JLIC GUIDE TO THE LAWS OF CHANUKAH
CANDLES
WHO
should light?
Everyone should light: men, women
and children according to the Ashkenazi custom.
- In
some communities women have the custom not to light, as do married women.
- Many
Sefardim also do not light, as they rely on the
lighting of their parent's, or rely on one lighting per household only
If one is not able to light one
night, one can appoint one's roommate to light for them, as minimally one
menorah is sufficient per household.
WHERE
should one light?
- Ideally
one should light outside of the doorpost of one's home in the public view.
- In America we
light indoors, hence one should light in the order of most ideal to
least ideal & based on dorm and safety regulations:
- In
the lobby of one's building by the exit.
- Outside
of one's doorway.
- By
a window that faces the public view.
- By
the door on the right on the inside doorway, opposite from the mezuzah.
- In
a worse case scenario, one can light on the table in the common room.
- If one
lives on a high floor (above 20 amot) one can
either light in their window so long as someone in the next building at
the same height can see it, or one should light by the door.
- There
are numerous designated places in a number of Dorm Houses that have been
set aside to light candles and their locations will be posted shortly. If
anyone is unsure as to where to light, or if anyone wants to make sure
their Dorm House will have a designated area, please see Hart Levine or Rav Mordy.
[Please
make sure to be safety conscious and to always put tin foil under the menorah
and to make sure someone is watching the menorah at all times!!!
For
anyone who is especially worried about the candles, one may use T-lights, as
they are safe and can be left alone without fear.]
WHEN is the best time to light?
Most light after nightfall - when 3
stars come out - after 5:13PM
(Some light 10-20 minutes after
sunset/Shekiah - after 4:36PM)
WHAT
IF one will not be able to light at the proper time?
- One
can light later in the evening, or even into the night, so long as there
are people awake at the location you are lighting at that hour who will see your candles.
- In an
emergency, where one will not be returning home till very late, one can
light earlier at " plag hamincha," one and a quarter hours
before sunset, as long as the candles will last until a half an hour after
the stars come out (approximately an hour and a half).
HOW
LONG must one's candles be lit for?
A half an hour.
It is an extra mitzvah (hiddur) for the candles to
last even longer.
(Be aware that not all candles
last the required time, especially when one lights multiple candles or is in a
place with intense heat where other candles are lit.
WHAT
should one light?
Olive oil is the most preferable
way, OR one may use wax candles.
WHAT
ABOUT when Chanukah falls out on Shabbat?
- It is
best to pray mincha early and then light candles
- One
should light the Chanukah candles before one lights shabbat candles.
- One
should make sure to use extra long candles, as they need to last for at
least an hour and a half, as we accept Shabbat at 4:17 and the candles
must burn until 5:45.
- It
is best and safest to use T-lights (or thick white shabbat candles).
CANDLE
LIGHTING PROCEDURE
- Prepare
the candles (or oil and wicks), the first candle
goes on the extreme right side of the menorah, each subsequent night a new
candle is added to the left of the previous night's candles.
- Light
the Shamash (an addition service candle used to light the other
candles and which is placed at a different height in the menorah),
- Recite
the blessings (all three the first night, and two on the remaining nights)
- Light
the candle from right to left (like Hebrew writing - lighting the
newest candle first, representing the growth of the miracle).
- Upon kindling
the first candle, one recites the paragraph of "Haneirot
Hallalu" and continues to light the remaining candles.
- It is customary to sing the hymn of Ma'oz Tzur afterwards in
unison.
For any further questions please see Rabbi Mordy Friedman - ravmordy@pobox.upenn.edu
