Question:
Do the ten tefachim to place the menorah in include the actual lights or just the menorah itself?
We have a small table we can use for our oil ‘wall-menorah’. But with the menorah placed on it, the bottom of the oil cups is exactly ten tefachim high (perhaps a few millimeters more).
I know that even higher than ten tefachim, I’m still yotzei. But we’d prefer to stay within the ten. So, could we still use this table or should we use something lower?
Answer:
You should prefferably use something lower. The reason why it is prefferable for menora to be less than ten tefachim, because then it is evident that the lights are not for lighting purposes, rathr for the mitavah, because it is not he norm to put lights so low. Therefore according to most poskim, it is the actual flame that should be lower than ten tefachim.;
Best wishes
Sources:
Pri Megadim 571- M:Z 5, M:B in Shar Hatzion 671-33, Kaf hachayinm 571-52, MInchas Yitzchok 6- 65(2), Oz NIdberu 5-37.
