Question:
I am unlikely to be able to return home from work each day to light “bzman”.
At home are my wife and three children, including one bar mitzvah.
We light inside at our apartment window, and are ashkenazim.
What should we do? I assume that my bar mitzvah son should light bzman, but should i then light my own when i get back an hour or two later, or should i just appoint him as a shaliach and not light my own at all?
Another question – when lighting at a window one should arrange the candles so as to look the right way around from outside, i assume? (But if at a time so late that nobody outside is likely to see it, so the pirsumei nissa would be to the bnei habayit, to arrange the other way?)
Answer:
You should not appoint him as a shaliach, and you should light when you get home. The reason is that if your wife or anyone else is going to light instead of you it will affect the ambiance at home and that can affect the shalom bayis.
Regarding your second question, if you are lighting so late thate there aren’t people outside to see it, then you are correct and arrange the menorah the other way.
Best wishes and have a Happy Chanukah
Sources:
Halichos Shlomo 16-2. R’ Y. Cahen shlit”a
