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Why does Tosafos (תוספות) say mehadrin min hamehadrin reverts to basic lighting while the Rambam (רמב"ם) builds it upon mehadrin? The shiur develops that Tosafos views Chanukah (חנוכה) lighting as individual obligations that create practical confusion when combined, while the Rambam treats it as a household obligation with dual commemorations - souls saved in war and the oil miracle.
The shiur explores Masechta Shabbos (שבת) 21b's discussion of the three levels of Chanukah (חנוכה) candle lighting. The basic mitzvah (מצוה) is ner ish u'beiso (one candle per household). Mehadrin light one candle per person in the house. Mehadrin min hamehadrin add one candle each night, going from one candle the first night to eight on the final night. Tosafos (תוספות) presents a fundamental challenge: if mehadrin min hamehadrin builds upon mehadrin, then with ten people in the house, you would light ten candles the first night, twenty the second, and eighty on the eighth night. But this creates confusion - how would an observer know whether eighty candles represents eight nights of Chanukah or eighty people in the house? Therefore, Tosafos argues that mehadrin min hamehadrin reverts to the basic level, lighting 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 candles regardless of household size.
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Shabbos 21b
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