[Avodah] How to light the Menorah

[Micha Berger]

On Sun, Dec 20, 2009 at 11:05:36PM +0200, Saul Mashbaum wrote:
: Indeed RSZA said explicitly that in a room lit by electric lights, mikkar
: hadin there is no obligation to light a shamash.
: See Halichot Shlomo Vol I, 16:13, p 309.

This is how I understood the original question...

You pragmatically need something to light the menoros.

There is a din "ein lanu reshus lehishtameish bahem", and therefore we
need another light in the room in order to avoid doing something solely
by their light.

Historically, those were the same neir.

Now, here's the question AIUI, and if I'm wrong, I'm asking it now:
Is that use of a single neir for both a minhag? IOW, there may be no
obligation mei'iqar hadin one way or the other, but does one miss out
on a minhag by using an oil or the room's electric fixture for the extra
light rather than the flame one used for lighting?

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
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