Q & A: Air Travel and Missing Chanukah Candle-Lighting (Part II)

Question: I am contemplating traveling to Israel. My flight will take place during Chanukah, which means that I may miss one night’s candle-lighting. What are my options?

Yaakov J. Via E-mail

Synopsis: Last week we assured the reader as to the permissibility of traveling during Chanukah as well as of continuing to light even should one miss any night’s lighting.

Regarding the lighting of Chanukah candles, it is stated in a baraita in Perek Bameh Madlikin (Shabbos 21b), “Mitzvatah mi’shetishka hachama ad shetichleh regel min hashuk” – the time for its performance is from the time the sun sets (shekiah) until pedestrian traffic in the marketplace has ceased. Although it is considered preferable to light as soon as possible, i.e., immediately after sunset, the time frame delineated by the baraita is used to rule how late a person may kindle the Chanukah lights as well as the quantity of oil needed so that the lights will burn for the minimum required time.

Based on the specific language of that Talmudic passage, the Mordechai, citing R. Meir of Rothenburg, states that if one has missed lighting the Chanukah lights on one night, he does not light on subsequent nights. (This is also understood to be the position of the Rambam.) The Tur (Orach Chayyim 672) disagrees, and the Beit Yosef (R. Yosef Caro) in his commentary ad loc. discusses several halachic sources regarding this matter.

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The Beit Yosef cites Sefer haRoke’ach (authored by Eleazar b. Judah of Worms, early 13th century) who also understands the phrase “he does not light on the other nights” to refer to the loss of opportunity of lighting, on subsequent nights, the candles he should have lit on a preceding night. There is no compensation (tashlumin) for Chanukah candles one has missed lighting, as is the case when one is able to “make up” for a prayer one has missed by reciting two Shemoneh Esreis at the next opportunity (i.e., the next scheduled daily prayer – see Berachot 26a). The Beit Yosef also points out that this is how Shibbolei HaLeket (a halachic compendium by Zedekia b. Abraham Anav, 13^th century, Rome) understood the Maharam of Rothenburg’s statement.

He points out that the text of the Orchot Chayyim regarding someone who lit only two candles on the third night of Chanukah or only three candles on the fourth night refers to the procedure adopted in Lunel, France, where it was ruled according to a stringent interpretation of halacha that one has to “make up” for the night when he missed lighting Chanukah candles. He adds that they did not require that such a person recite extra blessings since the blessings recited before lighting the candles include all the candles he lights. (This answers the inferred question of whether one has to compensate for the missed blessings as well. It is still difficult to understand the exact circumstances referred to: If he lights an extra set of candles for those he missed previously while lighting the candles for the current night, it is obvious that no extra blessings are required. However, the quoted text seems to indicate that the person should proceed with two candle lightings, one for the night he missed and one for the current night.)

The Beit Yosef also quotes a responsum of the Rashba (R. Shlomo b. Adret, 13^th century, Spain), who writes that one who has missed lighting candles on any of the nights of Chanukah does not light anymore because it has already been delayed from its proper time (dachui – pushed aside). He explains the Rashba’s wording to mean that he cannot compensate for the night that he missed lighting, but he does light on the following nights (similar to the alternative reading of the Maharam of Rothenburg’s text).

Regarding the time one is permitted to start lighting the Chanukah candles, the Beit Yosef notes that the very specific text of the baraita, “mi’shetishka hachama” (Shabbat 21b), indicates that it is prohibited to light earlier than at sunset. But he cites the Ran (Nissim b. Reuben Gerondi, 14^th century, Spain, known as Rabbenu Nissim) to the effect that this is not the case. One may light earlier in the event of circumstances beyond one’s control – such as in your case, where you anticipate having to board a plane. However, that would not count as fulfilling the essence of the commandment (ikar mitzvatah).

The Ba’al Halachot Gedolot (a halachic code of the Geonic period), which the Beit Yosef quotes next, understands the Talmudic wording “mi’shetishka hachama” as being very definite, namely, not before sunset, and so does the Rambam (as can be seen from the way he quotes and explains the text). Thus, the baraita’s language sets the time frame of lighting Chanukah candles, and one may not light them either before or afterwards.

The Darchei Moshe – the commentary on the Tur by R. Moshe Isserles, the Rema – (ad loc.) notes that one who has missed lighting candles on one of the nights of Chanukah proceeds to light on subsequent nights the usual number of candles. He cites the Maharil (Morenu HaRav Yaakov HaLevi Moellin, 14^th-15^th century, Mainz) and the Agudah as his source; he disputes the Maharam of Rothenburg who suggests that if one has not lit on the first night of Chanukah, he should light one candle only on the second night – because for him it is the first night of lighting.

In the Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chayyim 672), the Mechaber also states (as he did in his explanation on the Rashba’s responsum) that one cannot compensate for a missed night of lighting Chanukah candles – “Ein lo tashlumin.” The Rema (ad loc.) remarks, “But he lights on subsequent nights,” adding (as in his Darchei Moshe commentary on the Tur) that he should not act differently than other people (i.e., he should light the same number of candles they light). The fact that the Rema finds it necessary to make this remark would suggest that the Mechaber does not agree that such an individual can light Chanukah candles on other nights – which is at odds with his commentary (Beit Yosef) on the Tur.

According to Ateret Zekeinim (ad loc.), we might explain the Rema’s understanding of the Mechaber’s “ein lo tashlumin” not as prohibiting lighting on subsequent nights, but as referring to compensation for having lit fewer than the required candles on a particular night. He may add such candle(s) the next night without reciting the blessings (as in Orchot Chayyim, quoted earlier).

The Gr”a (Gaon of Vilna) ad loc. explains that the mitzvah of lighting Chanukah candles should be compared to the precept of the sukkah. Thus, we may erect a sukkah even on Chol Hamo’ed if it was not possible to do so before the festival, because the mitzvah of eating and sitting in the sukkah applies each and every day of the holiday. Likewise, the miracle of the oil on Chanukah took place on each of the eight days, and therefore the lighting of candles is incumbent on every night of Chanukah. He adds that it is not similar to the counting of the Omer from Pesach to Shavuot, where omitting a single day causes a breach in the continuity of the count, since the Torah specifically states about the Omer (Vayikra 23:15), “Sheva Shabbatot temimot tihyena” – Seven complete weeks shall there be.

It is abundantly clear from all of the above that a person who misses lighting Chanukah candles on one night does continue to light candles on subsequent nights.

As for your situation, you will be either at the airport or in flight at the time when one lights candles, both being places where authorities do not permit lighting a flame. As such, you are considered an onnes, one prevented due to circumstances beyond his control. Hence the rule “onnes rachmana patrei” – one who is prevented due to circumstances beyond his control is relieved of his obligation – would apply.

After submitting your original question, you showed me small battery-powered bulbs that would be the equivalent of electric lights, which would be permissible to use in flight. That brings us to the following discussion.

Rabbi Chayyim Ozer Grodzinski (Responsa Achiezer, Orach Chayyim 6) discusses the prohibition of lighting and extinguishing electricity on the Sabbath. Quoting R. Yitzhak Shmelkes (Minhat Yitzhak, Yoreh De’ah, Responsum 120; Yoreh De’ah Vol. 2, Responsum 31), he refers to the liabilities incurred for kibui (extinguishing), which is not allowed on the Sabbath, and equates electricity with a flame. He would permit one to recite the proper blessing (over electric lights) for the mitzvah of lighting Sabbath candles, adding, “But regarding Chanukah, the mitzvah at its optimum fulfillment is to use olive oil.”

Rabbi Grodzinski thus leaves us with the possibility of kindling nerot Chanukah with electric lights. However, we assume from his discussion that this would be without the recitation of a proper blessing.

Rabbi Meir Blumenfeld of Newark, NJ, rules (Perach Shoshana, Responsa 54) that while he would not generally allow the use of electricity to fulfill the mitzvah of Sabbath lights or Chanukah lights, we may be lenient and fulfill the lighting with electricity in a situation where open flames are prohibited, such as a hospital. In such a case, however, a blessing would not be recited.

Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, in his responsa Yechaveh Da’at (38), also discusses this matter at length and opts to invalidate electric lights for the purpose of ner Chanukah as he emphasizes that the Chanukah lights must possess both the oil and the wick characteristics. He does, however, note one authority, Rabbi Mordechai Fogelman (Beit Mordechai 40), who would permit someone who passes near a synagogue displaying an electric menorah on its roof to recite the blessing of “She’asah Nissim” (but not “Le’hadlik Ner,” since he has not kindled any light) – provided the menorah is located less than 20 amot above the ground and he does not also light at home. Rabbi Ovadia Yosef disagrees and does not allow the recitation of “She’asah nissim” in such a case, commenting that doing so would be considered a berachah levatalah, uttering G-d’s Name in vain.

In his summation, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef states that one does not fulfill the mitzvah of lighting Chanukah candles with an electric menorah, but agrees that if one has no other menorah, he should light it without a blessing. If he comes upon a kosher menorah later on, he should kindle the lights on it with the recitation of the blessings.

In answer to our original question, we see from the various opinions that if one has no other choice, an electric menorah may be lit but the usual blessing should not be recited. As to omitting the blessing, it should be noted that the blessing itself does not constitute the mitzvah, nor does the lack of a blessing detract from its performance, as the Gemara teaches us (see Berachot 15a and Rashi ad loc. s.v. Lo yitrom and Beracha deRabbanan he).

I think that your own solution is ingenious. You should use the battery-powered lightbulbs that you showed me. Where no other possibility exists, such as on an aircraft, by all means use them to publicize the great miracle of Chanukah. Hopefully, through such actions, the miracle of our redemption will be that much closer.