There is a question asked in Halacha about the Minhag (custom) of lighting the Menorah in the synagogue. The question is whether or not we need to have ten people in the synagogue at the time of the lighting? Is it enough that eventually ten people will come and see the candles already lit?
This custom of lighting candles in the synagogue is actually questionable itself. For example, the Maharal (Rabbi Judah Loew, 1525-1609) questioned the Minhag and he refrained from it altogether. However, others bring down that it’s to commemorate that they used to light the candles in the Bet Hamkidash, so therefore we replicate it by lighting in the synagogue.
In any event Maran in Orach Hayim 671:7 does bring down the Halacha, that it is our Minhag to light in synagogue with a Beracha. However, there’s a Machloket between the Magen Avraham (Rav Avraham Avli ben Chaim HaLevi Gombiner 1633-1683) and the Mor U’kitzea as to whether or not you need ten people there at the time of the lighting. The Magen Avraham says that ten people are not required so long as people will come after. The Mor U’kitzea disagrees with this and says that you need ten people there at the time of menorah lighting.
The Chafetz Chayim in his Bi'ur Halacha in Orach Hayim 671:7 brings support to the ruling of Magen Avraham. And he says that lighting of the candles of Chanukah is not the only Mitzvah, but it is a Mitzvah also to look at them. We have a law that says if a person doesn’t light the Menorah, so in certain situations he can make a Beracha just by looking at the Menorah. Therefore, if it’s Friday afternoon and you have to light before sunset and the congregation trickles in to synagogue in a little late because they are lighting their own Menorah, and you don’t have 10 people in the synagogue yet, so the Bi’ur Halacha says that you can rely on the Magen Avraham.
However that is not the opinion of Kaf Hachayim and it’s not the opinion of the Ben Ish Chai in Rav Paalim, Helek 2:62. They both say (ibid:72) that the Halacha follows the Mor U’kitzea, specifically in a case where you have Safek Berachot (a doubt as to whether or not to make the Beracha). Therefore, we are going to say Safek Berachot Likahel. (That when it comes to making the Berachot, we are always concerned and take the opinion not to make the Beracha.)
Halacha Lema’ase (the bottom line): on a Friday afternoon, (which is just one practical case,) where it is almost Shabbat and there are only 6 or 7 people that came to the synagogue so far, and you don’t have yet a Minyan, Halacha says you light the light Menorah in the synagogue, however without a Beracha. That’s why we have to remind the people to come early before Shikea (sunset) in order to fulfill this Mitzvah of lighting the Menorah with a Beracha. But if there is no Minyan, then at the time of the lighting there will be no Beracha.
