Chanukkah: Chanukiah Part II

First of all, I'd like to post a message that Yitz Jordan, aka Y-Love sent to Harley and myself, and a number of other bloggers. According to him: A set of ready-to-light Chanukah lights are a potential fire hazard and are causing damage to homes which use them. This product must be removed from Jewish stores at once. Chanukah Oil Candles as distributed by Ahron's Judaica are a potentially life-threatening hazard. He even provides some rather harrowing images of the melted candles on a menorah.

Secondly, on a more positive note (sort of) my Mom bought me a Chanukiah. Cute, right? She bought me a very pretty silver one, complete with candles; the type that you can keep for a lifetime. The only issue? It isn't kosher.

This is a kosher chanukiah. See how all of the branches are at the same height? All eight in a line? With an extra higher/same height shamash (worker candle)? That is basically all that is required.

Below is an image of the chanukiah that I recieved. In a Madden-esque touch, I've circled the relevant parts.
See how the branches are of differing heights? And how there are only eight branches? Pretty, but unkosher. Now, I do not blame my mother for this. Her formal Jewish education is limited, and she has learned what she can as an adult. You know who I do blame? West Side Judaica. They sold my mother an unkosher chanukiah without even mentioning: "hey, not sure if you care, but thought that you might want to know, this chanukiah does not fulfill the mitzvah of lighting candles on Chanukkah." Seriously, that was jerk of them. So now I have to bring it back, which I HATE doing, a) because now my mom feels like an idiot, b) because I hate returning things, and c) because it is f*ing heavy.

Chanukkah: Chanukiah

The Chanukiah, often incorrectly referred to as a Menorah (Menorah has 7 branches, Chanukiah has 9) is the most recognized symbol of the holiday. It is traditional to light candles (one more each night) and then place the Chanukiah in a window so that passersby may see it. Which actually makes for an interesting point: the display of a Chanukiah is integral to its use during the holiday. This seems to add a new dimension to the "Christmas trees and Chanukiahs in public" debate, that has most recently flared up at the Seattle Sea Tac Airport.

I get the feeling that Chanukiahs are like lighters. Either you have 30 million around your house, or none. My apartment has a grand total of zero Chanukiyot, and since we are crafty, I am thinking about maybe making one. Jewschool gave examples of two d.i.y. Chanukiyot: an unkosher LED one, and a kosher mah jong one. Rabbi Yonah of Jewlicious posted a week or two ago about NPR's Ornament/Kinara/Chanukiah-making contest. Let's just say that I am not THAT arty, unless I could knit a Chanukiah, which, to be honest, sounds like an awful idea. Lloyd Alter of Treehugger posts the MANorah, and its counterpart a sparkly, rhinestoned FEMENorah. Don't get me started on traditional gender roles, and the gender binary inherent in these Chanukiyot, all I want to say is that my Mom, a true aishet chayil*, took a plumbing class two years ago, and can sauter pipe with the best of them.

While my craft skills might not be useful vis a vis Chanukiyot, other people are significantly more talented. For instance Daniel the Potter posted pictures on his Potsblog of himself making a Chanukiah. I am mad jealous.

If you are looking for inspiration, Angel of Woman Honor Thyself has posted photos of public Chanukiyot around the world. By the same token Millevitoria of Um Universo Em Mininiatura posted some images of beautiful traditional Chanukiyot. And in a return to traditionalism Wandering Stu will be using Olive Oil to light his Chanukiah this year.

*An aishet chayil is a woman of valor. There is a song, traditionally sung on Friday nights by the man of house to his wife of the same name. It lists the qualities of a woman of valor, which include, but are not limited to: the ability to make cloth of crimson, industriousness, loyalty. For the record, I could totally make some kickass crimson cloth.