1) It is very common for people to "go away" for Shabbos Chanukah, andmove into their parents, in-laws, friendsor other houses that aren't their own. This of course presents various different Halachic questions in regard to where to light the Chanukah menorah on Friday night as well as on Motzei Shabbos.
One who is a guest in someone else's home, even for one day, must light Chanukah candles in that home, provided that he will be eating in the home as well as spending the night sleeping there. (Rav Shlomo Zalmen Auerbach Zatzal.See also Chayei Adam Klal 154:32)
Therefore, the menorah should be lit Friday afternoon in the home where you will be spending Shabbos.
2) If when Shabbos is over you are still in your host's home, and you are planning to stay there for a while, it is best to light alongside the host right after Shabbos at the proper time, and not wait until you get back to your home, even though you will indeed be going home and sleeping in your own house.
If however, you plan to leave for home right away, and if you light in the host's home, you will not be there for a full half hour after the lighting, it is best not to light until you get to your own home. (Rav Shlomo Zalmen Auerbach Zatzal. His reasoning is that if you leave before half an hour, and thus the house is no longer considered your house, it may be like one who lit a menorah with not enough oil to last half an hour, in which case you haven't satisfied your obligation. See Halichos Shlomo Perek 14 Ha'arah 37)
Halachos for Shabbos Kodesh
1) When Rosh Chodesh Teves falls out on Shabbos Chanukah (as it does this year), the Birchas Hamazon is very lengthy, as "Retzei", "Ya'aleh V'Yavo" and " Al HaNisim" are added.
If Al Hanisim is inadvertently omitted from Birchas Hamazon, it isn't repeated. If "Retzei" or "Yaaleh V'yavo"[in certain cases on Shabbos] is omitted, the BirchasHamazon is repeated.
There is a dispute in the Poskim regarding one who omitted Al Hanisim (which doesn't necessitate repeating the Birchas hamazon) and also omitted Retzei (which does necessitate repeating the Birchas Hamazon).
Some Poskim maintain that when you repeat the Birchas Hamazon you do not say Al Hanisim (Magen Avraham, Elya Rabbah, Shulchan Aruch Harav and others)
Others maintain that once you are repeating the Birchas Hamazon already, you need to also include the AlHanisim (Pri Megadim, Chayei Adam, Shaarei Tzion and others)
It is best to try and not to forget, as it isn't clear which of the above opinions the Halacha follows.
2) The Bracha on "Latkes- those delicious potato pancakes that are traditionally eaten on Chanukah" which are made from grated potatoes is "Borei pri Ho'Adama" as usually one can still recognize the potatoes.
However if the potatoes were blended so finely that they aren't recognizable as potatoes, the Bracha recited on them is "SheHakol NihYoh B'Devaro". The same Halacha applies to potato kugel. (Psak of Rav Shlom Zalman Auerbach Zatzal)
QUESTION & ANSWER CORNER:
(Reader Submitted Questions of interest (on topics related to Halachos we covered, as well as other interesting topics) and my Answers taken from the Q & A page on the www.HalachaForToday.com website. For study purposes only, NOT for Psak Halacha. Questions can be sent to Halacha For Today)
Reader's Question:
Why is it that rosh Chodesh we only say ½ Hallel? Any Marie Mekomes(Sources)?
I know it's a minhag etc. but Rosh Chodesh is M'doiraysa(Biblical) , Chanuka isn't...?
My Answer:
The Gemara (Arachin 10 a-b) says that only days that are called "Moed" and also "Mekudash" with "Isur Asiyas Melacha- days on which we are prohibited to do Melacha" require the recitation of Halel. The Gemara learns this from a Pasuk.
Therefore Rosh Chodesh which isn't Mekidash B'Asiyas Melacha doesnt require Halel. The Gemara goes on to say tha taccording to this logic, Chanukah should also not require Halel. The Gemara answers that since a Nes happened, we still say Halel.
Many years later, the Chachamim decided to say Halel on Rosh Chodesh as well as on the last days of Pesach (which were initially exempt) as well. In order to differentiate between the 18 days on which we are required to say the Halel and the days when it is only a Minhag they instituted the recital of "half" Halel. (See also Mishna Berura Siman 422:12)
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L'Kavod Chanukah and Rosh Chodesh I will add another Q&A
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Reader's Question:
1) Firstly, regarding "Al Hanissim" in middle of birkas hamozan- whats that small tefillah that one puts in in case he forgets to say it and reminds himself before "hurachamon"?
2) second of all, just last night, after candle lighting, I decided that instead of just wasting my time by the candles with shmoozing, i will use my precious time to say "Perek Shira" As I was in middle of saying it, some of my family members claimed that one is not permitted to say it at night, since it entails lots of pesukim from Tehillim. I always knew that perek shira one can say any hour of the day/ night. is that not correct?
Also, if you can provide any insight as to why one cannot say Tehillim at night i would greatly appreciate it.
My Answer:
1) The accepted Nusach to say is "HaRachaman Hu Yaaseh Lanu nisim V'Niflaos k'mo SheAsisa L'Avoseinu Bayamin Hahem BaZman HaZeh. BiMei MaTisyahu...." (see Bais Yosef Siman 187 and Siman 682. See also Ram'a Siman 187:4 for a slightly different Nusach)
2) I commend you for spending the time after Hadlokas neiros doing something meaningful. The subject of saying Tehilim/ pesukim at night is a fascinatiing one, and there are many different opinions about this. If Tehilim is prohibited at night, it would only because of its status as "Torah Sh'Biksav", and not intrinsically because it is Tehilim.
I will list a few of the many Mekoros for this:
*The Be'er Heitev on Orach Chaim Siman 238 quotes the Arizal who says that one shouldn't study "Mikrah- Torah sheBiksav" by night. The Seforim say that the aforementioned Arizal does not apply to Thursday Night/Friday mornings.
* The reason for this is obviously Kabalistic (See the Artzos HaChaim (Malbim) Siman 1:36. See also Yesod V'Shoresh H'Avodah Sha'ar 6;HaNitzutz Perek 2 ) . In Shu"t Cham Sha'al Vol. 2 Siman 25 he quotes the great Mekubal Rav Shalom Sharabi (Rashash) who maintained that Tehilim was excluded from the above prohibition, and may be said at night. In fact, he says that Dovid Hamelech composed and wrote the Tehilim at night! (Another reason is because Hashem gave Tehilim a status like "NeGaim and AHalos", which basically gives it a status of "Torah Sh'Ba'al Peh", which is permitted anytime.
* If the Tehilim is being said for the Refuah Shelaima of a Choleh it can surely be said at night. (Psak of Debreciner Rav in Be'er Moshe Vol. 4 Siman 22, Eishel Avraham (Butchatch) Orach Chaim Siman 306, and other Poskim)
* If the Pesukim are learned with a Pirush (commentary such as Rashi) then it is not a problem at all and has a status like oral Torah, which of course can be learned at night. (Shu't Levushei Mordechai Siman 186 and others)
Perek Shirah would be OK to say at night for two reasons: 1) Most of the Pesukim are indeed from Tehillim, which we learned is permitted. 2) The Perek Shirah in its entirety is a "Beraisa" which teacheds us which Pesukim each part of creation recites in praise to Hashem, so in essence it probably has a status of "Torah Sh'Ba'al Peh", no different than learning a Gemara that quotes Pesukim in it.
Important Numbers
