Two Menorahs
Question
On Chanukah, our Rabbis, Hillel and Shammai, have written about different ways to light the menorah. Most people light 1 menorah according to Hillel, but some people light 2 menorahs: one according to Hillel and the other according to Shammai. I want to know which one should be on the right, Hillel’s or Shammai’s? Please be specific as to whether looking out from inside, or in from outside. Thank you.
Answers
I must admit that I have never heard of anyone who lights according to Shammai’s opinion. There is nothing in any of the myriad mainstream, accepted Halachic works about Chanukah which suggests that one should do so, and I cannot think of any reason why someone would do so.
Having said that, there is no doubt that the Menorah that is being lit according to Hillel’s opinion is the one that is fulfilling the Mitzvah and, therefore, that is the one that should be lit in the correct place according to the Halacha. This means that someone lighting outside their front door should put the Menorah that follows Hillel’s opinion on the left-hand side of the doorway so that the Mezuzah is on the right and the Menorah is on the left.
Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team