Question: Must soldiers in enemy territory, such as in Gaza, light Chanukah candles?
Answer: As we have discussed previously, according to the Sephardic custom, once the head of the household lights Chanukah candles in his home, all members of that household, even children learning in Yeshiva and the like, fulfill their obligation and they need not light Chanukah candles in their current location.
Soldiers in the Army
Thus, Sephardic soldiers serving in the army may rely on their fathers’ (or wives’) lighting at home and they need not do anything more. Ashkenazi soldiers who have their own room on base should light in their rooms with a blessing, similar to the law of a guest.
Soldiers Serving in Distant Bases or in Enemy Cities
What we have written above applies to those soldiers serving on bases in inhabited cities, such as Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Be’er Sheva, and the like. However, soldiers serving in distant bases, especially those in enemy territory maintain different laws, as we shall explain.
A Non-Jewish Village
Maran Ha’Shulchan Aruch (Chapter 677, Section 3) writes that one who is in a non-Jewish village where there are no Chanukah candles lit at all must light Chanukah candles on one’s own with a blessing in spite of the fact that candles are being lit on one’s behalf at home, since it is a Mitzvah to see the Chanukah candles lit.
For instance, if one is in a far away country where there are no Jews at all, although one’s father/wife are lighting candles on one’s behalf at home, one must light Chanukah candles in one’s current location. This is a unique rabbinic enactment so that one may publicize the Chanukah miracle in a place where no one else will.
Thus, even Sephardic soldiers on the front lines who do not see Chanukah candles lit at all must light Chanukah candles with a blessing in their room.
Should they Recite a Blessing?
Hagaon Mishnah Berura writes that one should not recite a blessing upon such candle lighting according to Maran Ha’Shulchan Aruch, for this ruling contradicts another explicit ruling where Maran writes that one may not recite a blessing when Chanukah candles are being lit on one’s behalf at home.
On the other hand, Hagaon Rabbeinu Chaim Palagi, in his Sefer Mo’ed Le’Kol Hai (Chapter 27, Section 49) rules in accordance with Maran Ha’Shulchan Aruch that one should indeed light with a blessing in this scenario. Maran Rabbeinu Ovadia Yosef zt”l concurs and explains that this does not contradict the ruling of Maran that one should not recite a blessing when candles are being lit on one’s behalf at home, for here, we are discussing a case where there are no other Chanukah candles in this location, and this therefore creates a new obligation to light Chanukah candles, and this requires a blessing.
Soldiers Serving in Open Spaces
The Acharonim disagree regarding whether soldiers serving in open spaces (such as ditches, with no tents or bases to sleep in) during the nights of Chanukah must light Chanukah candles or not. On the one hand, they should have an obligation to light since they are in a place completely devoid of other Jews and Chanukah candles. On the other hand, the primary obligation of lighting Chanukah candles rests on “an individual and his house,” however, it is not clear that one who does not have a house is obligated to light Chanukah candles.
Hagaon Harav Shalom Messas zt”l writes (in his Responsa Shemesh U’Magen, Volume 3, Chapter 56) that even one who does not have a house may light Chanukah candles with a blessing. Nevertheless, Maran Rabbeinu Ovadia Yosef zt”l was concerned about the disagreement among the Poskim in this regard and rules that under these circumstances, Chanukah candles should be lit within a glass encasement in the field, however, a blessing with Hashem’s name should not be recited. (See Chazon Ovadia- Chanukah, page 152 and on)
When There are Other Chanukah Candles Being Lit
All of the above applies to soldiers stationed in a place where there are no other Chanukah candles being lit, as we have discussed. However, it seems (although not discussed explicitly in the works of Maran zt”l and other Poskim) that if there are other Ashkenazi soldiers in the battalion that will be lighting Chanukah candles in any event or if there is a soldier who does not have a house and no one is lighting on his behalf at home, in which case he is halachically obligated to light candles where he is, this is no longer considered a “village devoid of Chanukah candles” and the other Sephardic members of the battalion should not be lighting Chanukah candles there with a blessing. Only when they are in an area where there are no Chanukah candles being lit at all and they therefore do not see the Chanukah candles should at least one soldier light Chanukah candles with a blessing, as discussed above.
Summary: Soldiers who deployed but have someone at home lighting Chanukah candles on their behalf need not light Chanukah candles. However, a soldier stationed in a place where there are no other Jews or Chanukah candles being lit must light Chanukah candles there. If the soldier has a roofed area to sleep in, he should light there with a blessing and if he is sleeping in an open area, he should light without a blessing.
May Hashem grant success and victory to our dear soldiers, may our enemies crumble before them, and may our soldiers return home safely, Amen!
