DailyHalacha.com for Mobile Devices Now Available

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

      
(File size: 1.23 MB)
Hanukah: If the Candles Blew Out After Lighting

The famous Halachic rule states: "Hadlaka Osah Misva"-The Misva of Hanukah candles is fulfilled immediately upon lighting. Therefore, "Kavta- En Zakuk La"-If the candles inadvertently blew out immediately after being lit, it is not obligatory to relight them, as long as they had enough oil to potentially burn the requisite time. This applies not only to lighting on weekdays, but even Ereb Shabbat, when they blew out before dark.

If one extinguished the candles on purpose, he should relight without a Beracha. If they blew out inadvertently, and one wants to be stringent and relight them, Hacham Ovadia rules Tavo Alav Beracha, it is praiseworthy. This is especially true on Ereb Shabbat, when some Poskim rule that by law he is obligated to relight.

If on the sixth night, the first candle went out before he lit the sixth, The Biur Halacha states that although he lit a total of six candles, it is not considered "Mehadrin Min HaMehadrin"-the ideal way to fulfil the Misva, since the six candles were not all lit at the same time.

The Mishna Berura rules that "Kavta En Zakuk La" applies only if the candles were lit in a place that was suitable for lighting. Therefore, if it was windy at the time of lighting and the candles became extinguished, they must be relit. Hacham Bension discusses whether this applies to those who light outside in the special glass boxes. The boxes do have a glass cover that prevents the wind from entering. On the other hand, at the actual time of lighting the box is open and the wind can enter. He rules that even if the candle blew out while the box was still open, he does not have to relight it, since the box is designed to be outside.

SUMMARY
Even if the candles blew out inadvertently immediately after lighting, it is not required to relight them, even on Ereb Shabbat. If one wants to relight them, it is praiseworthy. If one blew them out on purpose, he must relight, albeit without a Beracha. If the candles blew out from the wind, while being lit in the special glass box outside, it is not required to relight them.

 


Recent Daily Halachot...
Is It Permissible To Carry A Child On Shabbat In The Public Domain
Is It Permissible To Use A Body Sponge On Shabbat
Is It Permissible To Wear A Sports Coat Over Your Shoulders On Shabbat In The Public Domain
How to Squeeze Fruits and Vegetables on Shabbat
Borer: Selecting Cutlery to Set a Table for the Next Day
Borer: Selecting Clothes in a Dark Room
Borer: Is Peeling and Removing Wrappers from Food Considered Borer?
Borer: Is It Permissible to Scatter a Mixture and Select From It?
Borer: May One Remove a Fly from a Cup of Wine on Shabbat?
Opening Nuts & Peapods on Shabbat
Borer: Filtering Liquids on Shabbat
Borer- Is A Sink Drain Strainer Permissible On Shabbat Even Though It May Be Separating And Selecting Out Foods
Borer – May One Separate Food With a Fork, and How Long Before a Meal May One Separate Food?
Is It Permissible To Separate Forks From Knives on Shabbat?
Borer: Removing Bones from Fish on Shabbat
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found