For how long are the candles to remain lit?[1]

One is to place enough oil for the candle to remain lit until people are no longer found by the marketplace, which is approximately a half hour after nightfall.[2] [The Chabad custom is to light the candles between Mincha and Maariv and place enough oil for the candles to remain lit for at least fifty minutes.[3] This is done in order that the candles burn for at least a half hour past nightfall.[4]] When lighting the candles after nightfall, even past a half hour into the night, the candles are to remain lit for at least 30 minutes.[5] There is no Mitzvah involved in placing more oil than necessary, for it to remain lit for more than a half hour past nightfall, as there is no Hiddur involved for it to be lit more than this amount of time.[6] [Thus, even according to Chabad custom, there is no need for the candles to be lit for 50 minutes when lighting after nightfall, and this is only done when lighting after sunset.]

Adding enough oil before the candle is lit:[7] There is an opinion[8] who states that since it is the lighting that performs the Mitzvah, therefore, one is required to place enough oil in the candle, to last a half hour after nightfall, prior to the lighting. If, however, one did not place enough oil upon lighting, and then added more oil, he does not fulfill his obligation. [Rather one is required to extinguish the candle, add more oil and then relight it, as explained in the Q&A!]

Wax candles:[9] When lighting with wax candles, although the candles only need to remain lit for a half hour past nightfall, nevertheless, there is a Hiddur Mitzvah to use long candles.[10] However, the candles are not to be too long.[11]

What should one do if a candle extinguished?[12] If the candles extinguished prior to remaining lit for the required time, [i.e. prior to a half hour after nightfall], one nevertheless fulfills his obligation and is not required to relight the candles.[13] [This applies even if it extinguished right after the lighting.[14]] Accordingly, if after lighting the candles, he accidently extinguished the flame upon trying to fix it; nevertheless he is not required to relight it.[15] [This, however, only applies if enough oil was placed for it to last a half hour, and the candle was not placed in a windy area.[16]] One who desires to be stringent upon himself and relight the candles, is to do so without a blessing.[17] [Practically, one is to be stringent to always relight candles that extinguished before their time[18] and so is the Chabad custom.[19]]

On Erev Shabbos: On Erev Shabbos, one is to place enough oil in the candles for them to remain lit for at least 30 minutes after nightfall.[20] If the Chanukah candles that were lit Erev Shabbos extinguished before Shabbos had begun, some Poskim[21] rule one is nevertheless not required to relight the candles. However, other Poskim[22] rule that in such a case one must relight the candle without a blessing. Practically, one should always relight candles that extinguished before their time, especially on Erev Shabbos. If one has already accepted Shabbos, he is to ask another person to relight the candles.[23]

May one extinguish the flames once they have been lit for a half hour?[24] Once the flames have been lit for their minimum time, which is a half hour past nightfall, they may be extinguished.[25] Initially, it is proper to stipulate that only a half hour’s worth of the oil is designated for the Mitzvah, if one intends to extinguish it after this time.[26] [According to all, the Shamash may be extinguished after this time, even without stipulation.[27]]

 

Summary:

One is to place enough oil [or use a long enough candle] to last thirty minutes after nightfall. The Chabad custom is to light between sunset and nightfall and place enough oil to last 50 minutes. After this amount of time passes, it is permitted to extinguish the flames, although some are particular not to do so until the general public goes to sleep.

 

Q&A

If the flame did not catch onto the wick and extinguished as a result, must it be relit?[28]

Yes.

 

What is the law if the candles extinguished due to the wind, after it was lit?

If the candles were lit in an area where there is wind, and the wind extinguished the candle prior to it remaining lit for a half hour, then one must relight the candles.[29] The candles are to be relit without a blessing.[30]

 

What is the law if one purposely extinguished the candle after a half hour?[31]

If the candles were purposely extinguished prior to it remaining lit for a half hour, then one must relight the candles without a blessing.

 

What is one to do if he did not place thirty minutes worth of oil in the candle?  

If one did not place enough oil upon lighting and then added more oil, one does not fulfill his obligation.[32] Rather, one is required to extinguish the candle, add more oil, and then relight it without a blessing.[33] Others[34] however rule one is to relight it with a blessing. Practically, a blessing is not to be recited. According to all, if even one of the Chanukah candles contains the proper amount of oil, no blessing is said when relighting other candles after adding oil.

 

What is the law if one lit the wicks and then realized that the candle does not contain any oil, is the blessing to be repeated?

Some Poskim[35] rule that if the bottle of oil was in front of him at the time of the blessing [and he did not make an interval between the lighting and the discovery of the lack of oil] then he may add the oil, and does not need to repeat the blessing. If, however, the oil was not sitting in front of him at the time of the blessing [or if he made an interval by the time he realized that it lacked oil] he must relight with a blessing, if there was not even one candle that had oil.

 

How long is the Shamash to last for?[36]

The Shamash is to last for at least 30 minutes after nightfall.

 

If one does not have enough oil to last a half hour, is he nevertheless to light the candles?

If one does not have enough oil to last for a half hour after nightfall, he is to light the candles without a blessing.[37] If one has enough oil to last a half hour for only one candle, then he is to light one candle with a blessing, irrelevant of the number night of Chanukah.[38]

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[1] 672:1-2

[2] If one lit the candles by the proper time, he is to place, prior to lighting, enough oil to last a half hour after nightfall, which the time that people from the marketplace are still outside. [Michaber 672:1-2] This applies even today, when lighting inside the house. [M”A 672:3] If he is lighting after nightfall but within a half hour from nightfall, then he only needs to place enough oil to last until a half hour passes after nightfall. [Michaber 672:2] However, today, that we light inside and the main publication is to one’s household, one needs to place enough oil to last a half hour regardless of the time that he lights. [Peri Chadash; P”M 672 A”A 3; M”B 671:5; Kaf Hachaim 672:15]

Other Opinions: Some Poskim rule that those who light inside their home, must place enough oil to last until the people at home go to sleep. [Mishmeres Shalom 48:1; Piskeiy Teshuvos 672:4] The Rambam [4:5] writes one is to place enough oil to last a half hour or more.

Shaos Zmaniyos: Some write that the half hour time period refers to fluctuating hours of Shaaos Zmaniyos. [Chidushei Maharitza p. 4b, brought in Piskeiy Teshuvos 672 footnote 23]

[3] Sefer Haminhagim p. 159 [English]; The custom dates to the Rebbe Rashab, and most likely he received it Rebbe from Rebbe of previous generations. [Igros Kodesh 10:153; Shulchan Menachem 3:266]

[4] Igros Kodesh 10:153; Shulchan Menachem 3:266; Shaareiy Halacha Uminhag 2:220

[5] Peri Chadash; P”M 672 A”A 3; M”B 671:5; Kaf Hachaim 672:15

How long must the candles remain lit for when lit within a half hour after nightfall: From the letter of the law, it must only remain until a half hour after nightfall, even if the candle itself will not be lit for a half hour, due to it being lit sometime after nightfall. [M”A 672:2-3; M”B 671:5 in name of Peri Chadash] Nevertheless, this only applied in the times of the Gemara. However, today, since we light inside and the publication of the lighting is mainly directed towards ones family and not towards the public, therefore, the candle is always to be lit for a half hour, irrelevant of when it was lit. [Peri Chadash; P”M 672 A”A 2; M”B 671:5; Kaf Hachaim 672:15]

Other opinions: Some Poskim rule that today, when lighting after the proper time, it is not necessary for the candles to last a half hour, or until a half hour passes from nightfall. [Poskim brought in M”A 672:2; Kaf Hachaim ibid]

[6] M”A 672:3; M”B 672:6

Other opinions: Some Poskim rule there is a Hiddur Mitzvah in having the candles light longer than their minimum required time of a half hour. [Elya Raba 672:6, brought in Kaf Hachaim 672:18] Other Poskim write it is a Hiddur to place a lot of oil, as through doing so the flame is of greater quality. [Maharam Shick on Taryag Mitzvos Mitzvah 98] Others write that it is a Mitzvah Min Hamuvchar to place enough oil to last throughout the night. [Sheilas Yaavetz 4] Other Poskim rule that those who light inside their home, must place enough oil to last until the people at home go to sleep. [See Mishmeres Shalom 48:1; Piskeiy Teshuvos 672:4] The Rambam [4:5] writes one is to place enough oil to last a half hour or more. Other Poskim rule that those who light outside their home are to place enough oil to last until people are no longer found outside, which is approximately 9:00, and one may not extinguish or make use of the candles until that time. [Teshuvos Vehanhagos 1:390; Moadim Uzmanim 2:141; 6:86; Piskeiy Teshuvos 672:5] Practically, this novelty is not recorded in the classical Poskim.

[7] Michaber 675:2; Kitzur SHU”A 139:13

[8] Rosh; There are no Poskim who argue on this ruling [Kaf Hachaim 675:14]

[9] M”A 672:3; Chayeh Adam 154:21; M”B 672:6

[10] The reason: As long candles look more beautiful, as opposed to one who adds more oil, in which case there is no greater beauty added. [M”A ibid]

[11] M”B ibid

[12] Michaber 673:2; Shabbos 23b

[13] The reason: This is because it’s the act of lighting the candle which does the Mitzvah and not it being lit for half hour. [Michaber ibid; Shabbos 23b]

[14] Taz 673:8; Levush 673:1; M”B 673:25; Kaf Hachaim 673:52

If the candles were lit before sunset/nightfall: See next case regarding Erev Shabbos, that whenever the candles are lit before night, Some Poskim rule it must be relit, and hence it is only agreed to by all that one fulfills his obligation if the candles were lit at night.

[15] Michaber ibid; Ran in name of Rashba

[16] See Michaber 680:1

[17] Rama 673:2; Rashba 539 and Ran

[18] M”B 673:27; Poskim in Kaf Hachaim 673:56, 58

[19] Sefer Haminhagim p. 160 [English]

[20] Michaber 672:1; M”B 679:2

[21] Michaber 673:2; Terumos Hadeshen

[22] Taz 673:9; Rashal; P”M 673 A”A 9; M”B 672:26; Kaf Hachaim 673:57

[23] M”B 672:27; 679:1; Kaf Hachaim 673:57; See Admur 263:25

[24] Michaber 672:2; Rif and Rosh; Rashal 85

Other opinions: Some Poskim rule one is not to extinguish the candle even after the time has passed, being that all the oil was placed for the sake of the Mitzvah, and that so is the custom. [Bach and Tzeida Laderech, brought in M”A 672:4; 677:10; Peri Chadash 677; Shulchan Gavoa 672:9; Kaf Hachaim 672:21] Furthermore, some Poskim rule that those who light inside their home, must place enough oil to last until the people at home go to sleep, and one may not extinguish or make use of the candles until the time people go to sleep and the candles thus no longer serves as a publication. [Mishmeres Shalom 48:1; Piskeiy Teshuvos 672:4-5 footnote 24; see there footnote 16 and 23 for Melaktim who bring a similar opinion] Other Poskim rule that those who light outside their home are to place enough oil to last until people are no longer found outside, which is approximately 9:00, and one may not extinguish or make use of the candles until that time. [Teshuvos Vehanhagos 1:390; Moadim Uzmanim 2:141; 6:86; Piskeiy Teshuvos 672:5] Practically, this novelty is not recorded in the classical Poskim.

[25] The reason: As one only designates the amount of oil necessary to fulfill the Mitzvah, and hence the excess oil is not considered Holy. The candle may thus be extinguished and then relit for one’s personal use. [Beis Yosef 677; M”B 672:7]

[26] Mahariy brought in Beis Yosef 677; M”A 677:10; Elya Raba 672:2; Chayeh Adam; M”B 672:7; Kaf Hachaim 672:21

The reason: Some Poskim conclude that it is initially proper to stipulate that one does not have intent to designate the oil for more than the necessary amount of time, as there are Poskim [Mahariy brought in Beis Yosef] who rule that if did not make this stipulation, then the entire oil is designated for the Mitzvah and may hence not be extinguished. [Poskim ibid]

Other opinions: Some Poskim rule it is not necessary at all to make any stipulation when placing the oil, and it may be extinguished after a half hour in all cases. [Taz 672:1; first answer in Beis Yosef 677] The Elya Raba ibid negates this opinion of the Taz.

[27] Yosef Ometz 1076; Kinyan Torah 2:102; Shraga Hameir 3:16; Piskeiy Teshuvos 672:5

[28] M”B 673:25; Kaf Hachaim 673:55

[29] M”A 673:12; Taz end of 673; Elya Raba 673:14; Kneses Hagedola 673; Chayeh Adam 154:22; Ateres Zekeinim 680; Kaf Hachaim 673:54; M”B 673:25

[30] M”A 673:12; Taz end of 673; Elya Raba 673:14; Kneses Hagedola 673; Chayeh Adam 154:22; Kaf Hachaim 673:54; M”B 673:25

Other opinions: Some Poskim rule the candles are to be relit with a blessing. [Peri Chadash 672:2]

The reason a blessing is not recited: As we hold that the initial lighting does the Mitzvah, and it is not for certain that the wind will extinguish the candle at the time of the lighting. [Shaar Hatziyon 673:30 in name of Peri Megadim; See Taz ibid; Kneses Hagedola ibid]

[31] P”M 673 A”A 12; Kaf Hachaim 673:55

[32] Michaber 675:2 in name of Rosh “Yeish Mi Sheomer”; Kitzur SHU”A 139:13

[33] Chemdas Moshe 675:3; P”M 675 M”Z 3; Chayeh Adam 154:21; Ben Ish Chaiy Vayeishev 8; M”B 675:8; Maharam Shik 332; Kaf Hachaim 675:16

[34] Peri Chadash 675, brought in Kaf Hachaim 675:16

[35] Kaf Hachaim 676:11 in name of Ruach Chaim 676:1; Kerem Shlomo 676

[36] See Kinyan Torah 2:102

[37] P”M 672 A”A 6; Biur Halacha 672:2 “Kazeh Hashiur”; Kaf Hachaim 672:17

[38] Kaf Hachaim ibid