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    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

    672:1). However, it is unclear what the

    sun disappearing from view means.

    1) According to some Poskim, it is

    when nightfall commences, tzeis hakochavim,

    i.e., the sky is almost completely

    dark and three stars can be discerned

    (Magen Avraham ibid. 1; Bach

    OC 662; Mordechai). 2) According to

    others, it is when the sky is relatively

    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

    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 reciting

    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, obviously,

    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 option

    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), nonetheless,

    it does not come at the expense

    of family harmony and good will in the

    home. If one only has one candle on Friday,

    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 candles

    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 Lecha,

    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 Menorah

    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).

    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.

    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

    672:1). However, it is unclear what the

    sun disappearing from view means.

    1) According to some Poskim, it is

    when nightfall commences, tzeis hakochavim,

    i.e., the sky is almost completely

    dark and three stars can be discerned

    (Magen Avraham ibid. 1; Bach

    OC 662; Mordechai). 2) According to

    others, it is when the sky is relatively

    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

    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 reciting

    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, obviously,

    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 option

    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), nonetheless,

    it does not come at the expense

    of family harmony and good will in the

    home. If one only has one candle on Friday,

    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 candles

    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 Lecha,

    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 Menorah

    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).

    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.