Question:
What are the Halachos regarding lighting Menorah for a poor person who might not be able to afford it?
Answer:
A person who only has only enough oil for one night, meaning, just enough oil to last a half hour, should light that amount of oil on the first night and not split it up for all the nights. Some poskim hold that one should use the required amount for the first night even at the expense of other nights. Netah Surak 73b says based on the Bet Yosef’s answer that the Chashmonaim split up the oil for the 8 days, that one is allowed to do the same since the minimum amount of a half hour isn’t Me’akev. Divrei Tzvi 671 agrees. However, others argue that the Bet Yosef’s answer was only for the Bais Hamikdash where miracles are regular and that his answer wasn’t meant in a halachic sense.
On the second night, a person who only has two candles should light one that night and one the next, so that tomorrow he will also be able to light.
On the eighth night, a person who doesn’t have enough for all eight candles should light the eighth one with the required amount and split up the rest of the oil between the other candles.
One who only has two candles on the third night or any case where he does not have the right number of candles should only light one candle. This is since the mitzvah is to light the number of the night lighting the wrong number isn’t a hiddur and may be a violation of Bal Tigra against the Avi Ezri (Chanukah 4:1).
One who only has 9 candles should light two on the second night and one the rest of the nights. Similarly, if one has 10 candles, one should light two on the second night and one the rest of the nights and not light two on the third night.Someone who accidentally lit two candles on the third night thinking that it was the second night should light the other candles without a brocha.
On the second night, a person who only had 1 candle and lit it later manages to get another candle should light the that candle without a brocha. Similarly, a person who lit one only one candle by mistake should light the other candles without a brocha. However, if by the time one gets more candles or remembers the candle(s) the other lights went out one can’t just light the extra candles, but rather should go back and light the right number of candles simultaneously without a brocha.
If someone has enough oil to light the correct number of candles every night and his friend doesn’t have anything, he should give his friend enough so that he can fulfill his basic requirement. However, if your friend lives in a house that already is lighting one set of candles, one does not need to give up his own added candles in order for his friend to light extra candles.Someone who doesn’t have money for both Shabbos candles (the minimum is one candle) and Chanukah candles (the minimum is one candle) should buy Shabbos Candles. Some say that nowadays one can fulfill Shabbos candles with electric lights and so one who has electric lights should buy Chanuka candles. Shabbos 23b Rava says that Shabbos candles which are for Shalom bayis take precedence over Chanukah candles, but Chanukah candles which are for Pirsumei nisa (publicizing the miracle) take precedence over kiddish. Therefore, someone who doesn’t have money for both Chanukah candles and wine for kiddish should buy Chanukah candles and make kiddish on the bread.Someone who doesn’t have money for both Chanukah candles and wine for Havdalah should buy Chanukah candles and make Havdalah in Shmoneh Esrei according to Tur 296 and Rama 296:5 which hold that the Chanukah candles take precedence over Havdalah. |