עברית
Holidays
Is it Permitted to Cook After Lighting Chanukah Candles?
Question
Is it permissible for women to perform work for the holiday (Chanukah) immediately after the candle lighting, such as cooking and baking? Thank you very much.
Answer
Greetings,
The custom is that women do not perform work that is forbidden on Chol HaMoed (intermediate days of the festival), such as sewing and knitting, while the Chanukah candles in the house are burning, for a half hour from their lighting. The reason is to signal that it is forbidden to use the light of the Chanukah candles. However, cooking, baking, and other needs related to food are permitted (see Chazon Ovadyah, Chanukah, pages 12-13).
Happy Chanukah,
Hillel Meirs
