The question was asked by a fellow who is a bachelor and lives alone. He was invited to light the Menorah on the first night of Chanukah in synagogue with all the Berachot, and he wanted to know what Berachot he should make when getting home. Could he make the three Berachot of ‘LiHadlik Ner Chanukah’, ‘SheAsa Nissim’, and ‘Shehechiynau’ again when arriving home, even though he already made them in the synagogue? For those who are going home to a wife and children, in the event the husband lit in synagogue and made the Berachot, he nevertheless would make all the Berachot at home again for the others. Our question today is about the bachelor who lives alone.
On this question, we have a great Machloket between Chacham Ovadia Yoseph and the Ben Ish Chai. According to the Ben Ish Chai and Chacham Ovadia Yoseph, the bachelor makes the Beracha of ‘LiHadlik Ner Chanukah’, and omits the Beracha of ‘Shehechiynau’. There is no dispute on those Berachot. The disagreement is in regards to the Beracha of ‘SheAsa Nissim.’ The Ben Ish Chai says the bachelor should make the Beracha of ‘SheAsa Nissim’. Chacham Ovadia Yoseph says the bachelor does not make the Beracha of ‘SheAsa Nissim’.
Halacha Lema'ase, we follow Chacham Ovadia Yoseph. If a bachelor lit in the synagogue with the Berachot, he only recites the Beracha of ‘LiHadlik Ner Chanukah’ when he re-lights at home later on.
