Lighting in Shul: Difference between revisions

The practice is to light Chanuka candles in Shul between Mincha and Mariv with a bracha since it’s a very old Minhag so there’s Pirsume Nisa to those in Shul during Mariv. <Ref> S”A 671:7. Many Achronim ask on S”A how could S”A say that one can make a bracha for such a lighting which is only a Minhag [Because of this question the Pri Chadash says to light without a bracha]. Further the Ravyah quoted by the Bet Yosef 671 (the author of S”A) says that since it’s only a Minhag we (Ashkenazim) only make a bracha because it’s a Minhag and Ashkenazim make a bracha on Minhag. However Sephardim who don’t make Brachot on a Minhag, how can S”A rule to make a bracha in Shul? One answer (brought by Yalkut Yosef 671) is that it’s meant to fulfill the obligation (by saying Birchat HaRoah) of those who don’t have a house and can’t light. Secondly, Sh”t Rivash 111 says it’s done to fulfill the obligation publicly since nowadays we light inside and that this is a strong Minhag that’s done for the purpose of Pirsume Nisa and requires a bracha. [A third answer that we clearly don’t pasken like is that the Sherit Yosef who says that by Chanuka candles we go Safek Brachot LeHachmir.] Rashba ([[Shabbat]] 21a), Ritva ([[Shabbat]] 21a), Ran ([[Shabbat]] 21a), Orchot Chaim (Chanuka 15), and Bach 672 say that one can light earlier than the proper time to light (Tzet for Sephardim, Shekiah for some Ashkenazim) because if one delayed lighting in Shul until after Mariv people would leave and there wouldn’t be Pirsume Nisa. </ref>