(Hakhel)
We provide the following p’sakim of HaRav Shmuel Kamenetsky, Shlita, as excerpted from the Sefer Koveitz Halachos by Rabbi Doniel Kleinman, Shlita. As with all Halacha, one should ask his own Rav or Posek for a definitive ruling in his particular case or situation:
1. Although one may not use a combination of oil and candles for his Neiros, one may use different oils on any given night, because they are considered similar enough to each other.
2. One need not use the candle that was used as the candle to light the Neiros Chanukah as his Shamash.
3. Even if the glass cups which are inserted into a Menorah cannot stand on their own because of the narrow piece of glass that fits snugly into the Menorah, one can consider the cup to still be a Kli–for it is specifically manufactured to be used in this way.
4. One need not clean out his glass cup from oil residue of the previous night, for the residue is considered “shiurei mitzvah”, and is not ma’us. Similarly, yesterday’s used wicks may light better than new wicks, and accordingly, one may lechatchila use the previous night’s wicks to light with.
5. There is no Hiddur Mitzvah in oil burning for longer than one-half hour after lighting. However, there is still a Ma’alah in putting in more oil as long as people are still passing by–for there is greater Pirsumei Nissa. Pirsumei Nissa does not apply to Akum viewing the Neiros, but it does apply to non-Shomrei Torah U’Mitzvos who can view the Neiros out of your window. In actuality, there is no difference between lighting in the dining room or bedroom–one should light where there is the greatest Pirsumei Nissa.
6. The Halacha that the Neiros Chanukah be lechatchila lit more than three and less than ten tefachim above the ground applies if one places his Menorah at the doorway. However, if one places his Menorah on the window sill, then the flame of the Ner is recognizable even above ten tefachim, and the neiros may be lit there lechatchila, even if the flames of the Neiros will be above ten tefachim from the floor.
7. One should wait for his wife to light if she is not home at the initial candle lighting time.
8. It is better for the Ba’al HaBayis to designate someone else to light on time as his Shaliach, rather than push off the lighting until later so that the Ba’al HaBayis will be able to light by himself. This is true even if the Ba’al HaBayis is always at work at this time on weekdays, and will have a Shaliach lighting for him every week night!
9. It is better to light with wax candles at the earliest time to light, than to light with oil even a little bit later.
10. If the Shamash goes out within a half hour of lighting, and no other electric lights are on, one should relight the Shamash.
11. If the Brachos on Hadlakas Neiros are recited out of order, one is still Yotzei. However, if after the Brachos one said something unrelated to the lighting–even HaNeiros Halallu which should be recited later, then he must recite the Brachos again. Similarly, if one mistakenly recited Shehechiyanu on the second night after reciting the first two Brachos, he must recite the first two Brachos again.
12. If somebody is traveling in a car from the time of Hadlakas Neiros until the morning, and no one is lighting in his home, he should stop off at the side of the road, and light Neiros Chanukah in the car with a Bracha. Even if they are lighting at home, but because of his traveling he will not otherwise see Neiros Chanukah that night, he should light in the car, having in mind not to be Yotzei with the lighting in the home so that he can make a Bracha on his lighting. Similarly, if a guest wants to light on his own, he should not do so with a Bracha if Neiros are otherwise being lit in his home, unless he has specific intent not to be Yotzei with the lighting back in his home.
13. One may extinguish the Neiros after they have stayed lit for the shiur of a half-hour, and one may even benefit from them after the half-hour period. The Minhag, however, is not to use the Neiros for one’s personal benefit even after the half-hour period has passed. If one needs to do so, he should first extinguish the Neiros and then relight them.
14. A son or son in-law at his parents or in law’s home for Shabbos Chanukah should light at their home on Motzei Shabbos even if he intends to return to his own home that night, and he does not even have to eat Melave Malka in their home.
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