DailyHalacha.com for Mobile Devices Now Available

Click Here to Sponsor Daily Halacha
"Delivered to Over 6000 Registered Recipients Each Day"

      
(File size: 792 KB)
Chanukah- If One Forgot to Light

The Aruch Hashulhan (halachic work by Rabbi Yehiel MichelEpstein,1829-1908, OC 670:8) discusses the case of someone who did not light one night of Chanukah. He rules that he has lost the misva for that day. There is no significance to lighting the next day, because the obligation is only at night. Even if he would artificially create a darkened room, there is no misva.

However, he can and should continue to light on subsequent nights with a beracha. Even if he missed all seven nights, on the last night he would light eight candles with a beracha. This ruling is a rejection of the opinion brought in the Beit Yosef that compares the halacha of Chanukah with Sefirat HaOmer. If one forgot to count a day of the Omer, he does not continue to count with a beracha.
The Aruch Hashulhan explains that the nature of the obligation of lighting on Chanukah is fundamentally different from the obligation of counting the Omer. The emphasis of the Omer is on counting consecutive days. Therefore, if one forgot a day, the entire series is lost. Whereas, on Chanukah, each night stands by itself. In fact, the primary obligation is only to light one candle for each night.

SUMMARY: If a person missed a night of lighting on Chanukah, he does not light the next day, but he does continue to light on subsequent nights with a beracha.

 


Recent Daily Halachot...
Reciting "Ha'mapil" and "Hareni Mochel " Before Going to Sleep
How To Properly Bow During Kaddish
Is It Proper To Join The Minyan or Appropriate To Start At The Beginning When Arriving To Shul Late At the Time of Amidah
Some Laws On Kadish
Are Kohanim Required To Wash Again For Musaf After Having Washed Already for Birkat Kohanim in Shacharit
Washing One's Hands Before Kiddush on Shabbat Morning
Washing One's Hands Before Kiddush on Friday Night
Using Beverages Other Than Wine for Kiddush
Using Sweetened Wine for Kiddush
Using Beverages Other than Wine and Grape Juice for Kiddush on Shabbat Morning
The Requirement to Eat After Kiddush
Which Kind of Wine Should One Use for Kiddush?
Passing the Kiddush Cup Around the Table After Kiddush
If Nobody Drank the Required Amount of Kiddush Wine
Drinking From the Kiddush Cup
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found