and on other 
documents.

* Michael Katz <M613K@aol.com>


	I'd like to note that Rabbi Yitzchak Karo in his sefer "Toldot 
Yitzchak" (Vayikra 14:34) says that the reason to write either "beit hey" 
or "samech dalet" is from the verse in Mishle (3:6)  "In all your ways know 
Him..."  However, if writing "beit hey"one should be careful not to put the 
paper in the garbage (see Igrot Moshe Yoreh Deah 2:138).

	Also what you wrote about using the names of people from before 
Avraham, see Pitchei Teshuva Yoreh Deah 365:6 in the name of Teshuva 
Me'ahava (1:35) that one may do so, and not like the Mabit (1:276).  Thanks 
for your wonderful weekly newsletter.

* Moshe Reich, Kiryat Sefer, Israel

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