Q. K'vod Horav, in a recent Teshuva (4008) you wrote quoting Horav Aharon Miller Shlit'a that regarding wicks that have a cover of wax on them one may use them since the time delay for the oil to begin burning is minimal and it is considered as a single action. Yet, I just saw quoted from Tsh. Lehoros Nossan that one should be Machmir and not use them. Should we not Lechatchila (on the onset) avoid them?
A. We also addressed this most common Shailah on question 950 and we wrote: Halacha does follow the opinion that the mitzva is done at the time of the kindling (Shulchan Aruch 673: 2.) Nitei Gavriel (Chanuka 18: 8 n. 16) recommends therefore to pour some oil on the wick before lighting it, since the fuel for the flame at the beginning, is the wax coating on the wick, and only later does the oil start to burn. There may be indeed a reason to be stringent if one so desires.
However, as mentioned, many Poskim deem the above unnecessary since they consider the whole process as one single act of kindling. (Halichos Shlomo Moadim 2: p. 285: n. 15, Avnei Yoshfe 6:103:8, Horav Chaim Kanievesky Shlita quoted in Doleh U'mashke page 237, and the opinions of Harav Shlomo Zalman Aurbach zt”l and Harav Elyashiv zt”l (quoted ibid. n. 633,), Shevet Halevy 8: 157, and others.
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is similar.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller and Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu Shlit'a
Important Numbers
