What is the actual mitzvah of Hanukkah: kindling the lights or putting the already burning menorah in its place? For example, there is a rule that if one was standing and holding his menorah all the required time, he accomplished absolutely nothing. But he kindled it and it was burning! Do we see from here that placing the lamp is essential, and that is what he failed to do? – Not necessarily. Here the problem is that those who see him might say, “He needs the light for his own needs,” and he thus fails to publicize the miracle.
Let us now try to prove the opposite, from Rava's rule that if one kindled the lights at home and then placed the menorah outside, he has accomplished nothing; it must be then that placement is not the mitzvah, but kindling the menorah in its place is essential?! – No, there is no proof from here either, because the one who sees may think that he just needs the light, thus the miracle is not publicized.
The conclusion though is that kindling is essential, and that is the text of the blessing, “...to kindle the lights of Hanukkah”.
If one has a house with two doors on the two opposite sides, he must light two menorahs, one on each side, to avoid the suspicion of being negligent. What is the source that tells us to care about people's suspicion? – It is the law of “pe'ah,” the corners of the field – which the field's owner must leave over for the poor. One must leave standing stalks at the end of reaping, since if he were to do so any time during his harvest, the passerby– seeing an empty field at the end of the harvest – might say, “Let a curse come over one who does not leave over corners of his field for the poor.”
Art: Jean-Francois Millet - Woman Sewing By Lamplight
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