From the Rav’s Desk: Where should a guest light on Motzei Shabbos?

1. Question: [Sunday, 1^st Teves, 5783]

We were away for Shabbos and will be returning home right after Shabbos. Where should we light the candles, when we arrive home, or by our current location before we leave?

Answer:

If you will not arrive back home late, then you should delay lighting the candles until you return home. If, however, you will be returning home late at night, then you should specifically light by your current location.

Explanation: The rule is that every person must return home to light candles and cannot fulfill his obligation of lighting candles when eating by a host, unless he is also sleeping there by the host. This then raises the question as what one is to do if he slept by the home the previous night and will be returning to his own home that night. Do we say that since he slept there the previous night and ate all of his meals there the next day and will not be returning home until after nighttime, therefore he may or even should light candles by the area of his house, as this area is the location of his home at the time of the lighting. On the other hand, perhaps since he plans on returning home for that night therefore his real home is considered his place of obligation, and it is no different than one who is eating out for a meal, of which we rule that he must return home to light candles. Practically, this matter is debated amongst today’s Rabbanim, and we concluded as above.

Sources: See Chovas Hadar 2 footnote 65; Piskeiy Teshuvos 677:4; Nitei Gavriel 11:3; Koveitz Darcheiy Horah; See Shevet Halevi 8:158