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Is Chanukah (חנוכה) lighting a personal obligation or a household obligation? Rashi (רש"י) views it as chiyuv gavra - once you fulfill your personal duty, you cannot make the blessing for one who merely sees candles. The Rambam (רמב"ם) treats it as chiyuv bayis, where the house needs proper lighting regardless of who performs it.
This shiur provides an in-depth analysis of Masechta Shabbos (שבת) 23a, focusing on the fundamental disagreement between Rashi (רש"י) and the Rambam (רמב"ם) regarding the nature of Chanukah (חנוכה) candle lighting obligations. Rabbi Zweig begins by examining the Gemara (גמרא)'s discussion of when one makes blessings over Chanukah candles, particularly the blessing of 'she'asa nisim' and the question of who can recite which blessings. The core dispute centers on whether Chanukah lighting is a personal obligation (chiyuv gavra) or a household obligation (chiyuv bayis). According to Rashi's interpretation, the mitzvah (מצוה) is primarily on the individual person, meaning that if someone lights for you in your house, you have fulfilled your personal obligation and therefore cannot recite the blessing reserved for those who haven't fulfilled the mitzvah (ro'eh). The Rambam, however, views it as a household obligation - the requirement is to have the house properly lit, regardless of who actually performs the lighting. This leads to different practical applications: under Rashi's view, once you've fulfilled your personal obligation, there's no further blessing requirement, while under the Rambam's approach, the question is whether you've already recited the appropriate blessing, not whether you've fulfilled the mitzvah. The shiur explores various scenarios, including cases of homeless individuals, people who weren't present when lighting occurred, and situations involving multiple people in the same household. Rabbi Zweig then transitions to analyzing the famous 'Mai Chanukah' passage, examining how Rashi and Rambam differently understand the nature of Chanukah as a holiday. Rashi treats Chanukah as having the status of Yom Tov with its accompanying obligations of Hallel and prayer, while the Rambam sees it as establishing three distinct observances: Simcha (joy), Hallel (praise), and Hadlakas Neiros (candle lighting) as a form of Hodaah (thanksgiving). The Rambam notably places the Al Hanisim prayer in Hilchos Tefillah rather than Hilchos Chanukah, suggesting he views it as a general prayer obligation rather than part of Chanukah's specific requirements. This analysis reveals fundamental differences in how these authorities understand the legal structure and religious significance of Chanukah observance.
Shabbos 23a
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