Parshas Mikeitz (Chanukah) 5786
- Torah Tavlin
- Dec 19, 2025
- 2 min read
Monetary, Interpersonal Laws and Din Torah (58)
Motzei Shabbos Chanukah. This Motzei Shabbos, many travelers who are guests for Shabbos are beset with the question of where is the ideal place to light Chanukah licht [if they will be returning that night]. One logic would be to say that since they have been “living” the whole Shabbos in that place, it is called their home for lighting until they leave. That way they can light before they leave. If that is true, then they should take that option and gain lighting the menorah at the ideal time (beginning of the night). One might argue that if they are leaving immediately after Shabbos, it shows it is not really their house and they should light when they reach their destination, even though it is not the ideal time for lighting. Another way [which would solve the objection to lighting immediately] would be to eat Melave Malka after the lighting and make it more their house for the night. R’ S. Z. Auerbach (1) holds that one can light before he leaves, and he should stay there for half an hour which is the minimum time for the neiros to stay lit. R’ Yaakov Kaminetsky (2) says to stay for an hour and preferably eat Melave Malka before leaving. However, R’ Moshe Sternbuch (3) writes that if one can get home within half-an-hour from the time people are lighting, he should hurry home and light there. If he cannot get home that early, he should light at the house he was in over Shabbos. Another opinion based on the Pri Chodosh (4) is that the correct place to light is at home which is one’s main house for the night. As far as I know, many people do the first way and light before leaving, waiting a bit as we mentioned earlier.
Eis Ratzon. This Shabbos, we take out three Sifrei Torah for the Shabbos, Rosh Chodesh and Chanukah readings. It is brought down in seforim (5) that when we open the Aron Kodesh to take out the three seforim, it is a tremendous eis ratzon for prayers being accepted. Since it is an opportune time that is not available after Shabbos [for another 14 years], many rule that one can even ask such requests that are normally not asked on Shabbos.
(1) מעדני שלמה עמ' קי"ג (2) אמת ליעקב תרעז:תקצ (3) תשובות והנהגות א:שצא (4) פרי חדש תרע"ז (5) אני שמעתי בשם הפני מנחם, אדמו"ר מגור זי"ע