Chanukah Candles on Erev Shabbos

Q. If one lives alone, and after lighting Shabbos candles they realize they forgot to light Chanukah candles, is there anything they can do?

A. The Mishnah Berurah (679:1) writes that in this situation there is a difference between a man and woman. It is assumed that a man does not accept Shabbos upon himself when he lights Shabbos candles. So long as there is still time before shkias hachama (sunset), he may light Chanukah candles and recite the berachos. However, women customarily accept Shabbos when they light candles, unless they specifically make a condition to the contrary. As such, a women can not light Chanukah candles after lighting Shabbos candles. Can anything be done? If she can find a Jewish neighbor who has not yet accepted Shabbos, she may ask them to light Chanukah candles for her in her house. The neighbor should recite the first beracha (L’hadlik Ner) and she then recites the beracha of She’asa Nisim. If she can only find a non-Jew, it would not help. A non-Jew cannot light Chanukah candles on behalf of a Jew (see Rambam Hilchos Chanukah 4:9).

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.