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An Outline of a Parasha & Halacha Shiur by Rav Yosef Greenwald
· The Minhag is to light Hanukkah candles in shul with a Beracha.
The problem:
· The Gemara states (Shabbat 21b) that the obligation is “Ner Ish U’Veto” (one candle for each household). How is the shul considered one’s house?
· How can we recite a Beracha on a Minhag, to which the word “V’Tzivanu” – and [Hashem] commanded us – is entirely inapplicable?
o Even the Mishna Berura’s suggestion (671:44) of a precedent from the custom of reciting Hallel on Rosh Hodesh with a Beracha won’t satisfy the opinion of Maran that one doesn’t recite a Beracha on Hallel on Rosh Hodesh – because it is a Minhag.
Hiddushe HaGriz (on the Rambam):
· There are two types of Minhagim:
o New creations not based directly on any previous Mitzvah, such as beating Aravot on Hosha’ana Rabba, which the Gemara (Sukka 44a) says is a Minhag Nevi’im.
o Minhagim that are direct extensions of already existing Mitzvot, such as eating Matza and Maror at a second Seder outside Eretz Yisrael, which the Gemara (Betza 4b) says is based on Minhag.
· On the first type of Minhag, no Beracha is recited, as we cannot say “V’Tzivanu” on an action that wasn’t actually commanded. But the second type of Minhag does warrant a Beracha, as the original Mitzvah was commanded, and the Minhag is an extension of the original Mitzvah.
· Both reciting Hallel on Rosh Hodesh and lighting Hanukkah candles in shul are in the second category, since they are an extension of the original Mitzvot of reciting Hallel on the other Mo’adim and lighting Hanukkah candles at home, respectively.
· Based on this logic, a Beracha is recited on both. [Maran must hold, however, that Hallel on Rosh Hodesh is not an expansion of the Halacha to recite Hallel on the other Mo’adim but rather an obligation unto itself, that no Beracha is recited, like Hibbut Aravot (AO).]