December 9, 2008

This morning’s shiur considered whether a soldier may light Chanukah candles by using a flashlight, because of the fire hazard of using candles in a tent, and related issues. The question was posed to R. Nachum Rabinowitz, who answered in his sefer Melumadei Milchama.

As an introduction to the issue, Rabbi Kermaier read from the Shulchan Aruch (673) (see text in Appendix), which rules that all types of fuels are valid for Chanukah candles, even oils that are not drawn smoothly into the wicks and thus provide an unclear light. The Mishna Berura explained that such fuels are impermissible for Shabbat candles, because of the fear that one will forget it is Shabbat and adjust the wick to improve the light. Because we are not allowed to use the Chanukah candles for benefit, that fear is not present in this context. The Rema’s gloss on the Shulchan Aruch said that olive oil is the optimal fuel.
R. Rabinowitz’s teshuva began by noting that the Acharonim have debated the issue at great length. Because the evidence is not compelling in either direction, the poskim must ultimately rely on logical arguments. R. Rabinowitz found fairly compelling the argument that Chazal, when they decreed the lighting of Chanukah candles, did not know of electricity, so electricity may no be used. The problem, however, is that this argument proves too much. It would seemingly bar the use of wax candles, or fuels like petroleum, which would be contrary to the Shulchan Aruch.
There is also a debate on what type of fuel may be used. The Maharal of Prague forbade wax candles because the miracle of Chanukah occurred with oil. What is more, he said, a wax candle is more like an avuka (torch) than like a ner (candle). (The Mishna Berura cites this view of the Maharal and deems it worthy of consideration, but does not forbid wax candles.) The Rema, however, said that we may use wax candles, whose virtue is a pure and steady light.

Some apply the Maharal’s argument to electricity: it was not the source of the miracle, so it may not be used. Again, this proves too much, because we do not follow the Maharal in banning wax candles. Rabbi Kermaier cited R. Yosef Henkin’s argument that the Shulchan Aruch refers to using any kind of wicks or oils, which shows that you need a wick and oil, not electricity, which is too far removed from the original. (He would accept wax candles as a form of solidified oil.) Rabbi Kermaier also cited R. Tzvi Pesach Frank, who pointed to the necessity of having a sufficient fuel supply present when you light the candles. Thus, it would be impermissible to light candles with a small quantity of oil, insufficient to last half an hour, and then add oil after the lighting. By analogy, electricity is impermissible, because the fuel that will keep the candle going for half an hour is not present at the time of lighting. (Query whether a flashlight should be different because the fuel supply, a battery, is present.) The teshuva continued by quoting another argument against electricity: it is unreliable, so you don’t know whether you have a half-hour’s worth of light available at the time of lighting. This argument is less persuasive in today’s First World, where electricity is reliable.

R. Rabinowitz concluded that there is no clear reason either to permit or prohibit electric menorahs. Therefore, we follow the custom of Israel, which is to use wax candles or oil. At the same time, there is a custom to use electric menorahs (without a b’racha, of course) to publicize the miracle, and that is acceptable. R. Rabinowitz ruled that the soldier who cannot use wax or oil may light an electric candle or flashlight, provided that it is recognizable as a Chanukah light and not just an ordinary light, and without reciting a b’racha. He should rely on family members back home to have him in mind when they make the b’rachot on Chanukah candles.

Rabbi Kermaier amplified that the issue of the light being recognizable as a Chanukah light ties into the basic halacha that we light one candle per night per household. Though we follow the mehadrin min hamehadrin version of the mitzvah, lighting an additional candle each night (and, among Ashkenazim, using a separate menorah for each member of the household), one candle would suffice, in theory. This underscores the problem with lighting a single electric bulb. In the case of the soldier, it might help if he could put his flashlight on top of a menorah, to give it the context of a Chanukah light.

In addition, Rabbi Kermaier noted, R. Eliezer Waldenberg said that the filament of an electric bulb forms an arc rather than a straight line, so it’s more like a torch than a candle, and thus is inappropriate for a Chanukah light.