Minhagim of Chanukah: Difference between revisions
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==Chanuka Presents== | ==Chanuka Presents== | ||
# There is a minhag to give gelt or money to children on Chanuka.<ref>[http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=33683&st=&pgnum=485 Moed LeKol Chai 27:77] offers a kabbalistic reason for giving Talmidei Chachamim and children monetary gifts on Chanuka. [http://www.he.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/598679 chabad.org] notes that the chabad minhag is to give gelt to children. Piskei Teshuvot 670:3 records that such was the practice of the steipler. A possible source for giving gifts on Chanuka is the Rambam (Chanuka 3:3) who writes that there's a mitzvah of simcha on Chanuka and regarding Yom Tov the Rambam (Yom Tov 6:18) includes giving gifts in simcha.</ref> | # There is a minhag to give gelt or money to children on Chanuka.<ref>[http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=33683&st=&pgnum=485 Moed LeKol Chai 27:77] offers a kabbalistic reason for giving Talmidei Chachamim and children monetary gifts on Chanuka. [http://www.he.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/598679 chabad.org] notes that the chabad minhag is to give gelt to children. Piskei Teshuvot 670:3 records that such was the practice of the steipler. A possible source for giving gifts on Chanuka is the Rambam (Chanuka 3:3) who writes that there's a mitzvah of simcha on Chanuka and regarding Yom Tov the Rambam (Yom Tov 6:18) includes giving gifts in simcha.</ref> | ||
# Many poskim consider this a permissible practice and isn't a violation of following the ways of goyim ([[Bechukotayhem Lo Telechu]]). See the footnote for a list of reasons as to the basis of this minhag. <ref>Avnei Yishfeh 1:129 writes that there's no violation of following non-Jewish practices in giving Chanuka gelt since there's a reason for this practice and the prohibition of [[Bechukotayhem]] only applies to a nonsensical practice. Mishnat Aharon (p. 117) cites this. A few websites including [http://www.bogreytsava.co.il/145379/%D7%93%D7%9E%D7%99-%D7%97%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%9B%D7%94 Torah Acheri HaTzava] and [http://www.kipa.co.il/ask/show/77118-%D7%9E%D7%AA%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%91%D7%97%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%9B%D7%94---%D7%94%D7%90%D7%9D-%D7%9C%D7%94%D7%97%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9D kipa.co.il] believe that there's no prohibition of following the ways of non-Jews when giving gifts on Chanuka since it isn't religious and has Jewish sources. On the other hand, Rav Hershel Schachter [http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/821721/Rabbi_Hershel_Schachter/Chanuka_and_the_Development_of_the_Torah_She'Baal_Peh# (Chanuka and the Development of the Torah She'Baal Peh (min 39 | # Many poskim consider this a permissible practice and isn't a violation of following the ways of goyim ([[Bechukotayhem Lo Telechu]]). See the footnote for a list of reasons as to the basis of this minhag. <ref>Avnei Yishfeh 1:129 writes that there's no violation of following non-Jewish practices in giving Chanuka gelt since there's a reason for this practice and the prohibition of [[Bechukotayhem]] only applies to a nonsensical practice. Mishnat Aharon (p. 117) cites this. A few websites including [http://www.bogreytsava.co.il/145379/%D7%93%D7%9E%D7%99-%D7%97%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%9B%D7%94 Torah Acheri HaTzava] and [http://www.kipa.co.il/ask/show/77118-%D7%9E%D7%AA%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%91%D7%97%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%9B%D7%94---%D7%94%D7%90%D7%9D-%D7%9C%D7%94%D7%97%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9D kipa.co.il] believe that there's no prohibition of following the ways of non-Jews when giving gifts on Chanuka since it isn't religious and has Jewish sources. On the other hand, Rav Hershel Schachter [http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/821721/Rabbi_Hershel_Schachter/Chanuka_and_the_Development_of_the_Torah_She'Baal_Peh# (Chanuka and the Development of the Torah She'Baal Peh (min 38:30-39:30))] explains that the old minhag was to give teachers of Torah a little extra money on Chanuka but the modern America practice of giving presents is based on the Christian practice surrounding Santa Claus. | ||
* Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz [http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/752761/Rabbi_Aryeh_Lebowitz/Ten_Minute_Halacha_-_Chanukah_Gelt_and_Gifts in a shiur on yutorah] offers 7 reasons for the practice of giving presents on Chanuka: | * Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz [http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/752761/Rabbi_Aryeh_Lebowitz/Ten_Minute_Halacha_-_Chanukah_Gelt_and_Gifts in a shiur on yutorah] offers 7 reasons for the practice of giving presents on Chanuka: | ||
# There is an aspect of simcha on Chanuka (Rambam Chanuka 3:3) and a way of fulfilling simcha is by giving children what they like (Rambam Hilchot Yom Tov 6:17-18). | # There is an aspect of simcha on Chanuka (Rambam Chanuka 3:3) and a way of fulfilling simcha is by giving children what they like (Rambam Hilchot Yom Tov 6:17-18). | ||
