In a precedent-setting move, chareidi volunteers of the fire department in Israel are circulating among prominent rabbonim, including Gedolei Yisrael Shlita, seeking to have them sign a kol korei instructing the tzibur to refrain from lighting Shabbos and Yomtov candles in one’s sukka. We are all familiar with the horror stories, those ending in the loss of property or worse R”L.
The letter will be making its way to Gedolei Yisrael most likely after Yom Kippur.
In one of his shiurim during recent days, HaGaon HaRav Yaakov Yosef called on participants to refrain from lighting in the sukka, stating it can lead to a life-threatening situation. Rav Yosef added that one only needs to ask a firefighter, many identified with the traditional community, what they do on a Friday night.
The rav stated they will explain that instead of making kiddush as they would like, they are responding to fires caused by Shabbos candles, the result of placing the candles in irresponsible locations.
Rabbi Yosef added, “A person with a head on his shoulders, one capable of making a chesbon between doing a mitzvah or an avreira understands what to do. One who continues the minhag [of lighting candles in a sukka] places himself and others in danger and that person should be castigated”.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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14 Responses
What this should say is:
“…..circulating among prominent rabbonim, including Gedolei Yisrael Shlita, seeking to have them sign a kol korei instructing the tzibur to USE THEIR SECHEL WHEN lighting Shabbos and Yomtov candles in one’s sukka.”
There is no greater sakkanah today then in times of old – if anything less! Why change halacha (yes halacha l’chatchila is that neiros should be in the sukkah for many reasons). Should we consider using electric lights or some other compromising means to satify not using one’s sechel hayashar?!
The הלכות of where to light candles are all in the שולחן ערוך . Including which סוכה is to small to have candles. Of course we have to do it safely, but there is no reason for firefighters to tell Rabbonim to change the הלכה. The next step will be to stop שבת candles altogether, because it’s dangerous, and we can be יוצא with electric lights. I think that first they should ask the Rabbonim to forbid cars, because they cause alot of accidents. Even in America the fire department doesn’t try to change our הלכות, but they spend alot of money just to educate the Frum Jews how to do it safely.
The above posters make good points.
The halacha is to light in the sukkah. Maybe things are different in israel, but I don’t think it is any worse in brooklyn than it was in radin.
I be lighting in the suk!
Chaimst- perhaps the fire dept feels that education is not enough for this problem. Perhaps they feel that all the education in the world will not put a stop to the sakana that happens when ppl lite in the succah.
Personally, I feel that if ppl don’t want to listen to the fire dept (and don’t find their family important enough to think a/) they should atleast think a/ the lives of the firemen that risk their lives for the sometimes stupidity of us.
“sign a kol korei instructing the tzibur to USE THEIR SECHEL”
“Mi she’ein bo de’ah assur lerachem alav.” -Berachos 33a.
We light in the succah inside a metal and tempered glass container like the ones used for chanuka licht. That is both safe and allows us to light in the succah.
Quote..One who continues the minhag [of lighting candles in a sukka]
Minhag? I thought this was an Halacha!
I can understand the fire-fighters frustrations with all the pathetically unnecessary and very avoidable calls they must respond to. Its quite clear, there are some yidden that are infuriatingly incompetent, and their attitudes stink. We cant help you with that though. You want everyone to not light in the sukkah, so that you, the fire-fighter can sit in yours undisturbed. I dont know, maybe only those who consider what they are doing is a mitsvah, and can prioritize should volunteer.
Correct me if my memory doesn’t serve me well on this: I think there was a story in one of the past years in Flatbush. A fire started from yahrtzeit candles lit in the house while the parents were in the sukkah, and 2 children who were sleeping in the house passed away r”l. Does anyone remember this tragedy?
wouldn’t it be a good idea,
to light right before kiddush,
leave 2 candles in the sukkah during the meal
and take them with you when you go back inside.
that way they’re always being watched.
gut yom tov, and ah lechticken sukkos.
I’d much rather face Hk’bh for lighting shabbos candles inside than explaining why several died because of a fire resulting from those candles falling over. The stupidity of those mindlessly mumbling ‘halacha is halacha” without regard to the practical consequences of their actions beyond belief.
chaimst–
There is problem with “Of course we have to do it safely, but there is no reason for firefighters to tell Rabbonim to change the הלכה” in that we don’t always do it safely. The firefighters have a concern of p’kuach nefesh.
Is it a legitimate concern? I don’t know how many Succah fires there are each year but they are the experts in fires so I will give them the benefit of a doubt for now.
The concern you raise that next we’ll ban Shabbos candles and cars is fallacious as it is a classic “slippery slope argument:” not every change in practical halacha leads to wholesale change or, C’V, k’firah.
Lastly, in NYC the group with the highest rate of severe burns? Orthodox Jews. We do need to be more careful.
I have never lit in the succah. Neither has my mother, or my mother-in-law. Small, rickety, wooden, unwatched both before and after the seuda, wind, etc. make for very unsafe lighting conditions. To say nothing of the rain putting the out as well (and in the New York area it IS supposed to rain Wednseday-Thrusday).
Use your saichel and stay safe. Light in the house. Some have the minhag to be sure that they can see the licht when making kiddush – if the position of your succah allows for lighting indoors in an atypical, but still safe, location that will work. As for using the Chanuka licht box, thats a great idea – if there is room in the succah for people to walk around it without knocking it over.
In response to the article, no I dont know any horror stories about Sukkah fires. Maybe Im out of the loop, but Ive never heard of any, pi pi pi.
I dont believe this is a good article at all. Maybe give us an article once Rabbanim pasken and sign on, if any do.
In the mean time now, you are giving a platform for people more concerned with their “feelings”, than with halacha, a place to promote unhalachic oppinions.
Jews have lit candles in the Sukkah for literally millenia, and the same hazards have always been involved.
IM sorry, but what Chaimst says if perfectly logical. There are things far more dangerous, and unless you adress those, why this move to ban lighting in the Sukkah?