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GLOBAL RELIGIOUS LEADERS

Rabbi Hershel Schachter

Lighting the Candles at ‘Home’

he Magen Avraham (263:15) a temporary basis, the former would The primary purpose of hadlakat
cites a practice that women who constitute one’s ה ָ רי ִ ּ ד םֹוק ְ מ. haneirot for Shabbat is to illuminate
Twere going to use the mikvah the room in which the seuda will take
on Friday night would light candles Similarly, if one has two homes, but place (Rama 263:10). However, if this
in the adjoining shul. This practice is one home is more comfortable than is not possible, such as in the case of
no longer followed (Mishnah Berurah the other, the more comfortable home guests in a hotel who are unable to
263:21) because the hadlaka must be would be the one classified as ֹותי ֵּ ב. light in the dining room, we hold that
in one’s home, a location that meets the Therefore, the תִי ַּ ב of yeshiva students the hadlaka is acceptable even if done
halachic definition of ֹותי ֵּ ב. The Mishnah who would sleep in the yeshiva dor- in a different room than the one in
Berurah elaborates on this requirement mitory but would eat their meals in which the seuda will be eaten (Magen
based on the principles gleaned from the homes of community members, Avraham 263:21).
the Gemara in Eruvin (72b-73a), which where they felt relatively uncomfort- In this case, the hadlaka should be
discusses the definition of ֹותי ֵּ ב in ref- able, would be the dormitory in which done in the hotel room (using an
erence to the dinim of תֹור ֵ צ ֲ ח י ֵ בּור ֵ ע and they slept. incandescent bulb). It is not proper
ת ָּ ב ַ ׁש םּוח ְּ ת. The location labeled as ֹותי ֵּ ב to light in a public room set aside for
for the purposes of hadlakat neirot The machloket between Rav and hadlakat neirot, since that room does
Shabbat would also be relevant for the Shmuel refers to a case in which both not have the status of ֹותי ֵּ ב; it is not the
proper location in which to light neirot homes are equally permanent and א ָּ תי ִּ פ םֹוק ְ מ or the הָני ִ ל םֹוק ְ מ. [This prac-
Chanukah. equally comfortable. In that case, we tice is very problematic for another
follow the opinion of Rav that the
The Gemara discusses the location of א ָּ תי ִּ פ םֹוק ְ מ is the primary residence reason as well. Since there are many
one’s ה ָ רי ִ ּ ד םֹוק ְ מ (place of residence), and would be the proper location in candles being lit in such close proxim-
citing a machloket between Rav and which to light. ity to each other, it is unclear if there
Shmuel as to whether it is determined is any illumination gained from such a
by א ָּ תי ִּ פ םֹוק ְ מ (the place of eating) or A further criterion used to determine hadlaka.]
הָני ִ ל םֹוק ְ מ (the place of sleeping). The which residence should be labeled as If one lights in his home, but the can-
Gemara explains that, in fact, either ֹותי ֵּ ב would be which residence is more dles will not continue to burn until
the א ָּ תי ִּ פ םֹוק ְ מ or the הָני ִ ל םֹוק ְ מ could at private. If one residence is clearly the conclusion of the seuda he is
times be labeled as ֹותי ֵּ ב. If one of the more private than the other, the pri- partaking of at a different location,
locations is used beikviut (on a per- vate room would have the status of such that no benefit will be gained on
manent basis), and the other only on ֹותי ֵּ ב, even if it is the הָני ִ ל םֹוק ְ מ, not the Shabbat from the hadlaka, the mitz-
א ָּ תי ִּ פ םֹוק ְ מ (Mishnah Berurah 263:29). vah will not have been fulfilled (Shul-
Therefore, yeshiva students who share chan Aruch 263:9). In such a case, one
a dormitory room should light neirot should light in his home using electric
Chanukah in that relatively private bulbs or long-lasting candles, which
room, and not in the public dining will remain lit until he returns to his
room used by all the students (Igrot home.
Moshe, Yoreh De’ah, chelek 3, 14:5).
Adapted from Rav Schachter on the Moadim.
If one finds himself in a different city
than the other members of his family,
he must perform hadlakat neirot 1 See B’Ikvei HaTzon, pp. 117-123.
himself, even if his wife lights candles
in his family’s house (Orach Chaim
263:6). His wife’s hadlaka in a differ- Rabbi Hershel Schachter is Rosh
ent city does not constitute a hadlaka Yeshiva and Rosh Kollel at Rabbi Isaac
in ֹותי ֵּ ב, since he is not metzuraf (con- Elchanan Theological Seminary of Yeshiva
nected) to that house at this time. 1 University.

16 | Peace in the home is where world peace begins.
RABBI SACKS