GENERAL LAWS OF CHANUKAH

This section deals with general laws of Chanukah. These guidelines should not be relied upon as authentic Halacha. In cases of questions or doubts a competent Orthodox Rabbi should be consulted. Questions as to what to do when one is away from home, when one is ill, types of oils and wicks, the use of electric lights and such, specific laws regarding Chanukah lighting on the Shabbos, mistakes in the order or number of lights, etc. should all be directed to a competent authority on Jewish Law.

• Lighting Chanukah Candles
• Where and When to Light
• Chanukah customs

Lighting Chanukah Candles

1. On each of the eight nights of Chanukah, candles are lit to recall the miracle of the oil. All family members assemble for the lighting, in order to publicize the miracle.
    
2. One candle is lit on the first night of Chanukah. Every night a candle is added to the previous day's number so that eight candles are lit on the eighth night of Chanukah.
    
3. It is customary for each member of the family to light their own Chanukah candles. The only exception to this rule is the wife, who fulfills her obligation with her husband's candles.
    
4. If a number of people are lighting their candles in one place, each one's candles should be in a separate area, so that the number of each person's candles can be clearly seen.
    
5. A child who is old enough to light candles should be allowed to do so.
    
6. Among Sephardic Jews it is customary for one family member to light candles for the entire family.
    
7. Some people enhance the mitzvah by using olive oil instead of candles. This is because the miracle in the Temple occurred with olive oil.
    
8. The candles or wicks must be arranged in a straight line. There must be at least the width of a finger between each candle.
    
9. One may not use a candle made from braided wicks. Similarly, one may not put a number of wicks into a bowl of oil if there is no separation between them. In these cases, the candles resemble a torch or flaming fire, which may not be used to fulfill this mitzvah.
    
10. It is prohibited to use the light from the Chanukah candles. Therefore, a separate candle, called the shamash, is lit. The shamash is used to light the other candles. The shamash must be separated from the other candles, either by placing it a little bit away from the other candles, or by placing it a little bit higher than the other candles. This is so one can see how many Chanukah candles were lit that night.

Where and When to Light

1. The Chanukah candles should be lit by the entrance of one's house, if the entrance faces a public domain. This is to publicize the Chanukah miracle. The candles must be lit in the place where they are to remain, rather than being lit inside the house and taken outside later. The candles should be placed within a tefach of the entrance. If the entrance has a mezuzah, the candles should be placed to the left of the doorway, opposite the mezuzah. If one does not have an entrance that faces a public domain, the candles should be lit on a windowsill that can be seen from the street.
    
2. The candles must be at least three tefachim above the ground. It is a mitzvah to place them less than ten tefachim above the ground. However, if the candles are placed higher than ten tefachim, one has fulfilled the mitzvah.
    
3. Anyone living in a place which is higher than twenty amos (approximately two feet) from the street should ask a Rav where to light Chanukah candles.
    
4. The Chanukah candles are lit at nightfall. One halachic opinion is that one should light the candles at sunset, and the other halachic opinion is that one should light the candles when the stars appear.
    
5. Those who daven Maariv before candle lighting time, should kindle the Chanukah candles immediately after Maariv. Those who daven Maariv in the proper time, that is, after three medium size stars appear, should preferably light the Chanukah candles before Maariv. They should, however, place sufficient oil or long enough candles in order to burn for a half hour after stars appear.
    
6. If one had not kindled nor davened Maariv and stars appeared, he should daven Maariv first and then light.
    
7. One who did not light his candles at either of these times can light them any time during the night, as long as members of the family are awake and present at the lighting.
    
8. The candles (or oil) must burn for at least half an hour after the stars appear. This rule applies whenever the candles were lit. If one lights with oil, he must make sure he has enough oil to burn the required amount of time when he lights his flames.
    
9. One may not add oil after the flames have been lit.
    
10. The candles must be set up so the wind will not extinguish them while they are burning.

Chanukah customs

1. Women observe the custom not to do work for the half hour that the candles are lit as a reminder not to use the candles for any purpose. This custom is observed specifically by women, because one of the Chanukah miracles occurred through a woman, Yehudis, the daughter of the High Priest Yochanan.
    
2. It is customary to eat dairy dishes on Chanukah. This custom originates with Yehudis. Yehudis fed the Greek army commander cheese to make him thirsty, and then wine to intoxicate him. When the Greek commander fell asleep, Yehudis decapitated him, the result being that his forces fled. In this way, the Jews were saved.

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