Another Chanukah-Themed Poll

[gnomi]

...because 530nm330hz asked:

[Poll #891146]

Comments

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

Ah yes. The all important Chanukah Narf.

[somehedgehog.livejournal.com]

I'm just here for the latkes!

[zachkessin.livejournal.com]

jelly donuts!

[530nm330hz.livejournal.com]

I normally turn mine around (and voted that way above), although this year our table has been a little too crowded with four chanukiyot. I think we're going to expand tonight so that no one gets burned (chas v'shalom!)

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

this year our table has been a little too crowded with four chanukiyot

When mabfan and I were talking to Rabbi Blumberg (from Kadimah) on Shabbat on the topic of how many chanukiyot one needs, he said one per household, unless there's a son above bar mitzvah in the household, in which case that boy lights one of his own, as well.

[530nm330hz.livejournal.com]

Needs is ner ish uveito -- one candle per household each night. Mehadrin is one candle per person each night. Mehadrin min ham'hadrin is one candle per elapsed night per person each night.

The Mechaber says once a child (son?) is of chinuch age the child should light, and the Rema says a child (son?) of chinuch age must light, unless it is in a place where the minhag hamaqom is one candle per household.

So, yes, the requirement would be satisfied if we used but the one chunkkiyah. However, the children would not be. (And given my egalitarian proclivities, and given that lighting the chanukkiyah is that rare case of a mitzvat aseh shehazman gerama which a woman can perform for a man, I'm happier saying "everyone gets one's own chanukkiyah!")

Now, if you'll excuse me, my italic key needs a rest. :-)

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

Turning the chanukiah would be dangerous, no? Even well-melted-in candles can fall, and oil cups are often less than stable.

[sorek.livejournal.com]

For some reason I don't think of latkes as "Chanukah latkes". To me, they're just latkes.

[cellio]

I have two chanukiyot that I commonly use. One is "menorah style" -- that is, the candles are equally visible from both sides. I don't turn that one. The other one has a "back plate", so after the candles burn about halfway down you can't really see them from behind. I turn that one around (carefully, because the candles sometimes wobble if I'm not careful).