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Why can we make brachos on additional Chanukah (חנוכה) candles when hiddur mitzvah (מצוה) normally allows no berachah after completing the basic mitzvah? The shiur develops a fundamental machlokes between Rashi (רש"י) and Rambam (רמב"ם): Rashi sees mehadrin as adding new mitzvah dimensions (commemorating both the oil miracle and military victory), while Rambam treats it as beautifying one house-based obligation.
Rabbi Zweig delivers a comprehensive analysis of the laws of Chanukah (חנוכה) candles based on Masechta Shabbos (שבת) 21a, examining three fundamental questions that challenge conventional understanding of hiddur mitzvah (מצוה). The first question, posed by the Ktav Yerushalmi, asks whether one can make a berachah on additional candles after already fulfilling the basic mitzvah - seemingly parallel to the esrog case where no berachah can be made on a more beautiful esrog after the mitzvah is complete. The second question, from Rabbeinu Hananel, challenges how mehadrin can require doubling candles (100% increase) when hiddur mitzvah is limited to a third (shlish) according to Bava Kamma. The third question, from the Rambam (רמב"ם)'s position on milah, suggests that once a mitzvah is completed, no further beautification is possible. The shiur presents a fundamental machloket between Rashi (רש"י) and the Rambam in interpreting 'ner ish uveito.' Rashi understands this as a personal obligation on each family member, where the basic mitzvah is one candle per night, and mehadrin means lighting according to the number of family members (b'nei habayis). According to Rashi, mehadrin achrei mitzvos means 'running after mitzvos' - adding new dimensions rather than mere beautification. This explains the 100% increase: we're not just beautifying one mitzvah but performing two distinct commemorations - the miracle of the oil and the military victory.
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Shabbos 21a
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