The Halacha is that once a household has lit Hanukah candles, all members of the household are included in the Misva. There is a common question regarding children studying away from home in a dormitory, who have parents lighting at home. Are they included in their parents lighting or must they light independently?
Hacham Bension and Hacham Ovadia agree regarding a case in which the parents and the student are in the same time zone. For example, the parents are in New York and their son is in Yeshiva in Lakewood. They rule that the lighting of the parents exempts the child from lighting. It is considered as though he were still living at home, since he can frequently return for Shabbatot or if he is sick. Therefore, the student may not light on his own with a Beracha. If he wants to light without a Beracha, of course, he may do so.
In a case where the boy is, for example, from New York and is studying in Jerusalem, the Halacha is more complicated. In this case, not only does he not return home so frequently, but because of the different time zone, the Misva of Chanukah applies to him before it reaches his parents’ home. Hacham Bension rules that the Yeshiva is considered his house, and he must light with a Beracha. Hacham Ovadia disagrees and says it does not matter. He still has a home in which they are lighting and is included in their Misva. Hacham Ovadia does concede that if he wants to light on his own with a Beracha, he may do so.
In a case in which the parents are in a different time zone that lights earlier than the son, e.g. the parents live in Israel and the boy is studying in Lakewood, the Poskim retain their positions. Hacham Bension still rules that he is not included in his parents lighting because of the sheer distance between them. Hacham Ovadia holds that he is included in their lighting.
The Halacha is in accordance with Hacham Ovadia that in all scenarios in which the parents are lighting at home, the boy does not have to light on his own.
SUMMARY
A student learning in a dormitory away from home is included in the lighting of his parents at home, and does not have to light on his own.
