Chanukah - Candle's Warmth

QUESTION: Can I warm my hands with the Chanukah candles?

ANSWER: Rav Shmuel Wosner zt”l (Kol HaTorah) writes that this is forbidden. The main purpose of candles is to give light and to give heat. Just like one may not cook with their Chanukah candles, one may not actively warm themselves from the candles either. Although the candles are not technically “assur b’hanaah” (forbidden from deriving any benefit) and one need not be concerned if they warm up the house, one may not actively make use of the candles. In the piyyut “Haneiros Hallalu” we state that we do not have permission “l’hishtameish ba’hem” – to make outright use of them. It does not say that we are forbidden to derive all benefits from them. Therefore, the fact that the house is warmed by the candles is not a problem.

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.