Does someone who lit in the synagogue also need to light at home?

Question: A person lit Hanukkah candles in the synagogue and said the blessing. Must he light again at home?

Answer:

Yes.

The Ben Ish Chai rules that lighting candles in the synagogue does not exempt a person from lighting candles at home.

Therefore he must also light at home and say the blessing.

What about the “Shehecheyanu” blessing?

The Ben Ish Chai discusses special cases:

- A guest who said “Shehecheyanu” while lighting in the synagogue does not repeat it at home, according to his ruling.

- If the first night fell on Friday evening, and the person lighting and the whole congregation had already said “Shehecheyanu” at home, it is not said again at the synagogue lighting, because of the doubt.

The message: the synagogue lighting is meant to publicize the miracle, but the mitzvah of lighting at home remains an obligation of its own.