Chanuka

yitayningwut – Us Briskers are noheg to take out our umbrella with us when we light the neiros. “Azoi fiert de rov” Do you have any mikor to why the Rov was noheg this way?

Oomis how apropos that your questions come this week of parshas Toldos with the very important questions of our uncle Eisov, how do you maaser salt. However, given the level of our current avodas Hashem, your questions are truly “burning” in my mind as I seek answers.

1. Each of these has a different shiur. And one problem is the type of latke or jelly donut being eaten. We all know that homemade latkes are much smaller and generally crispier than store bought. Therefore I think the response to the shiur should be based on homemade latkes. The “normal” latke prepared at home is approximately 5 inches long by 2 1/2 inches wide. This consists of the potato mixture that 2 tbs. will flatten out to as it fries. Such latkes without anything on them or with only sugar, the shiur would be as many as you could eat in 6 minutes. The real issue with the shiur is that most people eat their latkes with something on them. Generally this would be applesauce (minhag America), sour cream (minhag Galitzia), or a jam or preserve (universal minhag). Such latkes take longer to eat and therefore the supposed shiur would be longer. However, the chachomim at the time of the Chanuka miracle did not contemplate on shuch differences and therefore did not establish a specific shiur. Since each generation and culture might add to the latke experience, it was left to the LOR of each time to establish a shiur.

2. The Chashmanoim minted many coins. Since Chanuka gelt, as in the case of latkes, have different meanings in each culture and time, the chachomim here to left it to the LOR. The general consensus over the generations was to give Chanuka gelt in accordance with the lifestyle of the family rather than a national religious shiur.

3. We are definitely yotzei with the father’s shehecheyonu on the Chanuka lighting of the 1st night. This halocho is similar to that of the brocho on Succos. The brocho for kiddush also covers the succoh. Also, the shehecheyonu of Rosh Hashono kiddush covers the brocho for the new fruit eaten on the 2nd night.

Any other questions or issues wlll be responded to in a similar manner. However I suggest that these answers might be reiterated to your family during your Purim seuda.

I forgot to discuss the issue of donuts. In general there are several donut types made commercially which are the ones most people eat and each has a different shiur. The large jelly donuts made by bakeries are generally heavier and take much longer to finish. There may be an issue here with a specific food item which can’t be completely eaten in one shiur timespan. This in itself presents a problem. The question now is, what is the concept of shiur le’gabi a donut. There is no question that one latke alone is a shiur, no matter the size or covering. The reason is that one latke alone can cause enough heartburn. However the shiur concept of a donut is not based on a heartburn factor but rather a satisfaction factor. Therefore the idea of shiur for donuts varies, as stated earlier. At the very least the shiur would be one whole donut. This might present a problem when eating the big heavy bakery donuts. The 2nd category of donuts are the smaller fried commercial type that retail for 2 for a dollar or 3 for a dollar. The shiur for these is definitely the same, 1 donut. Since eating one of these donuts can be accomplished with ease within the shiur of achilas prass, it would be best in order to be yotzei achilas donuts in Chanuka to eat 1 small donut first, thereby being yotzei the mitzva of achilas donuts and then after that you can eat the bigger ones in whatever timespan since you already were yotzei the mitzva. The samew ould be for the homemade donuts which also are easiy to eat just 1 in the correct timespan.

Seems like your great thread was attacked. Perhaps you should start a new one.

Generally the concept of “shelo le’vayish” is said when one is “ein lo”, we don’t want to shame someone who doesn’t have this. Since here we have both we wouldn’t say that. However putting both applesaucea nd sour cream on a donut might make you be oiver “ve’nishmartem es nafshoseichem” since the caloric value would be astronomical. This would be especially true for bakery donuts which start off with 3000 calories anyway.

You don’t have to wash even though the donut batter has somewhat of a “losh” concept but since its much softer than “issah” dough, there is no motzi but rather a mezonos like any other batter cake. However the bakery type which has a firmer dough and is baked might be an issue if you eat 3 or 4 ( boy are you ever a glutton ). At any rate the brocho would be mezonos, but you would have to bentch. However, since often donuts, especially the smaller jelly donuts, are clearly eaten as a snack, even eating a large amount of the smaller jelly donuts ( my record is 10, ok so I’m a glutton ), would still not put you into the category of washing and bentching. Le’maase, most people do eat the donuts as a snack. And if you’ve eaten them as part of breakfast, you may have washed anyway.

Sacrilege, you seem to be bound by your name as I’ve seen that you are clearly oiver many very important minhagim of klal yisroel. Such as in this case not eating donuts, you’ve indicated you don’t eat chulent. I have a sneaky feeling that you’ve never eaten matzo with chicken schmaltz and gribines on Pesach (the idea horrifies me). I suggest you re-examine your teshuva of Rosh Hashono and Yom Kippur.

My posts weren’t halocho? Oh my, and here i thought i was throwing out all my accumulated great talmudic and halachic knowlefge. Oh well, such is life. Yitay, start with not just an open end but specific halachos or drashos and we can take it from there.