The players of the Argentina national team celebrate qualifying for the World Cup final after a 0:3 victory over Croatia (Instagram)
Quite a few Israelis encountered a difficult dilemma ahead of the World Cup final, and not only because of its early time - Sunday at 5:00 p.m.
The game between France and Argentina will take place on the first candle of Hanukkah, which in normal years is an evening of extensive family gatherings;
Some people intend to take advantage of this to combine the events, and turn football into the artistic program alongside the lighting of the candles, and others announced ahead of time to their relatives that this time they will meet on one of the other days of the holiday.
It turns out that rabbis were also required to address this issue, although in most cases they try to ignore the conflict between "civil" issues such as culture and sports and religious matters.
It was increased to three rabbis from the Negev region, who published a kind of halachic ruling - or more precisely, a holy reading - to guide the residents on how to deal with the burning issue;
On the one hand, to enjoy the final, and on the other hand, not to miss the fulfillment of the mitzvah.
The precedent ruling (photo: Yehatz)
"We appeal with affection to our brothers Beit Yisrael, who were very moved to see the World Cup games in general and the final game in particular," wrote the halachic arbiter Rabbi Meir Mazoz, head of the Ksa Rahamim Yeshiva, who is considered one of the most important rabbis in the ultra-orthodox Sephardi public;
The rabbi of the city of Netivot, Rabbi Pinchas HaCohen;
and Rabbi of the Moshav Zemat, Rabbi David Karai.
"It is true that the ultra-orthodox, according to Hashem, who are surrounded by gold, withdraw their hands from the vanities of this world... but we are asking for our brothers, many of whom, even whole, cannot detach themselves from the games, when billions of people in the world are following them with all their might."
After the introduction, the rabbis went into practice: "This time the final match is this coming Sunday at 17:00, and that is the time when they start lighting the first Hanukkah candle, so we came to warn of several obstacles: a. The worst is that the Hanukkah candle will be rejected from the game; b to light Hanukkah candles while the TV is on, and in doing so, one violates both sections; c. to light quickly as a lamp,
So how is it correct, from a halachic point of view, to combine the two?
"But the best way is to light a Hanukkah candle starting at 4:55 p.m., when the television will be off, and stay near the Hanukkah with the family, and tell the members of the household clearly that all the things of the world are not worth according to the mitzvot of the Torah, and the longer you linger near the candles, the personal example is Stronger... We have an opportunity to show the Holy One, blessed be He, that we love Him even more than our most beloved thing."
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Argentina national team
French national team