אַאַמוּ"ר הָיָה מַדְלִיק נֵרוֹת חֲנוּכָּה בֵּין מִנְחָה לְמַעֲרִיב, וְלֹא הָיָה מְדַיֵּיק בְּפֶתַח שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מִדָּרוֹם לְצָפוֹן אוֹ מִמִּזְרָח לְמַעֲרָב. “הַנֵּרוֹת הַלָּלוּ" — אַחַר הַדְלָקַת כָּל הַנֵּרוֹת. וְהָיָה יוֹשֵׁב בְּסָמוּךְ לְהַנֵּרוֹת חֲצִי שָׁעָה — לְבַד מֵעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת קוֹדֶשׁ שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה מִתְעַכֵּב חֲצִי שָׁעָה — מְדַיֵּיק שֶׁיִּדְלְקוּ הַנֵּרוֹת חֲמִשִׁים מִינוּט לְכָל הַפָּחוֹת.

My revered father, the Rebbe [Rashab], would kindle the Chanukah lights between the Afternoon Service and the Evening Service.1 He was not particular about whether it was placed in the doorway from north to south or from east to west.2 [He would recite the hymn] HaNeiros Halalu after all the lights were kindled.3

He would sit near the lights for half an hour [every evening], except for Friday afternoon when he would not wait that long. He would see to it that the lights should burn for at least 50 minutes.4

מִנְחָה, נֵר חֲנוּכָּה, נֵר שַׁבָּת.

[On the eve of Shabbos during Chanukah, the sequence is:] the Afternoon Service; Chanukah lights; Shabbos candles.5

A Pearl to Cherish

The Rebbe Rayatz would tell his chassidim:6 “We must listen carefully to what the lights are saying.” Lingering near the lights gives us time to hear their message and let it burn into our hearts.