From My Upcoming Sefer: The Traveler’s Guide If a person is traveling and their spouse or children light the Chanukah candles at home, they fulfill their obligation through that lighting. However, there is a halachic debate regarding whether the...
Dear Rabbi and Shira , Hi. I’m a weekly reader of your column. I figured this was the right place to ask my question. On my friend’s very first date, she got...
As we all know, we use olive oil to light the Chanukah menorah. Recently, olive oil has become very popular for its health benefits. Olive oil has many other uses as well (see below). In previous years, its...
I. Reasons to Deviate Rav Yosef Karo (16th cen., Israel; Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 676:1) says that the first blessing on Chanukah lights is: “le-hadlik ner Chanukah, to kindle Chanukah light.” Many have noted how puzzling this is because the...
Rav Shalom Schwadron, who was known as “the Maggid of Yerushalayim,” once worked as a teacher in a yeshiva, and he noticed that a certain student did not attend the shiur for several nights in a row....
EASY HOMEMADE DONUT HOLES INGREDIENTS: FOR THE GLAZE: 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar 3 1/2 tablespoons whole milk or soy milk to keep pareve 2 teaspoons vanilla extract FOR THE DOUGHNUT HOLES: 5 cups vegetable oil, for frying 1...
I would like to share a beautiful insight from Rav Matisyahu Solomon relating to the popular Chanukah liturgical poem, Maoz Tzur. Perhaps the most familiar stanza of this poem (owing to the well-known song using these words) is the...
As we get ready for the very sweet festival of Chanukah, it behooves us to brush-up on its spiritual messages. In this way, we can ensure that it doesn’t become a mere season of gastronomic delight such as...
The Beis Aharon (p.45:) said, “Once, on Zos Chanukah, my father [Rebbe Asher of Stolin zt’l] asked his chassidim to sing, ‘We will return to you, masechta Chanukah, and return to us, masechta Chanukah.’” The Beis Aharon adds, “Who am I to...
When is the optimal time to light Chanukah candles? The Talmud (Shabbos 21a) relates that Chanukah candles should be lit when the sun disappears from view, and should remain lit for half an hour. This codified...