Lighting Chanukah Candles on Friday Afternoon: Difference between revisions

==When to light==

# On Friday afternoon one must light [[Chanukah]] candles during the daytime before [[Shabbat]] begins.<Ref>The Rama 679 writes that one makes the bracha upon lighting [[chanuka]] candles during the daytime on Friday afternoon, even though one must light during the daytime. For a discussion of lighting before the nighttime during the weekday see the [[Earliest_and_Latest_time_to_light_Chanuka_Candles#Earliest_Time_to_Light|Earliest and Latest time to light Chanuka_Candles]] page. For a discussion of when [[Shabbat]] begins and one may no longer do any melacha, see the [[When does Shabbat begin?]] page. </ref> Nonetheless, one may not light earlier than Plag [[Mincha]].<reF>Mishna Brurah 679:2</ref>

# One should pray [[Mincha]] before lighting candles, but if one can’t find an early [[minyan]], some say it’s better to light candles and then daven [[Mincha]] with a [[minyan]].<ref> Yalkut Yosef (Moadim pg 213) explains that [[Chanukah]] candles are supposed to be lit after [[Mincha]] as in the Bet Hamikdash the Menorah was lit after the afternoon Tamid. Sh”t Yabia Omer 5:44 writes that if one can’t find an earlier [[minyan]] one should light before praying [[Mincha]]. See also Yacheve Daat 1:74, [http://www.halachayomit.co.il/EnglishDefault.asp Halacha Yomit],  Kitzur Sheni Luchot Habrit pg 93d, Sh”t Sur Yacov 136, and Eliyah Raba 679:1. However, Pri Megadim A”A 671:10 implies that it is better to pray individually earlier rather than light before [[Mincha]]. </ref>

# One needs to put in enough oil that the candle will burn for a half hour after [[Tzet HaKochavim]]. Thus, one shouldn’t light too early on Friday afternoon, rather one should light 15 minutes before Shkiah. If there’s not enough oil to last the half hour after Tzet there’s a possible bracha levatala.<ref> Maamer Mordechai 679:2, Chaye Adam 154:18, Mikrah Kodesh Belekutei Rima 16:7, Machsit HaShekel 679 and Chazon Ovadyah pg 71 say that if one doesn’t put enough oil to last a half hour past Tzet one doesn’t fulfill the mitzvah at all. However the Pri Megadim A”A 672 writes that it’s enough for it to burn a half hour and it doesn’t need to last until after Tzet. [However Pri Megadim A”A 679:2 writes according to Magen Avraham one needs it to burn a half hour past Tzet.] Also Chemed Moshe 679 writes that it’s enough if it burns until Tzet. Chazon Ovadyah concludes that one must be careful to have enough oil for a half hour past Tzet, but if one lit without that amount and then realizes this before [[Shabbat]] he should relight with the required amount without a bracha because of the opinions that allow that. </ref>