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How can the Rambam (רמב"ם) require someone with only one prutah to spend it on Chanukah (חנוכה) lights when people normally shouldn't spend more than a fifth of their assets on mitzvos? Charity funds may only be used for community needs, not individual obligations. Chanukah lights qualify because pirsumei nisa creates a direct community benefit by reminding everyone of the miracle.
This shiur presents a detailed examination of a fundamental question in Jewish law: when is a person permitted to use charity funds (tzedakah/kupah shel tzedakah) to fulfill mitzvos? The discussion centers on a ruling from the Rambam (רמב"ם) regarding a person who has only one prutah and must choose between buying wine for Kiddush on Friday night or oil for Chanukah (חנוכה) lights. The Rambam rules that one should purchase oil for Chanukah lights because both obligations are rabbinic in nature, but Chanukah lights take precedence due to pirsumei nisa (publicizing the miracle). However, this creates a fundamental difficulty: generally, one is not obligated to spend more than a chomesh (one-fifth) of their assets on any mitzvah (מצוה), whether biblical or rabbinic. How then can the Rambam require someone with only one prutah to spend it on mitzvos?
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Rambam Hilchot Chanukah, Hilchot Chametz U'Matzah 7:7, Hilchot Shabbos
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