Jewish Holidays

A patient in a hospital is still obligated to light Ĥanuka candles. However, if he is married, he fulfills his obligation through his spouse’s lighting at home.

People staying in a hotel must light Ĥanuka candles. It is best to light in one’s hotel room. If the hotel management does not permit guests to light candles in their rooms, then since there is no alternative one should light in the dining room.

A yeshiva student who sleeps in his dormitory room and eats in a cafeteria must light in his room. An uncertainty arises regarding Sephardic students.

If an unmarried person has his own home, regardless of whether it is owned or rented, he must light candles there. If he is visiting friends at candle-lighting time but will return home to sleep, he cannot fulfill his obligation at his hosts’ home. Rather, he must return home to light.

If a married man goes alone on Ĥanuka to visit friends or family while his wife remains at home, his wife must light the candles, and this exempts him from lighting.

When a family goes away for Shabbat, the hosts’ home is considered their home on that Shabbat. Thus, the guests should buy a share in the host’s candles for a pruta, which allows them to fulfill their obligation through the host’s lighting.

When a family is visiting friends or relatives at candle-lighting time, it is not considered their home for the purpose of candle-lighting, so they cannot fulfill their obligation to light Ĥanuka candles there.

One who was unable to light Ĥanuka candles by 9 PM may light all night until dawn. However, he should recite the berakhot only if it is very likely that someone on the street will see his candles.

In many families, the question arises as to the appropriate procedure when one’s spouse cannot make it home from work by tzeit. Is it better to light at tzeit or to wait for his or her return?

If one finds it difficult to return home by tzeit, he may light later. One should try to return home as soon as possible, in order to light close to the ideal time ordained by the Sages.