DailyHalacha.com for Mobile Devices Now Available

Halacha is In Memory of
 Yehoshua ben Sarah (Alfred Sutton)

Dedicated By
His Children and Grandchildren

Click Here to Sponsor Daily Halacha
      
(File size: 620 KB)
Chanukah- Should One Light When In A Place Full of Goyim Even If His Wife Lights In His Stead At Home

Generally speaking, a person who spends one of the nights of Chanukah away from home is not required to light Chanukah candles if his wife lights at home. He fulfills his obligation through his wife's lighting, and he therefore does not light Chanukah candles in his present location.

The Shulchan Aruch (677:3) does, however, make one exception to this rule (listen to audio for precise citation). Namely, if a person travels in a place with no Jews at all, such that he will not see any Chanukah candles that night, then he must, indeed, light Chanukah candles in his present location and recite the Berachot. This ruling is based on the position of the Mahari Abuhav (Spain-Israel, 1433-1493), which Rabbi Yosef Karo (author of the Shulchan Aruch) cites in his work Beit Yosef.

The Peri Chadash (Rabbi Chizkiya Da Silva, Italy, 1659-1698) disputes this ruling of the Shulchan Aruch, arguing that since the man fulfills his obligation through his wife's lighting, he cannot recite the Berachot over his own lighting. The first Beracha mentions that God "commanded us to kindle the Chanukah candle," and this individual cannot possibly speak of God as commanding him to light candles, given that his obligation is already fulfilled through his wife's lighting.

As for the final Halacha, Chacham Ovadia Yosef, in his work Chazon Ovadia (Laws of Chanukah, p. 158), follows the ruling of the Shulchan Aruch, requiring a person in this situation to light Chanukah candles with the Berachot. He adds that in such a case one should preferably have clear intention not to fulfill his obligation through his wife's lighting, so that according to all views he will now be required to personally light Chanukah candles and may thus recite the Berachot without concern.

This Halacha is very applicable to those who travel on business during Chanukah. For example, a person who travels during Chanukah in areas in the Far East with no Jewish community whatsoever must light candles with the Berachot even if his wife lights at home.

Summary: A person who is away from home on a night during Chanukah fulfills the candle lighting obligation through his wife's lighting. If, however, he is in an area without any Jews at all, he must light candles with the Berachot, and should preferably have clear intent not to fulfill his obligation through his wife's lighting.

 


Recent Daily Halachot...
The Beracha of Yogurt Mixed With Fruit or Granola
Does One Recite a Beracha Over a Beverage If He is Thirsty Only Because of Something He Ate?
Must One Recite Two Berachot When He Eats a Cracker With a Topping?
The Proper Sequence When Eating Different “Mezonot” Foods, and When Eating a “Mezonot” Food With Fruit
The Status of Date Honey, Beer and Whiskey With Regard to the Sequence of Berachot
The Proper Sequence of Berachot When One Eats Two Fruits or Vegetables
The Order of Precedence When Eating Several Different Types of Food
Giving Precedence to the Special Fruits of Eretz Yisrael
“Peri Ha’gefen” or “Feri Ha’gefen”; The Proper Beracha Over Cognac
Reciting Berachot Over Fruit Eaten as Dessert
The Text of Al Ha’mihya For Products Made From Grains Grown in Israel
“Beriya” – If One Eats a Whole Grape, Nut or Olive Smaller Than a “Ke’zayit”
Does One Recite a Beracha on Ice Cream Which is Served During a Meal?
What Quantity of a Beverage Requires the Recitation of a Beracha Aharona?
Within How Much Time Must One Eat a “Ke’zayit” For a Beracha Aharona to be Required?
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found