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When motzai Shabbos falls out on Yom Tov, as it does this Rosh HaShana, what should be done about a candle for havdala? May two candles be held together?
This question brings up a number of different issues.
HaRav Elyashiv shlita is of the opinion that one may not ignite a new fire solely for the purpose of saying the beracha at Havdala on Yom Tov, since one has no intention to derive any personal benefit from its light. HaRav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zatzal was similarly doubtful about its permissibility. However this issue can easily be circumvented by using the existing Yom Tov candles for Havdala, and not lighting a new one.
The next issue is tilting the candles and holding them together , which inevitably causes more wax to melt and drip off. While the Taz 514:2 forbids one to tilt a candle on Yom Tov to make it drip because of gram kibuyi, the majority of the Achronim disagree. Additionally, the Taz himself was only referring to a situation where the expressed intent was to cause the fire to extinguish sooner, which is not the case here.
The biggest problem is separating the candles at the conclusion of Havdala. The Rema 502:2 writes that one may remove a burning stick from one side of a bonfire to place it in the fire on the other side, even though the intensity of the fire will inevitably be temporarily diminished, since the reduction of the fire is not intentional. The Mishna Berura sk 20 adds that based on this logic one should similarly be allowed to remove the stick to light the way in the dark as a torch. So it would seem that there is no problem separating the candles after Havdala. However, the Mishna Berura adds that some Poskim disagree with the Rema's heter and forbid removing the stick, and one should be machmir for their opinion, and the Shulchan Aruch HaRav concurs with this stringency. It would appear that the same should apply to our Havdala candle, and one should be machmir, however the prevalent minhag is not to.
While it is evident that holding the candles together is permitted in Halacha and it is only a chumra to refrain, one must weigh against this the fact that using a torch or other multi-wicked flame for Havdala is only a "mitzva min hamuvchar" as the Gemarra Pesachim writes; a chumra itself.
So it seems to me that if one has a specific minhag to hold two candles together for Havdala on Yom Tov, it is permitted and not necessary to change an established and legitimate minhag. However a person who does not know of a definite family custom would be better served keeping the candles separate for the duration of Havdala.
Thanks for the reminder.
A regular candle with two wicks has been around for a few years and is now readily available. Also, I believe a torch would not be permissible for havdala.
An Avuka is actually something giving off bright light which the Misnah B’rura says is halachically made of wax with a minimum of two wicks touching.
PM, it’s ok for someone to say they were mistaken.
A torch is not the ideal method in anyone’s book.
If you want to drei, go ahead and drei.
Make havdalla on a torch; just be careful that you don’t burn the building down. Oh, and remember to l’chadchila put two torches together (please do it outside and on lag b’omer).
PM, thanks for your erudition and on the mark, as always. Asc far as havdalah on yom tov goes, I always remember in my father’s z’l house, we just made the brocho without putting the candles together, and looking at the candles after the brocho,as you write. I don’t remember whether we looked at our nails- I think not.
You may also know that , if my memory serves me right, by certain Sefardim, they use only one candle, and not two or more, as we do.
BS”D
Because a fire one becomes rich, the Avnei Skila, Addeldynee, Moroneynee veRabidynee Arva d’Rabbonon Dovid Schmoigerman under yet another alias that he uses on his credit cards, says that it is mishibich to start the year off right by using two liquid fuel torches and an exposed source of natural gas to make havdoole after the end of Ramadan so long as it is done in a heavily insured property.
He also recommends that one who does this is yoitzei by amira leakum, and of course he puts all who disagree with him in the category of akum.
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