If a person travels during Hanukah and is not home on one or several of the nights of the holiday, must he light Hanukah candles in his current location?
The Halacha in such a case depends on whether the individual travels alone or with his family. If he travels alone, such as on a business trip, and his wife remains at home, then she lights at home and he fulfills his obligation through her lighting. If the traveler’s wife lights at home, then he does not have to light candles where he is, since his Misva is fulfilled through his wife’s lighting. If he nevertheless wants to light Hanukah candles, he may, though he should certainly not recite the Berachot.
If a person travels with his family during Hanukah, and they are staying in a hotel, then he is obligated to light Hanukah candles in the hotel. Ideally, he should light the candles in his hotel room, but obviously he must ask for the hotel’s permission to do so. If the hotel does not allow lighting fire in the rooms, then he should light in the area designated for this purpose, such as in the lobby, and recite the Berachot.
If a person travels with his family during Hanukah and they stay with friends in their home, and not in a hotel, then he fulfills the Misva by becoming a "partner" with the host. This is done by giving a few cents, or a nickel, to the host, whereby he acquires a share in the oil or candles. Through this partnership, the visiting family fulfills the Misva of Hanukah candle lighting through the host’s lighting. Hacham Ovadia Yosef ruled that once the guest becomes a partner, the host may invite him to light the Hanukah candles in his place, with the Berachot.
If a couple spends Shabbat with their parents/in-laws, then they fulfill the Misva through the parents’ lighting even without purchasing a share in the oil or candles. Nevertheless, it is preferable in such a case for the father to have in mind to grant his son or son-in-law a share in the materials so he becomes a "partner" in the lighting.
Summary: If person travels alone during Hanukah without his wife, he does not have to light Hanukah candles, as he fulfills the Misva through his wife’s lighting at home. If the family travels together and stays in a hotel, they must light in the hotel, wherever the hotel permits, with the Berachot. If they are hosted in somebody’s house, the guest should give the host a few cents to purchase a share in the oil or candles, and he fulfills his obligation through the host’s lighting. This purchasing of a share in the candles is not required when a couple stays with their parents/in-laws.
