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Where exactly should one light the Chanukah (חנוכה) menorah - in the courtyard, by the doorway, or in the public domain? The shiur contrasts three fundamental approaches: Rashi (רש"י)'s contextual reading based on recognizable ownership, Tosafot's emphasis on maximum public visibility, and the Rambam (רמב"ם)'s house-sanctification model that treats Chanukah lighting like mezuzah rather than as a personal mitzvah (מצוה).
This shiur analyzes Masechta Shabbos (שבת) 21b, focusing on the Gemara (גמרא)'s teaching about where to light the Chanukah (חנוכה) menorah and the major disagreement between Rashi (רש"י), Tosafot, and the Rambam (רמב"ם). The discussion begins with the Gemara's statement "Ner Chanukah mitzvah (מצוה) lanicha al pesach (פסח) beis mibachutz" and examines how each authority interprets this fundamental text. Rashi's position emerges as nuanced and contextual. According to his reading, if one has a private courtyard (chatzer) without a formal doorway (tzurat hapetach), one may light anywhere in the courtyard because observers will understand the homeowner lit it. However, if there is a formal doorway structure, one must light near the doorway in the public domain to ensure proper recognition. The key principle for Rashi is "nikar she'baal habayis hinich sham" - it must be recognizable that the homeowner lit it.
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Shabbos 21b-22a
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