[Avodah] Unusual Chanukah Minhag?

[Simon Wanderer]

A chasidish acquaintance has told
me  (and this fits with an off-list email) that the minhag is to throw the towels at the menorah, although the person lighting is hit in the crossfire. 

The reason for the minhag is apparently to 'make a joke' of the shul hadlakah so that nobody mistakenly thinks they are yotze and don't need to light at home. 

-- SW

On 7 Dec 2010, at 14:53, "Arie Folger" <afolger at aishdas.org> wrote:

> RSW asked:
>> At hadlakas neiros, a crowd gathered, holding towels,
>> around the madlik and the menorah. As he is about to
>> start lighting, everyone throws the towels at him and the
>> menorah.
>> <SNIP>
>> 1- Is anyone familiar with this minhag and who it is practiced by?
> 
> Yes, Chassidim practice this. They would throw the towel on the
> shamash (the person). My late father opposed this practice, so one
> year, in the Pzsworzke Stiebl in Antwerp, he collected all the towels
> and hid them, so that the only towel left in the house was the
> rebbe's, Reb Itzikl. So, R'Itzikl took his own towel, and personally
> threw it on the shamash.
> 
> Unfortunately, I cannot help you with either sources or a rational. I
> understand Jeckische Minhoggim a lot better. ;-)
> 
> KT,
> -- 
> Arie Folger,
> Recent blog posts on http://ariefolger.wordpress.com/
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