[Avodah] Priorities in halacha

[Yitzhak Grossman]

On Wed, 24 Dec 2008 05:23:49 -0500
"Rich, Joel" <JRich at sibson.com> wrote:

> >From R' Aviner:
> 
> Q: Is it an obligation to have a silver chanukiyah?
> A: The basic mitzvah is that any material is suitable for a chanukiyah,
> but like all mitzvot, one can embellish the mitzvah (hiddur mitzvah).
> Therefore, a silver chanukiyah is proper. But the Pele Yoetz writes that
> even better than what is "proper" is what is "preferable": such as
> giving the extra money to the poor.

I have always had trouble with this sort of thing; does he mean that as
long as paupers exist in the world, one should Le'Ma'aseh not use a
silver Menorah but should rather give the money to Zedakah?  Does it
make a difference how much Zedakah one has already given, or how much
one spends on oneself?

> Joel Rich

Yitzhak
--
Bein Din Ledin - http://bdl.freehostia.com
A discussion of Hoshen Mishpat, Even Ha'Ezer and other matters