28 Nov CHANUKAH Q & A WITH RABBI MOSHE ELEFANT

When is the optimal time to light
Chanukah candles?
The Talmud (Shabbos 21a) relates that
Chanukah candles should be lit when
the sun disappears from view, and
should remain lit for half an hour. This

is codified in the Shulchan Aruch (OC:

672:1). However, it is unclear what the
sun disappearing from view means.
1) According to some Poskim, it is

when nightfall commences, tzeis ha-
kochavim, i.e., the sky is almost com-
pletely dark and three stars can be dis-
cerned (Magen Avraham ibid. 1; Bach

OC 662; Mordechai). 2) According to
others, it is when the sky is relatively

dark, i.e. about fifteen minutes before

nightfall (Ran, Rashba, Meiri). 3) According to the Vilna Gaon (Beiur HaGra
OC 672:2), the proper time to light is at sunset. Beiur Halachah (672, s.v. velo
makdimim) notes that this follows Rambam’s opinion (ibid.) as well.

I did not return home until after midnight. In my neighborhood, at
that hour of the night, the streets are deserted. May I still light
Chanukah candles with a bracha?
Mishnah Berurah (672:11) writes that in order to recite a bracha when
lighting candles late at night, at least one other member of the household
must be awake to see the candles. Mishnah Berurah writes that if everyone
is sleeping, it is appropriate to wake one of the family members so that you
will not lose out on the bracha. Aruch HaShulchan (OC 672:7) rules that the
household member may be a woman or even a small child so long as they are

old enough to understand the significance of the candles. It does not matter

that this family member already lit candles and fulfilled their obligation. The

Mishnah Berurah (Shaar Hatziyun 672:17) presents a dissenting opinion that
permits reciting a bracha late at night even if no family member is present, but

concludes “safek berachos l’haker” (in cases of doubt we refrain from recit-
ing a bracha), but we need not stop one who wishes to follow this practice. R’

Moshe Feinstein, however, held that even if one lights late at night, and one’s
family members are sleeping, a bracha is recited (Igros Moshe O.C. IV 105:7)

I will be traveling to New York from my home in New Jersey for a Chanu-
kah party at my parents’ house and won’t be returning home until late

at night. I have the following options: I can

light at home at 4:00 PM (which is before sun-
set); I can appoint an agent (shliach) to light

in my house for me at the proper time; I can
light at my parents’ house; or I can light upon
returning home late at night when there are
no longer any passersby. What should I do?

The Mechaber rules that if one will not be able to
light the Chanukah candles at the prescribed time,
he may light them any time after Plag HaMincha
(Shulchan Aruch OC 672:1). Plag Ha Mincha in
the winter is approximately an hour before sunset.
However, if one must leave immediately thereafter, it may not be advisable to
leave candles unattended. The possibility of using an agent is questionable,
since Mishnah Berurah (675:9) rules that when an agent lights for him, the

person must stand next to the agent and hear him recite the brachos, obvi-
ously, this is not feasible in this case. The third possibility, lighting at one’s

parents’ home, is not acceptable. One must light where he lives (i.e. the
place where he eats and sleeps on a regular basis). Since he does not live
in his parent’s home but is merely eating a meal there, he may not light

there. One should follow the fourth op-
tion and light upon returning home since

nowadays,the menorah is lit primarily
for one’s family, and not to publicize the
miracle to the public. Therefore, one may
light even if it is late and there will be no
passersby to see the menorah.

My wife works in the city and comes

home late. Should I light the Chanu-
kah candles at the prescribed time, or

should I wait until she comes home?
Although lighting Chanukah candles is
a mitzvah which is exceedingly beloved

(Rambam Hil. Chanukah 4:12), none-
theless, it does not come at the expense

of family harmony and good will in the

home. If one only has one candle on Fri-
day, and cannot procure another, it should be used for Shabbos candles and

not for Chanukah candles, because Shabbos candles were instituted to foster
shalom bayis, i.e. peace and harmony in the home. Without light people would
be unable to see, and shalom bayis would be negatively impacted (Shulchan

Aruch OC 678:1 from Gemara Shabbos 23b). In our case as well, lighting can-
dles without waiting for one’s wife to arrive will potentially have a negative

impact on shalom bayis, and one should therefore wait until his wife comes
home (Emes le Yaakov OC 670 fn. 586; Kovetz MiBeis Levi 10, p.3; Ner
Tzion 6:11).
Indeed, the Chafetz Chaim related that his Rebbi, R’ Nochum of Horodna, was
always exceedingly careful to light Chanukah candles at the proper time
but when his wife was late in coming home, he delayed lighting Chanukah
candles until she arrived. R’ Chaim Kanievsky related a similar story
regarding R’ Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld. Both R’ Nochum and R’ Yosef
Chaim explained their rationale as we explained above: shalom bayis

takes precedence over Chanukah candles (see Tuvcha Yaabiu, Lech Le-
cha, pg. 74-75; Ner Chanukah 2 fn. 8).

I work in the city and return home late. My children wait for me to
light the Chanukah candles. Should they light at the prescribed time,
or should they wait for me so that we can light Chanukah candles as a
family? In a previous Halacha Yomis we learned that the optimal time to light
candles is when the sun disappears from view. This is because the miracle
will be publicized (pirsuma nisa) for the people who pass by
and see the candles. The Rama (OC 672:2) writes that this
was true when candles were lit outside the house. Nowadays,
candles are generally lit indoors and the main pirsuma nisa
is for the members of the family, and candles may be lit any
time at night. Nonetheless, the Rama writes that even so, it is
preferable to light early in the evening, so that passersby will

see the candles in the window. As such, one can light the Me-
norah when returning home from work late in the evening.

However, there is no reason for the children who are home to
refrain from lighting on time. The children should light at the
optimal time, and the father should light later when he comes

home (Emes L’Yaakov OC 682.1, footnote #586).

Can I fulfill my obligation of lighting Chanukah candles if I ask

the one who is lighting in shul to be motzi me (have me in mind)?

Chanukah candles must be lit in the place where he lives
(i.e. the place where he eats and sleeps on a regular basis). Since the person
does not reside in the shul, he cannot be yotzei the mitzvah with the lighting
that is done there. That person must light for himself at home.