View source for A poor person lighting Chanukah Candles

This article pertains to a person who doesn’t have enough money for [[Chanukah]] candles.
==If One Doesn't Have Enough for All Nights==
#	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.<ref> Sh”t Sadeh HaAretz O”C 3:34, Sh”t Lechem Shlomo O”C 117(5), Moadei Hashem pg 111c s.v. Kavaum, Sh”t Imrei Shefer O”C 5, and Sh”t Sheilat Yitzchak 3:58(2) hold 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, Chazon Ovadiah (Mitzvah Hadlaka 4, pg 28) argues the Bet Yosef’s answer was only for the Bet Hamikdash where miracles are regular and that his answer wasn’t meant in a halachic sense. See Rav Ovadya’s Meor Yisrael (vol 3, pg 312).</ref>
#	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.<ref> Chaye Adam 154:25, Ikrei HaDaat 35:6, Chazon Ovadiah (Mitzvah Hadlaka 5, pg 29), Torat HaMoadim ([[Chanukah]] 1:7)</ref>
#	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.<ref> Magen Avraham 671:1, Eliyah Raba 671:3, Yad Aharon (Hagahot Hatur), Chaye Adam 154:25, Siddur Bet Ovad ([[Chanukah]] 4 pg 158a), Aruch HaShulchan 671:10, Mishna Brurah 671:5, Chazon Ovadiah (Mitzvah Hadlaka 5, pg 29), Torat HaMoadim ([[Chanukah]] 1:9)</ref>
#	One who only has two candles on the third night or any case where he doesn’t have the right number of candles should only light one candle.<ref> Chaye Adam 154:25, Sh”t Katav Sofer 135, Sh”t Shevet Sofer 26 s.v. Elah, Aruch HaShulchan 671:10, Mishna Brurah 671:5, Kaf HaChaim 671:10, Bet Halevi on Torah ([[Chanukah]] pg 29b), Mishpat Cohen 95, Sh”t Rivavot Efraim 4:181(11), Sh”t Mishnat Halachot 6:84, Moadim BeHalacha pg 166, Chazon Ovadiah (Mitzvat Hadlaka n. 7, pg 31), Torat HaMoadim [[Chanukah]] 1:8 all hold that 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).</ref>
#	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.<ref> Torat HaMoadim [[Chanukah]] 1:8 based on the sources in previous footnote. </ref>
==If One Lit the Wrong Number of Candles==
# Someone who accidentally lit two candles on the third night thinking that it was the second night should light the other candles without a bracha.<ref>Orchot Chaim [[Chanukah]] 10 </ref>
#	On the second night, a person who only had 1 candle and lit it later got another candle should light the that candle without a bracha. Similarly, a person who lit one only one candle by mistake should light the other candles without a bracha. However, if by the time one gets more candles or remembers the candle(s) 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 bracha.<ref> The Bet Yosef 672:2 quotes the Orchot Chaim (Chanuka v. 1 n. 10) who says one who lit two candles on the third night should light a third candle without a bracha since the original bracha included all candles later to be lit. The Levush 672 and Magen Avraham 676 agree. 
* Yet, the Magen Avraham 651:25 explains that the opinion of the Rambam is that if one lit the candles and only later on found more candles he should make another bracha. Eliyah Raba 672:7 agrees. Pri Megadim A”A 672:3 questions it. Machasit HaShekel 676 asks why one would have to recite a new bracha if one already fulfilled the mitzvah with the first candle. However, Birkei Yosef 671:3 explains that the Rambam just meant that if one is going to light in another house and didn't have it in mind originally, one must recite another bracha. This is also suggested by the Rambam in Sh”t Pear Hadur 11. Maamer Mordechai 676:1, Olot [[Shabbat]] 676:1, and Sh”t Pri HaAretz 3:2 agree with this explanation. Shaarei Teshuva 671:2, Sadeh HaAretz 3:42, Torat HaMoadim [[Chanukah]] 1:10, and Chazon Ovadiah (Mitzvat Hadlaka footnote 7, pg 30) concur. 
* The above pertains to someone who lit one candle knowing the correct night but simply lit the wrong number of candles. Similarly, if one lit the wrong number of candles because one thought that it was another night, the Pri [[Chadash]] says one adds a candle without a bracha. Chaye Adam 154:29, Sh”t Yehuda Yaleh Assad O”C 205, Sh”t Nachlat Binyamin 133 s.v. Hen Emet, Katav Sofer O”C 135(3), Kol Sinai (Kislev 5725), Kaf Hachaim 672:20, and Torat HaMoadim [[Chanukah]] 1:10 agree. However, Erech HaShulchan 672:7 and Rabbi Akiva Eiger (Mehudra Tanina 13) write that one makes a bracha in such a case. See Sedei Chemed ([[Chanukah]] 18), Ben Ish Chai (Vayeshev 10), Sh”t Meishev Devarim O”C 153, Sh”t Rav Moshe Feinstein in Igrot Moshe O”C 190 pg 329a, and Sh”t Hitorerut Teshuva 1:103e. </ref>
==Giving to Someone Less Fortunate==
#	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 doesn't need to give up one's added candles in order for your friend to light extra candles.<ref> Magen Avraham 671:1 writes that it is better to fulfill one's basic obligation and also enable one's friend to do the basic mitzvah rather than just fulfill the mitzvah oneself in an enhanced fashion. Eliyah Raba 671:3 adds that if one's friend lives in a house that already has one set of candle and can fulfill his obligation with that lighting one shouldn’t give up from your enhanced mitzvah in order for your friend to enhance his mitzvah. Machsit HaShekel 671:1, Pri Megadim A”A 671:1, Chaye Adam 154:25, Mishna Brurah 671:6, and Kaf Hachaim 671:9 agree. 
* Chemed Moshe argues on the Magen Avraham that one doesn’t need to give up anything in order to enable someone else to fulfill the mitzvah. Similarly, Torat Hamoadim ([[Chanukah]] pg 30-31) and Sh”t Machneh Chaim Kama (O”C 29, Y”D 3:55 pg 41a) argue that the Magen Avraham didn’t mean it as an obligation but as a kind activity. However, Sh”t Mechtam Ledavid O”C 6 and Sh”t Lev Chaim (1:91 pg 126d) understand the Magen Avraham that it is an obligation. Chazon Ovadyah (Chelek 1 Vol 2 [[Siman 47]]) concludes that one must give the candles. Nonetheless, Torat HaMoadim (Chazon Ovadiah’s son) argues that Chazon Ovadiah just meant it is preferable as a chesed. </ref>
==Chanuka in Conflict with Other Mitzvot==
#	Someone who doesn’t have money for both [[Shabbat]] candles (the minimum is one candle) and [[Chanukah]] candles (the minimum is one candle) should buy [[Shabbat]] Candles. Some say that nowadays one can fulfill [[Shabbat]] candles with electric lights and so one who has electric lights should buy Canuka candles.<ref> [[Shabbat]] 23b Rava says that [[Shabbat]] candles which are for Shalom bayit take precedence over [[Chanukah]] candles, but [[Chanukah]] candles which are for Pirsumei nisa (publicizing the miracle) take precedence over [[kiddish]]. Rambam ([[Chanukah]] 4:14), Tur and S”A 678 agree. Or Zaruh 2:326 implies this is only someone who only has one candle but someone with two would light one for [[Shabbos]] and one for [[Chanukah]]. Magen Avraham 678:1, Eliyah Raba 678:1, and Mishna Brurah 678:1 agree. </ref>
# Someone who doesn’t have money for both [[Chanukah]] candles and wine for [[kiddish]] should buy [[Chanukah]] candles and make [[kiddish]] on bread.<ref> Shulchan Aruch 678:1 writes that if a person doesn't have enough for Chanukah candles and Kiddush, he should light the Chanuka candles since they fulfill Pirsumei Nisa, publicizing the miracle of Chanuka. Mishna Brurah 678:6 explains that biblically one can fulfill Kiddush with speech without wine. </ref>
# Someone who doesn’t have money for both [[Chanukah]] candles and wine for [[Havdalah]] should buy [[Chanukah]] candles and make [[Havdalah]] in [[Shmoneh Esrei]].<ref> Tur 296 and Rama 296:5 hold the [[Chanukah]] candles take precedence over [[Havdalah]]. </ref>

==Links==
* [http://www.hebrewbooks.org/56810 Yalkut Yosef Hilchot Chanukah (Hebrew 5773)]
==Sources==
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[[Category:Chanukah]]
[[Category:Holidays]]