[Avodah] How to light the Menorah

[Arie Folger]

RAR wrote:

> Rn Katz's reply, below, might express the halacha but I was not asking
> what the strict halacha is. If the Ashkenazi minhag is to use the
> shammas to light the menorah then perhaps there is some importance in
> sticking with that minhag.

Ah, but anything you use to light the candles IS the shamash. And
anything that provides light in the room, so as to avoid having hanaah
from the candles, is also THE shamash.

There is a real question, whether one may use one of the 'hanukah
lights to light another one, which is where Ashkenazim and Sefardim
differ. However, beyond that, I fail to see any issue of minhag.

I should add to R'n TK's comment below:
> Therefore what  you use to light the flames is irrelevant.  You use what is
> convenient, that's all -- a match, a candle, a cigarette lighter, whatever
> you want.

... and for making sure that the room is lit, one very great shamash,
more mehuddar than all others, is (are) the light bulb(s) in the room.


Kol tuv,
-- 
Arie Folger,
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