JLIC mini-GUIDE TO CHANUKAH

WHO should light?
Everyone should light: men, women and children according to the Ashkenazi custom.
– In some communities women have the custom not to light, especially married women.
– Many Sefardim also do not light, as they rely on the lighting of their parents

WHERE should one light?
– On can only light in their home or dwelling, in the place that one sleeps. One cannot light in any other public place that is not one’s home/sleeping quarters.
– Ideally one should light outside of the doorpost of one’s home and in the public view.
– In America we light indoors, hence one should light in the order of most ideal to least ideal:
a) Outside of one’s doorway (in the hallway or the lobby by the exit).
b) By a window that faces the public view.
c) Inside your room by the door on the right side, opposite from the mezuzah.
d) Worst case scenario, one can light on an inner table in one’s common room.
– If one lives on a high floor (above 20 amot) one can either light in one’s window so long as someone in the next building at the same height can see it, or one should light by the door.
– There are numerous designated places in a number of Dorm Houses that have been set aside to light candles and their locations will be posted shortly. Please only use those locations if that is your regular exit area. Please see Rav Mordy with any questions.

Please make sure to be safety conscious and to always put tin foil under the menorah and to make sure someone is watching the menorah at all times!!!

WHEN is the best time to light?
Most light after nightfall – when 3 stars come out – after 5:22PM (Philadelphia)
(Some light 10-20 minutes after sunset/Shekiah – after 4:37PM)

WHAT If one will not be able to light at the proper time?
– One can light later in the evening, or even into the night, so long as there are many people awake at the location you are lighting at that hour that will see your candles.
– In an emergency, where one will not be returning home till extremely late, one can light earlier at “plag hamincha,” one and a quarter hours before sunset, as long as the candles will last until a half an hour after the stars come out (total of an hour and a half).
– If neither of these options will work, one should appoint one’s roommate to light for you, as minimally one menorah is sufficient per household.
– In a case where you do not have a roommate who can light for you, you may call your parents and appoint them to have you in mind during their lighting.
[Under no condition should one light anywhere other than one’s home.]

HOW LONG must one’s candles be lit for?
A half an hour. It is an extra mitzvah (hiddur) for the candles to last even longer.
(Be aware that not all candles last the required time, especially when one lights multiple candles or is in a place with intense heat from other candles.)

WHAT should one light?
Olive oil is the most preferable way. Alternatively, one may use wax candles that will last longer than a half an hour.

CANDLE LIGHTING PROCEDURE
– Prepare the candles (or oil and wicks). The first candle goes on the extreme right side of the menorah and each subsequent night, a new candle is added to the left of the previous night’s candles.
– Light the Shamash (an additional service candle used to light the other candles which is placed at a different height than the other candles),
– Recite the blessings (all three the first night, and two on the remaining nights)
– Light the candle from left to the right (lighting the newest candle first, representing the growth of the miracle).
– Upon kindling the first candle, one recites the paragraph of “Haneirot Hallalu” and continues to light the remaining candles.
– It is customary to sing the hymn of Ma’oz Tzur afterwards in unison.

WHAT ABOUT when Chanukah falls out on Shabbat?
– It is best to pray mincha early and then light candles
– One should light the Chanukah candles before one lights shabbat candles.
– One should make sure to use extra long candles, as they need to last for at least an hour and a half, as we accept Shabbat at 4:17 and the candles must burn until 5:45.It is best and safest to use Tealites (or thick white shabbat candles).

For any further questions please see Rabbi Mordy Friedman – .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
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