Placement of the Chanukah Candles: Difference between revisions

## Many poskim hold that the stairwell from one apartment downstairs to the lobby is considered a courtyard and so one should light by the entrance to the apartment building.<ref>Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Halichot Shlomo 14:4) holds that if one lives in an apartment building, he should light by the entrance to the apartment building, as it leads out to the street. Since the stairwell and entrance is used for entering and exiting, it is recognizable that the candles lit at the entrance of the building were lit by one of the tenants. Therefore, he considers the staircase that goes from one’s apartment to the building entrance as a courtyard, and one should light at the entrance of the courtyard in accordance with the opinion of Tosfot.</ref>

## Many poskim disagree and do not consider the stairwell to be a courtyard and so one should light by the entrance of one’s apartment if it can be seen by those who pass by. Alternatively, one should light by the window facing the public domain unless the window is above 20 [[amot]] from the street level.<Ref>Regarding Eruvin, the Chazon Ish (OC 65:52) posits that nowadays, there is no such thing as a halachic courtyard because we don’t treat courtyards or streets as extensions of the house as they did in the days of Chazal. Therefore, the Chazon Ish (quoted in Shevut Yitzchak [[Chanukah]] p. 6) rules that one may not light [[Chanukah]] candles by the entrance to a courtyard because it is not considered a halachic courtyard. Rav Nissim Karelitz (Chut HaShani [[Chanukah]] pg 306-7) adds that according to the Chazon Ish, one who lives in an apartment should light at one’s doorway unless people won't see it, in which case one should light in the window facing the public domain. Similarly, Torat HaMoadim (Rav David Yosef, 3:2, pg 74-6) writes that according to the Chazon Ish, one should light by the window facing the public domain if it's within 20 [[amot]] of street level, otherwise one should light by the door of one's apartment.</ref>

# One must light in the place where the Chanukia is going to stay. Thus, one shouldn’t light indoors and then move the Chanukia outside or light it in one’s hand and then put it down. If one did so, one should extinguish the candles and relight without a bracha. <ref>Rava's opinion on [[Shabbat]] 22b is that one must light the [[Chanukah]] candles where the candles are going stay. Rambam ([[Chanukah]] 4:9), Tur and S”A (675:1) codify this as the halacha. Pri Chadash says one shouldn’t make a bracha if one needs to light again, against Hagahot Rabbi Akiva Eiger 675 who says to make a bracha. Torat HaMoadim 3:9 and Sh”t Hitorerut Teshuva 2:110 hold that because of Safek [[Brachot]] one shouldn’t make a bracha (in addition to the idea that perhaps one fulfills the mitzvah not it’s place if it’s recognizable that it’s lit for [[Chanukah]], Sh”t Lev Chaim 3:146). [Regarding reciting a bracha in cases where there is a double safek see Yechave Daat 5:21.] </ref>Consequently, a sick person should not light while in bed and then have the Chanukia moved but rather should let another household member light. <ref> Torat HaMoadim 3:9 quotes the ruling of a sick person from Sh”t Lev Chaim 3:146</ref>

==Lighting Indoors or Outdoors==

* [Sh”t Devar Yehoshua 1:40 says nowadays one can only light indoors, and it doesn’t fulfill the mitzvah to light outside. However Chacham Ovadia Yosef (Chazon Ovadia pg. 36-38 and Yalkut Yosef Moadim pg. 231-2) strongly disagrees. He writes that both the Rambam (Chanuka 4:7) and the Shulchan Aruch 671:5 wrote the halacha that you should light outside but when it's dangerous you can light inside. This implies that if possible, one should light outside. Thus he concludes, that it’s better to light outside, although one is allowed to light inside.] [http://www.dailyhalacha.com/m/halacha.aspx?id=1555 Rabbi Eli Mansour], Rav Elyashiv (Kovetz Teshuvot 1:67), Shu"t Divrei Menachem 4:36, Shu"t Yaskil Avdi OC 7:46,  all argue that ideally you should light outside when it's not dangerous.</ref>

# If there are many people in a building lighting outside so that there's not enough room for everyone to light within a tefach of the door, some poskim write that as long as one chanukia is within a tefach the others that are adjacent are acceptable. However, some poskim hold that the chanukia needs to be within a tefach and if that isn't possible several people should join together in lighting one chanukia.<ref>Piskei Shemuot (Chanuka p. 63 quotes Rav Shlomo Zalman (Madenei Shlomo p. 110) as saying that since it is evident that one is only not lighting within a tefach because there is already a chanukia there,  it is acceptable to light further away. However, he also quotes Rav Elyashiv (Shvut Yitzchak v. 8 p. 112) as saying that one may not light beyond a tefach of the door even in such a case. Rather some people should join together for a single chanukia.</ref>

===Lighting in Yeshiva===

# Some say that one fulfills his obligation with lighting in the lobby of the dorms. Some also have the minhag to light in the cafeteria of the yeshiva.<ref> Chazon Ish cited in Teshuvot Vihanhagot 2:342:11 and Rav Aharon Kotler cited in Halachos of [[Chanukah]] by Rav Shimon Eider pg. 37 </ref> Others, however, argue that one would fulfill his obligation only if he lights on the same floor as his room. Due to safety considerations, though, many Yeshivot, forbid lighting in or next to the dorm rooms.<Ref>The Gemara ([[Shabbat]] 21b) establishes that the primary place for [[Chanukah]] candles is right outside the door of one’s house. Rashi (s.v. Mibachutz) explains that even if one has a courtyard in front of his house, he still is obligated to light by the entrance of one’s house. Tosfot (s.v. Mitzvah), on the other hand, argue that in such a case, one should light at the entrance to the courtyard, as it connects to the public thoroughfare. Although the Ran (9b s.v. Tanu) agrees with Rashi, the Tur and S”A 671:5 cite the view of Tosfot.  

# If one lives in an apartment building and one is lighting outside then one should light by the entrance to the apartment building unless there is a path leading to the public domain in which case one should light by the beginning of the path near the public domain. <ref> Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Halichot Shlomo 14:4, Maadei Shlomo pg 110) ruled that a stairwell is considered a courtyard, therefore, if one lives in an apartment building and one is lighting outside, one should light by the entrance to the apartment building unless there is a path leading to the public domain in which case one should light by the beginning of the path near the public domain. [Rav Elyashiv (Shevut Yitzchak vol 5 pg 7) and the Brisker Rav (Piskei Shemuot (pg 41, note 21), Kol Bo [[Chanukah]] (pg 98)) agree that even nowadays the stairwell and path is considered a courtyard.] </ref> However, some argue that one may not light at the entrance of the apartment building. Some say that instead one should light by the entrance of the apartment (if people will see it) and some say that instead one should light by the window (if it is below 20 [[amot]]). <Ref>The Chazon Ish (Orchot Rabbenu vol 3, pg 3) held that nowadays one may not light by the entrance to a courtyard. (This is similar to the Chazon Ish OC Eiruvin 65:52).  

* Rav Nissim Karlitz (Chut Sheni [[Chanukah]] pg 306-7) explains the position of the Chazon Ish as follows: nowadays one may not light in a courtyard since the courtyards aren’t used as part of the house as they were in the times of the Gemara. Rather one should light at one’s door unless people won't see it in which case one should light in the window facing the public domain. Yet, if the window is above 20 [[amot]]  from the street it’s preferable to light at the entrance of one’s door towards the stairwell which is used by a few tenants instead of lighting one’s table.  

===Windy place===

# [[Lighting Chanukah Candles]]

==Sources==

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