The Talmud describes the proper location to place our Chanukah lights:

תלמוד בבלי – שבת כב.

אָמַר רַבָּה: נֵר חֲנוּכָּה מִצְוָה לְהַנִּיחָהּ בְּטֶפַח הַסָּמוּךְ לַפֶּתַח. וְהֵיכָא מַנַּח לֵיהּ? רַב אַחָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרָבָא אָמַר: מִיָּמִין; רַב שְׁמוּאֵל מִדִּפְתִּי אָמַר: מִשְּׂמֹאל. וְהִילְכְתָא: מִשְּׂמֹאל, כְּדֵי שֶׁתְּהֵא נֵר חֲנוּכָּה מִשְּׂמֹאל וּמְזוּזָה מִיָּמִין.

Talmud Bavli - Shabbat 22a

Rabba said: It is a mitzva to place the Hanukkah lamp within the handbreadth adjacent to the entrance. The Gemara asks: And where, on which side, does he place it? There is a difference of opinion: Rav Aḥa, son of Rava, said: On the right side of the entrance. Rav Shmuel from Difti said: On the left. And the halakha is to place it on the left so that the Hanukkah lamp will be on the left and the mezuza on the right. One who enters the house will be surrounded by mitzvot (ge’onim).

This is codified in the Rambam:

רמב"ם מגילה וחנוכה ד:ז

נר חנוכה מצוה להניחו על פתח הבית מבחוץ, בטפח הסמוך לפתח, על שמאל הנכנס לבית, כדי שתהיה מזוזה מימין ונר חנוכה משמאל

Rambam - Laws of Megilah and Chanukah 4:7

It is a mitzvah to place the Chanukah lamp at the outside of the entrance to one's home, within the handbreadth that is closest to the doorway on the left side as one enters the home, so that the mezuzah will be on the right side and the Chanukah lamp on the left side.

It is interesting that in addition to quoting the law regarding the location of the Chanukah lights, the Rambam also chooses to include the Gemara’s reasoning, in order that Mezuzah and the Chanukah lights are opposite each other. What is the concept of pairing these two mitzvot? At first glance they would seem to be wholly unrelated.

מאירי שבת כב.

נר חנוכה מצוה להניחה בטפח הסמוך לפתח ולהדליקה שם הן מבחוץ לזמן הקדום הן מבפנים לזמן של עכשיו ומצד שמאל כדי שתהא מזוזה בימין הנכנס שנ' בה ביתך דרך ביאתך ודרכו של אדם להרים רגל ימין תחלה ותהא נר חנוכה משמאל הנכנס ופרשו בהגדה ויבא בעל הבית בתפליו ובטלית מצוייצת ביניהם חונה מלאך י"י סביב ליראיו ויחלצם:

Meiri - Commentary on Shabbat 22a

It is a mitzvah to place the Chanukah lights at the handbreadth next to the door, and to light them outside previously, and nowadays to be inside, and on the left side in order that one’s mezuzah is on the right of the one who enters, as it says, “in it, in your house”, the way you come in (see Talmud Bavli Menachot 34a), and it is the way of a person to lift their right foot first. And as for the Chanukah lights, they should be on the left of the one who enters. And it explains further in the Agaddah, and the owner of the house comes with his tefilin and talit adorned between them, “The angel of God camps around those who fear Him and protects them” (Tehilim 34:8).

The Meiri adds an element to our understanding of our Gemara. He quotes a concept that may be based on a combination of different statements in the Talmud, but most directly quoted in the Sheiltot of Rav Achai Gaon (26). A picture is portrayed of a person adorned with his Tefilin and his Tzitzit, standing between the Mezuzah and Chanukah lights. The Meiri then quotes a verse from Tehilim describing the “angel of God” surrounding and protecting a person who fears Hashem. It is interesting that the Rambam also uses the same verse quoted by the Meiri when discussing the mitzvah of Mezuzah.

רמב"ם תפילין ומזוזה וספר תורה ו:יג

חייב אדם להיזהר במזוזה, מפני שהיא חובת הכל תמיד, וכל עת שייכנס ויצא יפגע בייחוד שמו של הקב"ה, ויזכור אהבתו, וייעור משנתו ושגייתו בהבלי הזמן, וידע שאין שם דבר העומד לעולם ולעולמי עולמים אלא ידיעת צור העולם, ומיד הוא חוזר לדעתו, והולך בדרכי מישרים. אמרו חכמים, כל מי שיש לו תפילין בראשו ובזרועו, וציצית בבגדו, ומזוזה בפתחו, מוחזק לו שלא יחטא, שהרי יש לו מזכירים רבים, והן הן המלאכים שמצילין אותו מלחטוא, שנאמר "חונה מלאך י"י סביב ליראיו ויחלצם" (תהלים ל"ד:ח'):

Rambam - Laws of Mezuzah 6:13

A person must show great care in [the observance of the mitzvah of] mezuzah, because it is an obligation which is constantly incumbent upon everyone. [Through its observance,] whenever a person enters or leaves [the house], he will encounter the unity of the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, and remember his love for Him. Thus, he will awake from his sleep and his obsession with the vanities of time, and recognize that there is nothing which lasts for eternity except the knowledge of the Creator of the world. This will motivate him to regain full awareness and follow the paths of the upright. Whoever wears tefillin on his head and arm, wears tzitzit on his garment, and has a mezuzah on his entrance, can be assured that he will not sin, because he has many who will remind him. These are the angels, who will prevent him from sinning, as [Psalms 34:8] states: "The angel of God camps around those who fear Him and protects them."

Life is complex. We are pulled in many directions simultaneously. We benefit from reminders so we don’t lose sight of what is most essential in our lives. A mezuzah provides a regular reminder at a daily transition point. When we leave our home and go out into the world, we are prompted take our values with us and put them into practice. And when we come home at the end of day, though our values may be challenged and battered in the outside world, we are reminded not to merely bring the values of the street into our home. Our home is an island, expressing our highest and deepest values, regardless of how they might be viewed outside.

Perhaps the Chanukah lights serve as a similar reminder. There are subtle ways our culture draws us into the Havlei HaZman, the fleeting values and endeavors of our times. These have the potential to impact us, even in ways we are not always aware of. Chanukah celebrates our successful refusal to adulterate Judaism based on foreign ideals, despite immense pressures.

The Mezuzah reminds us to avoid being drawn into the day to day Havlei HaZman, fleeting aspects of our time. The Chanukah lights serve as a reminder regarding the broader influences of our culture, not to let them dictate our values. The Talmud suggests pairing these specific mitzvot opposite one another in order to bring this comparison to mind. We endeavor to surround ourselves with Mitzvot, reminding us to focus our energies and efforts upon what is of ultimate significance.

References

Maimonides, M., Touger, E., Kaplan, B., Abramson, Z., & Silverstein, S. (2007). Mishneh Torah. New York: Moznaim Pub. Retrieved from: https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/682956/jewish/Mishneh-Torah.htm

Steinsaltz, A., In Weinreb, T. H., In Schreier, J., & Hotsaat Koren (Jerusalem),. (2017). Koren Talmud Bavli, the Noe edition: Talmud Bavli. Retrieved from: https://shas.alhatorah.org/

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