Moving the Menorah after the Candles Go Out
Chukai Chaim | December 18, 2025
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Moving the Menorah after the Candles Go Out

Chukai Chaim | December 31, 2025

19. The menorah is muktzeh. Many people light their Chanukah candles in their homes at a low spot by the door. This creates a concern that children will knock it over, etc. They therefore want to move it to a safe place after fulfilling the mitzvah. However, the menorah is muktzeh even after the candles go out. When Shabbos came in and the menorah was lit, the cups, oil, and wicks all got the status of a bosis for the flames, as stated in Shulchon Aruch (סי' רע"ט ס"א ), and anything muktzeh at bein hashemashos is muktzeh for the entire Shabbos (מ"ב סק"א ).

20. Bosis for mutar and assur objects. If one wants to move the menorah on Shabbos after the candles go out, before Shabbos he should make the stool the menorah sits on a bosis for something assur and mutar by putting something valuable, e.g., a gold watch or woman’s ring, on it. Then, after the candles go out, he may move the stool with the menorah on it to a safe place (מ"ב סי' רע"ז סקי"ח, ארחות שבת פי"ט הע' תי"ט ). We do not say since one cannot move the menorah at bein hashemashos due to hilchos Chanukah, the heter of a bosis for assur and mutar items does not work. This is because even at bein hashemashos one may move the menorah within its place. This is enough to avoid the issur of muktzeh (מו"ר בשו"ת שבט הקהתי ח"ה סי' קי"ג אות ב' ).

Broken Glass

21. In the house. If glass from the menorah broke on Shabbos in the house and there is a fear people will injure themselves on the shards, there is no issur muktzeh to move them, even by hand (רמ"א סי' ש"ח ס"ו ).

22. On the street. If the glass broke on the street in a karmelis and there is a fear people will injure themselves, one may move them more than four amos even if there is no eiruv (שו"ע סי' ש"ח סי"ח ומ"ב סקע"ז ).

19. The menorah is muktzeh. Many people light their Chanukah candles in their homes at a low spot by the door. This creates a concern that children will knock it over, etc. They therefore want to move it to a safe place after fulfilling the mitzvah. However, the menorah is muktzeh even after the candles go out. When Shabbos came in and the menorah was lit, the cups, oil, and wicks all got the status of a bosis for the flames, as stated in Shulchon Aruch (סי' רע"ט ס"א ), and anything muktzeh at bein hashemashos is muktzeh for the entire Shabbos (מ"ב סק"א ).

20. Bosis for mutar and assur objects. If one wants to move the menorah on Shabbos after the candles go out, before Shabbos he should make the stool the menorah sits on a bosis for something assur and mutar by putting something valuable, e.g., a gold watch or woman’s ring, on it. Then, after the candles go out, he may move the stool with the menorah on it to a safe place (מ"ב סי' רע"ז סקי"ח, ארחות שבת פי"ט הע' תי"ט ). We do not say since one cannot move the menorah at bein hashemashos due to hilchos Chanukah, the heter of a bosis for assur and mutar items does not work. This is because even at bein hashemashos one may move the menorah within its place. This is enough to avoid the issur of muktzeh (מו"ר בשו"ת שבט הקהתי ח"ה סי' קי"ג אות ב' ).

Broken Glass

21. In the house. If glass from the menorah broke on Shabbos in the house and there is a fear people will injure themselves on the shards, there is no issur muktzeh to move them, even by hand (רמ"א סי' ש"ח ס"ו ).

22. On the street. If the glass broke on the street in a karmelis and there is a fear people will injure themselves, one may move them more than four amos even if there is no eiruv (שו"ע סי' ש"ח סי"ח ומ"ב סקע"ז ).

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