Hilchos Chanukah 2008
 
672. There are three opinions as to which order one should light the Menorah;
 
a) The accepted minhag of most communities follows the opinion of the Shulchan Aruch; to begin lighting the Menorah on the first night from the right side, and on each subsequent night to move over one more to the left and begin there, and then light those to its right. In this way one is making the beracha on the light that has been newly added on that night.
{This is also the opinion of The Rama, Arizal, Pri Chodosh, Elya Rabba, Chasam Sofer, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, Aruch Hashulchan,& Kaf Hachaim}
 
b) The opinion of the Taz, Pri Migadim and The L'vush is to begin to light the 1st night on the left side, and on each subsequent night to move over one more to the right and begin there, and then light those to its left. {It is brought in the name of R' Yitzchok Sagi Nohor the son of The Ra'avid that Eliyahu Hanavi told him to follow the minhag of the Taz.}
 
c) The opinion of the Maharshal and the Vilna Gaon is to begin lighting the first night from whichever side of the Menorah is closer to the doorway, and on each subsequent night to again begin with the same light (because that is the main Mitzvah and the added lights are only a minhag Mehadrin) and move to the left or right each night, as the case may be.
Shulchan Aruch w/Mishnah Brurah 676:5, see Sha'ar Hatziyun 14, Piskei Tshuvos 676:6
 
673. When one makes the berachos on lighting the Menorah one should stand directly in front of the light which will be lit first in order to avoid being "Ma'avir al Hamiztvos" - passing by a mitzvah (by skipping over other lights that he will light shortly).
Shulchan Aruch w/Mishnah Brurah 676:5 MB11
 
674. A left handed person should light the Menorah using his left hand, but in all other respects (i.e. setting up the Menorah and the order of the lights) he acts in the same manner as all others. R' Y.S. Elyashiv Kuntrus Halichos V'Hanhagos 675, Piskei Tshuvos 676:6, & 651:8 fn43, S'U Shraga Hameir 7:9
 
675. Some have the minhag to sit and watch the lit neiros Chanukah each night for a half hour after lighting. The Sfas Emes writes that this is a segulah to improve one's memory. The Zera Kodesh writes that it is a segulah to grow in Yiras Shomayim. (The letters of R'iya - seeing, and Yir'ah - fear, are identical. Sfas Emes Parshas Miketz Yr. 640, Zera Kodesh pg96a, Imrei Pinchas Shabbos/U'moadim 8
 
676. If one is a guest at someone else's home on Chanukah, L'Chatchila one should light their own Menorah and not rely on his wife lighting for him at home. Bi'dieved one may be also be Yotze by giving the host a penny to join with him in the expense of the oil and listen to the berachos of the host when the host lights.
Shulchan Aruch w/Mishnah Brurah 677:1,3 MB7,16, Piskei Tshuvos 677:1,2
 
677. If one is a paying guest at a hotel on Chanukah, (or a non-paying guest in a home where the owner/host is away) one should not L'Chatchila rely upon his wife lighting for him at home. Rather, one should light on his own at the hotel.
Chovas Had'or Hilchos Chanukah 2:39, Piskei Tshuvos 677:1
 
678. If one is c'v in a hospital on Chanukah, (or women who are staying at a Bais Kimpeturin recovering from giving birth), one should light their own menorah (or join in with any small sum of money together with someone else lighting at the hospital) and not rely upon a spouse lighting at home. Piskei Tshuvos 677:1, S'U Maharsahm 4:146, Chovas Had'or 2:39
 
679. According to the psak of R' Yosef Sholom Elyashiv one should not light a Menorah on a train, or airplane, even if permitted to do so by the service staff.
Kovetz Mevakshei Torah Kislev 5756 205:5, Halichos Yosef 677:1
 
680. An earlier psak by the Maharsham that allowed lighting on a train was meant for that place and time when it was not uncommon to travel on a train for 3 days or more.
S'U Maharsham 4:146, Halichos Yosef 677:1
 
681. According to the psak of R' Shloma Zalmen Auerbach, a Yeshiva Bochur who is lighting at Yeshiva, and the Yeshiva minhag is to light at a different time than his father (e.g. Yeshiva is lighting at sunset, and his father lights at Tzeis Hakochavim); should follow the minhag of the Yeshiva. but after he leaves the Yeshiva he should resume his father's minhag.
Kovetz Al Yad, Halichos Yosef 677:1
 
682. However, in subsequent years if the bochur leaves the Yeshiva or has gotten marries he should resume lighting according to his father's minhag.
Kovetz Al Yad, Halichos Yosef 677:1
 
683. Nowadays that the minhag is for each person to light their own Menorah (K'Minhag Mehadrin) a guest should not rely on joining with his host's lighting by giving him a small sum of money because people may think that he never lights his own Menorah.
Shulchan Aruch w/Mishnah Brurah 677:1 see Shaa'r Hatziyun 10, Elya Rabba 677:1
 
684. According to the psak of R' Chaim Kanievsky and R' Nissim Karelitz (and others) if a man and his wife are both traveling on Chanukah and will be staying at separate homes or hotels for the night, both should light their own Menorahs.
Sefer Leket Yosher pg152, Shalmei Todah 19:3, Halichos Yosef 677:1
 
685. According to the overwhelming majority of contemporary Poskim (including R' Zvi Pesach Frank, R' Shloma Zalman Auerbach, R' Ovadia Yosef) one is not Yotze by using an electric Menorah.
 
686. However, if one has no other choice (e.g. one has no oil or candles or wicks, or one is c'v in a hospital where the hospital does not permit one to light any candles) one should light an electric Menorah without a beracha. If he later has oil or candles available he should light again with a beracha.
 
Piskei Tshuvos 673:1, S'U Beis Yitzchok YD1:120:5, S'U Yad Halevi OC116, S'U Levushei Mordechai MT59, S'U Yaskil Avdi 3:OC:17, Kaf Hachaim 119, Meorai Ho'aish 5:2, S'U Har Zvi 2:114:2, Mikroai Kodesh Hil. Chanukah 20, S'U Be'er Moshe 6:Kuntrus Electric:58,59,60, S'U Dvar Eliyahu 63, S'U Maharshag 2:107, S'U Lehoros Nosson 11:17, S'U Mishnas Yosef 6:130:4, S'U Tzitz Eliezer 1:20:12, S'U Yabia Omer 3:35, Halichos Yosef 673:1
 
687. If one is leaving his home for the evening with his family to eat a meal elsewhere, and will be returning home to sleep, one should light at home before leaving.
Shulchan Aruch w/Mishnah Brurah 677:1 MB12, S'U Eshel Avraham 101, Magen Avraham 107, Leket Yosher pg152, Halichos Yosef 677:1
 
688. However, Bi'dieved, if one lights at the place where the family eats the meal one is also Yotze. Halichos Yosef 677:1, S'U Shearis Yosef 73, S'U Moznei Tzedek 1:76, S'U Kinyan Torah 5:72
 
689. According to the psak of The Steipler Gaon and R' Shloma Zalman Auerbach, if one is a guest at another's home for Shabbos Chanukah and is planning to return home on Motzai Shabbos, one need not rush home after Shabbos to light at the proper time. Rather, one may light at the home of his host.
Ma'adanei Shlomo pg 113, Orchos Rabbeinu 3:HilChanukah:100, Sefer Halichos Yosef 677:1
 
690. However, one should be careful to remain at the home of his host at least for one half hour. Otherwise, he may possibly not be yotze. {According to R' Yaakov Kamenetzky one should stay for at least one hour and preferably eat Melava Malkah there as well}.
Kovetz Bais Aharon V'Yisroel Yr11:2:pg64, S'U Minchas Shlomo T58:1, Emes L'Yaakov
 
691. A boy who has reached the age of Chinuch (i.e. he is able to light the candles) should be taught to light the Menorah each night (according to our minhag today which is Mehadrin min Hamehadrin). Shulchan Aruch w/Mishnah Brurah 675:3, 677:2
 
692. If the child is unable to make the berachos himself, his father may make the berachos for him, even if he already was yotze the mitzvah that night.
Piskei Tshuvos 677:8, Shulchan Aruch w/Mishnah Brurah 273:MB16
 
693. Used Chanukah wicks and any oil that is leftover in the Menorah may be (re-)used the following night(s). Shulchan Aruch w/Mishnah Brurah 677:4
 
694. Used Chanukah wicks and any oil leftover in the Menorah after the 8th night of Chanukah may not be used (e.g. to cook with) because it has been set aside for the Mitzvah. They should also not simply be discarded in the trash, or set aside to be re-used the following year Chanukah (because we are concerned that they may accidentally be used for some other purpose). Shulchan Aruch w/Mishnah Brurah 677:4

 

 

695. Based upon a Midrash Tanchuma (Par. Naso 29) and as brought by many Rishonim, one should burn all the used wicks and leftover oil in a single fire on the 8th day of Chanukah. Some communities (Belz) custom is to save them to be burnt with the chometz on erev Pesach. Shulchan Aruch w/Mishnah Brurah 677:4, Piskei Tshuvos 677:9, Halichos Yosef 677:4
 
696. Oil or wicks that were not placed into the Menorah have not become "set aside" for the Mitzvha unless one specifically did so, and they may be used (e.g. to cook with) or saved for the following year Chanukah. Shulchan Aruch w/Mishnah Brurah 677:4, see Biur Halacha
 
697. Based upon the Gemara in Sukkah (38a) and the words of Maoz Tzur "Uminosar Kankanim Na'aseh Nes" (from the leftover oil in the jugs a miracle was done) the burning of the used wicks and leftover oil on the 8th day of Chanukah is mentioned in seforim to be a segulah that a) one should not c'v be murdered, and b) to be saved from tragedy. Sefer Halichos Yosef 677:4
 
698. Some have the custom to say Lamenatzeach B'niginos Mizmor Shir (Tehillim 67) at the burning of the used wicks and leftover oil. {This perek is found in many siddurim in the form of a Menorah}. Sefer Halichos Yosef 677:4
 
699. If one will be lighting in a hotel on Chanukah; according to some poskim one should light in the dining room where one will be eating, and according to other poskim, in the room where one will be sleeping. Therefore, if one plans to spend Chanukah at a hotel one should ask his Rov for a psak. Shulchan Aruch w/Mishnah Brurah 677:1, Halichos Yosef 677:1, Piskei Tshuvos 677:1,4, S'U Minchas Yitzchok 7:48
 
700. On erev Shabbos, if a woman is running late to light Shabbos candles on time, she is permitted to light the Shabbos candles immediately, once her husband has lit even one of the lights on the Chanukah menorah, and she will be yotze with her husband's lighting.
Rama end of 671:7, Halichos Yosef 679:1, Ben Ish Chai 1:Vayeishev:Chanukah:20
 
701. The Mishnah Brurah brings in the name of the Pri Migadim and Shaarei Tshuva that on erev Shabbos, L'chatchila, one should daven Mincha before lighting Chanukah licht, {if possible}. Nevertheless, most communities are not makpid on this and daven after lighting.
Shulchan Aruch w/Mishnah Brurah 679:1 see Shaa'r Hatziyun 7, see Shaarei Tshuva, Piskei Tshuvos 679:2, Aruch Hashulchan 671:26
 
702. If one has a choice of davening Mincha before lighting without a minyan, or davening after lighting with a minyan, one should daven after lighting with a minyan.
Piskei Tshuvos 679:2 citing the Shela Hakodosh, Elya Rabba, S'U Divrei Moshe 1:15
 
703. Although we pasken L'halacha that on erev Shabbos we light Chanukah licht before we light Shabbos candles, the rule of Tadir (the mitzvah that comes more frequently should be done first) should actually require that we would light Shabbos candles first.
Halichos Yosef 679:1 citing the Pri Megadim and Mishbitzos Zahav
 
704. Therefore, L'chatchila, one should either not set up the Shabbos candles until after lighting Chanukah, or one should light the Chanukah menorah and Shabbos candles in two different rooms, thereby avoiding the problem of not complying with the rule of Tadir.
Halichos Yosef 679:1 citing the Pri Megadim and Mishbitzos Zahav
 
705. On erev Shabbos some have the custom to only say/sing Haneiros Hallalu at the time of lighting. Maoz Tzur and other zmiros are said/sung after returning home from shul following Maariv. S'U Minchas Elozor 2:99, Halichos Yosef 679:1
 
706. If one accidentally lit Chanukah candles on Friday night after Shabbos already began one was not yotze the mitzvah of lighting because rather than the lighting being a Pirsumei Nisa (proclamation of the Miracle) it is a Pirsumei Aveirah (proclamation of sin).
S'U Pnei Meivin 227, S'U Be'er Sarim 2:50:9 citing R' Tzvi Pesach Frank and the Chasam Sofer, Halichos Yosef 680:2
 
707. The generally accepted minhag (which follows the Taz) is that on Motzai Shabbos, at home, one should first make Havdalah and then {promptly} light the Menorah.
Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 139:17, Sdei Chemed Chanukah:19, Aruch Hashulchan 681:2, see however SA w/Mishnah Brurah 681:1,2 see Biur Halacha there, Piskei Tshuvos 681:2
 
708.  On Motzai Shabbos it is best for one (if possible) to re-use the candle that was used for Havdalah for the Chanukah Menorah; since a mitzvah was done with it, one should use it for another mitzvah. Shulchan Aruch w/Mishnah Brurah 681:1
 
709. The 8th day of Chanukah is known as "Zos Chanukah" (in earlier times it was called "Chanukas Hamizebeach") named for the Torah portion we read. The day is mesugal for one to daven for; barren women to have children, for a Refuah Sheleimah, and for one to be blessed with increased Parnassah.
 
710. On the 8th day of Chanukah some have the minhag to say Mizmor Lesodah (tehillim 100) and Nishmas Kol Chai at night after lighting; and to make a special seudah during the day. Some Sefardim have the minhag to make a seuda for the young schoolchildren and to say Shir Hashirim with them before beginning the seudah, and to say 8 times the possuk "Shuvu Shivru Lanu Me'at Oichel".
 
Bnei Yissaschar Kislev 12, & 2:10, Pelah Yoetz L'zos Chanukah, Ma'aglei Tzedek 56, Minhagei Maharil 12, Halichos Yosef 684:3, S'U Siach Yizchok 349, Ateres Yeshuah L'zos Chanukah
 
{"Lehadlik" + "Zos Chanukah" b'gematria =  "Refuah Shelaima"}
{"Mattisyahu" b'gematria = "Rosh Hashanah" which is also a time mesugal to daven for children}