When to Light the Menorah Before and After Shabbat

When to Light the Menorah Before and After Shabbat Day: Wednesday Date: December 9, 2015 Parshat: Miketz Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 679/680 On Erev Shabbat the menorah should ideally be lit before the Shabbat candles. If the Shabbat candles were lit first, Sephardim may still light the menorah as long Shabbat hasn't yet started. Ashkenazi women, who consider the Shabbat candle lighting to be a form of accepting Shabbat, may not subsequently light the menorah. However, anyone in the Ashkenazi house who didn't light Shabbat candles may still light the menorah. The Hannuka candles on Erev Shabbat must remain lit until a half hour after tzet hakochavim just like on the other nights of Hannuka. One must make sure to put enough oil when lighting the menorah so the berachot are not said in vain. If one can easily find a minyan, it is best to pray Minha early on Friday afternoon and light the candles afterward. If there is no minyan it is better to light before Minha and to wait and pray later with a minyan.  After Shabbat, when one is saying havadala at home, he should first say havadala and then light the menorah. DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Please visit us online at sephardichalacha.org