Tyler Brooks
The act of lighting candles is a central commandment of Hanukkah, celebrating the miracle of a small group of Jewish fighters, the Maccabees, reclaiming the Jewish Temple. As such, the question of whether it is sacrilegious to throw away Hanukkah candles is a nuanced one. Some authorities state that Hanukkah candles should not be extinguished at all, while others allow for extinguishing after a minimum burn time of 30 minutes. If candles are extinguished early due to safety concerns, they should not be reused for mundane purposes, and leftover candles can be stored for the next night of Hanukkah or the following year. While it is not a sin to throw away blessed candles, the respectful method of disposal is to burn or bury them.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Whether it is sacrilegious to throw away Hanukkah candles | It is not a sin to throw away Hanukkah candles, but it is respectful to burn or bury them. |
| Whether it is acceptable to blow out Hanukkah candles | Some authorities say Hanukkah candles may be extinguished after burning for a minimum of 30 minutes, while others say they should not be extinguished at all. |
| Whether leftover Hanukkah candles can be reused | If the candle has enough wax or oil to burn for another 30 minutes, it can be reused the next night or the following year. If the candle was lit with the intention of burning completely, it should not be reused for another purpose. |
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What You'll Learn
- What is the significance of lighting candles during Hanukkah?
- How long should Hanukkah candles burn for?
- What should you do if you need to blow out the candles before they've burned for 30 minutes?
- Can you reuse candles that have been extinguished before burning completely?
- What is the best way to dispose of leftover Hanukkah candles?
What is the significance of lighting candles during Hanukkah?
Hanukkah is a Rabbinic Jewish festival commemorating the recovery of Jerusalem and the rededication of the Second Temple at the beginning of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire in the 2nd century BCE. The festival is observed by lighting the candles of a candelabrum with nine branches, commonly called a menorah or hanukkiah.
The Hanukkah menorah has nine candles: eight candles to symbolize the eight nights of the holiday, and a ninth candle, called the shamash, which is used to light the other eight. On each night, one more light is lit than the previous night, until the final night when all eight branches are lit. The shamash is placed on a higher or lower plane than the main eight candles and is used to adhere to the prohibition against using the Hanukkah lights for anything other than publicizing and meditating on the Hanukkah miracle.
The lighting of candles is the central mitzvah, or commandment, of Hanukkah. The miracle being celebrated is that a small band of Jewish fighters, called the Maccabees, drove the Greek usurpers out of Jerusalem and reclaimed the Jewish Temple. Upon rededicating the Temple, the Maccabees found only one jar of sacred oil with which to light the menorah, which miraculously lasted for eight days.
The candles are typically lit after sunset and displayed publicly if it is safe to do so. They should contain enough fuel to last for a minimum of 30 minutes, though it is considered a beautification of the mitzvah if they burn longer. There are differing opinions on whether it is acceptable to blow out the candles after this time, with some authorities saying they should not be extinguished at all. If there is leftover fuel, it is acceptable to use it for another purpose as it was not "set aside" for the mitzvah lighting.
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How long should Hanukkah candles burn for?
The lighting of candles is the central commandment of Hanukkah, commemorating the rededication of the Jewish Temple by the Maccabees, who found only one jar of sacred oil to light the menorah.
There are differing opinions on how long Hanukkah candles should burn for. Some authorities say that the candles should burn for a minimum of 30 minutes, and can then be extinguished. Others say that the candles should not be extinguished at all.
To fulfill the commandment, the candles should contain enough fuel to last for a minimum of 30 minutes. However, it is considered a beautification of the commandment if they burn longer. If the candles are lit with the intention of burning completely, but they need to be extinguished before doing so, they should not be used for another purpose.
If there is enough candle left to burn for another 30 minutes, it can be used the next night. If it is the last night, the remaining candle can be used the following year.
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What should you do if you need to blow out the candles before they've burned for 30 minutes?
The commandment of Hanukkah is to light candles to commemorate the Maccabees' reclamation of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. Upon rededicating the Temple, the Maccabees found only one jar of sacred oil with which to light the menorah, which was expected to burn for one day but miraculously lasted for eight. As such, Hanukkah candles are lit for eight consecutive nights.
There are differing opinions on whether it is acceptable to blow out Hanukkah candles before they have burned for 30 minutes. Some authorities say that Hanukkah candles may be extinguished after burning for a minimum of 30 minutes, while others say they should not be extinguished at all. The Shulchan Aruch, Judaism's premier law code, states that candles should contain enough oil or wax to burn for a minimum of 30 minutes, and if they contain more fuel than this, they may be extinguished after 30 minutes.
If you need to blow out the candles before they have burned for 30 minutes, it is important to consider the reason why. If you are leaving the house, it may be preferable to wait and light the candles when you return, or to light them at your destination. If you have a wooden menorah and need to blow out the candles to prevent the menorah itself from burning, this may also be acceptable as the intention was never for the entire candle to burn.
If you lit the candles with the intention of letting them burn completely but need to blow them out before 30 minutes for safety reasons, opinions vary on whether this is acceptable. Some sources suggest that it is permissible to extinguish the candles in this case, while others suggest that they should not be used for another purpose. It is important to prioritize safety and follow Jewish principles of pikuach nefesh (saving a life) and bal tashchit (not causing wanton destruction) by not creating a dangerous situation.
If you have leftover candle stubs after blowing out the candles before they have fully burned down, there are a few options for what to do with them. If you used large candles or filled the cups with enough oil for them to burn for longer than 30 minutes, you can do whatever you want with the leftovers as they were never "set aside" for the mitzvah lighting. However, if you blew out the candles before 30 minutes and there is still enough wax for them to burn for another 30 minutes, you can save them to use the next night of Hanukkah or the following year.
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Can you reuse candles that have been extinguished before burning completely?
The answer to this question depends on the context and the type of candle. In the case of Hanukkah candles, there are differing opinions on whether it is permissible to extinguish them before they have burned completely. Some authorities state that Hanukkah candles may be extinguished after burning for a minimum of 30 minutes, while others maintain that they should not be extinguished at all.
If you are using candles for a specific purpose or ritual, such as Hanukkah, it is important to consider the intentions and guidelines associated with that practice. In the case of Hanukkah, if you lit the candles with the intention of letting them burn completely but had to extinguish them due to safety concerns, it is considered respectful not to reuse them for another purpose.
On the other hand, if you have leftover candle wax from candles that were not specifically intended for a ritual or if you have candles that have not been used at all, there are several ways to reuse the wax. You can melt the wax and create new candles, wax melts, fire starters, or even use it for sealing letters.
To reuse candle wax, you can follow these general steps:
- Remove the wax from the old candle jars. You can do this by freezing the candles and then using a knife to scrape out the wax.
- Place the wax in a saucepan and melt it over low heat or use a double boiler method.
- (Optional) Add essential oils or fragrances to the melted wax if you want to create scented candles or wax melts.
- Prepare your new candle containers by securing a wick in place.
- Pour the melted wax into the new containers and let it set completely.
It is important to note that if you are reusing wax from different candles, it is recommended to use the same type of wax (e.g., soy or paraffin) and to ensure they have complementary scents if they are scented.
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What is the best way to dispose of leftover Hanukkah candles?
The best way to dispose of leftover Hanukkah candles depends on whether the candles were used for the mitzvah, or commandment, of Hanukkah. The commandment of Hanukkah involves lighting candles that contain enough fuel (wax or oil) to last for a minimum of 30 minutes. However, some authorities state that Hanukkah candles should not be extinguished at all.
If the candle has been lit in the menorah and gone out, it is considered sacred and should be burnt after Hanukkah to ensure it is not used for mundane purposes. If the candle was never lit, or you had to blow it out to keep the menorah itself from burning, then it was never "set aside" for the mitzvah, so you can use it however you like.
Some people choose to save leftover candles and use them to light their menorahs the following year. Others melt them down into one big jar candle or dispose of them in whatever way they see fit.
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Frequently asked questions
It is not sacrilegious to throw away Hanukkah candles, but it is recommended to burn them entirely or bury them.
The minimum burn time for Hanukkah candles is 30 minutes. Some authorities say that the candles should not be extinguished at all, while others say they can be extinguished after 30 minutes.
Leftover candle stubs that were blown out before fully burning down are considered sacred and should be burnt after Hanukkah to ensure they are not used for mundane purposes.
If you know you will need to go out, it is best to wait and light the candles later. If the candles have already been lit, they should be allowed to burn for a minimum of 30 minutes and then extinguished.
