Requirement of Shloshim Yom Kodem HaChag

As Chanukah is less than a month a way I felt it was a good idea to begin discussion the laws that apply to it. There is a well known concept called "Sheloshim Yom Kodem HaChag Shoalim Vdeorsim Bo": thirty days before the holiday we should start learning and reviewing the laws. People assume that this applies to all holidays, even those with relatively few laws. Is that in fact true? There are two conflicting Gemaras we must mention: First is a gemara in pesachim that says that on pesach rishon (the first pesach, the one we celebrate) Moshe taught those that weren't able to participate the laws of pesach so they would be prepared for pesach shani (the makeup pesach if you were too far outside Jerusalem or impure). We see from here that Moshe taught the laws of pesach sheni thirty days prior to the holiday. However, the Gemara at the end of Megillah says you should learn the laws of each holiday on that holiday. Clearly implying that there is no requirement of 30 days. So how to paskin (rule)? The Misnah Brurah says that there exist two requirements first you must learn the laws for each holiday prior to that holiday so you know what to do when the times come. For this though, the requirement of 30 days is only by pesach (which now a days to learn well one probably needs a whole year), where everyone agrees the abundant laws are the most complex and thorough, but holidays like Shavous one only need to prepare a day or two in advance. The second requirement is to learn the laws on the holiday itself as a physical action to focus yourself on the greatness of the day. Needless to say Chanukah probably ranks third on the complexity and depth of laws list (behind pesach and sukkos) so it behooves us to start dusting off those seforim and old notes and begin to review. Again if you have any questions thehalachaboy@gmail.com is your one-stop free-shop source for all Chanukah issues. Next week we will begin to discuss the laws more fully. Last weeks A to the Q- The correct bracha if you ate chumus plain is Shehakol- I once saw a doctors great aunt do this in Israel and I almost plotzed in amazement. I mean who would eat a plate of ketchup plain????? This weeks Q of the W- The longest potential benching of the year doesn't happen this year. But what day is awarded this high (aka long) status?