[Avodah] Al petach beito mibachutz

[Zev Sero]

Mordechai Torczyner wrote:

> For me the issue in lighting outside is practicality.  
> I tried to light outside a few years ago, using a fish tank as a cover. 
> The concept was to light and then lower the lid on the tank, but this is 
> problematic. Since we say hadlakah oseh mitzvah, the menorah must be 
> able to last the proper length of time at the moment I light it, but 
> with the cover raised the menorah could not last the requisite time!

And Danny Schoemann wrote:

> The reason I stopped lighting outside (in EY) is that no matter where
> you light in the house you're yotze; even putting the menora on your
> table is OK.
> 
> But outdoors it has to be at the door to your house or yard. Is that
> the front door, the entrance to the building or the entrance to the
> courtyard (we have 8 buildings in a tight square.)

So how did they do it in the time of Chazal?  They also lived in
houses which opened into chatzerot which opened into mevuot.  And
they didn't have fish tanks, or glass cases.  And yet they lit
outdoors, keeping the Tarmudaim company.


> You also have to have it in the tefach nearest to the opening (petach).
> If you don't put it in the precise location outdoors you may not be
> fulfilling the mitzva and also you'd be making 2 brochos in vain.

I don't really see that.  Putting it outside, but not within the
closest tefach to the doorpost, may not be the best way, but it still
must be at least as good as putting it on your table.  If you can say
the brachot over a menorah that's on your table inside, where nobody
from outside can see it (mipnei hasakana) then surely you can say them
if it's nearly but not quite in the right place outside, where everyone
can see it.

BTW, I'm outside again tonight.  It's a bit chillier and windier than
last night, and the lights are flickering, but I have them just under
a tefach inside the doorway, so they're a bit sheltered.  Here are
some pix from last night: http://sero.name/menorah.html

-- 
Zev Sero               Something has gone seriously awry with this Court's
zev at sero.name          interpretation of the Constitution.
                       	                          - Clarence Thomas