Siman 675

Even though the mitzvah of the Chanukah candle cannot be fulfilled without placing the candle in its location, just as it cannot be fulfilled without lighting, and we hold that if one was holding the candle in his hand for the entire duration of the lighting, even in the place where it must be lit—he has not fulfilled his obligation (22b). And so we hold that one must light in the place of its placement, which is at the entrance of his house on the outside according to the law of the Gemara. But if he lit it inside and brought it outside—he has not fulfilled his obligation (ibid.). For from all this it would seemingly appear that the placement is also included in the mitzvah, and whoever is disqualified from lighting, such as a deaf-mute, an insane person, or a minor—is also disqualified from placing it in its location. Nevertheless, it is not so, and the halachah was decided in the Gemara there that the lighting performs the mitzvah, and not the placement. And if a deaf-mute, an insane person, or a minor placed it in its location, and an adult lit it—it is valid. And there are further practical differences regarding several matters, as will be explained (and if he held it in his hand for a short time—he has fulfilled his obligation).

And if you should ask: if so, why indeed has he not fulfilled the obligation when he held the candle in his hand? The reason is that in this there is no recognition that it is for the mitzvah of Chanukah, and the observer says: he is holding it for his own needs, and not for the sake of any mitzvah (ibid.), and there is no pirsumei nisa. And for this reason as well, if he lit it inside and brought it outside – he has not fulfilled the obligation, because the observer says: he lit it for his own needs. And furthermore: since the lighting performs the mitzvah – one must light it in its place of placement (ibid.). However, this reason is only relevant to them, as they had a specific place for lighting at the entrance of one's house from the outside, and not for us, as we light in any place (Bach and Magen Avraham subsection 3).

And since the lighting performs the mitzvah, and not the placement, therefore we do not require placement for the sake of the mitzvah. For if it were placed in its location—he lights it there, and he does not need to lift it and return to place it for the sake of the mitzvah. But this is not so regarding the lighting, for if it were already lit—he must extinguish it and light it for the sake of the mitzvah of the Chanukah candle. Furthermore, even if it were lit for the sake of the mitzvah of the Chanukah candle, and it remains lit from one day to the next—he must extinguish it and light it anew. And thus our sages, of blessed memory, said (ibid.): A lamp that was lit the entire day, which was lit from the eve of Shabbat for the sake of the mitzvah of the Chanukah candle for the conclusion of Shabbat—he extinguishes it and lights it for the sake of the mitzvah.

And know that even though we have said that in this time there is no fixed place for the lighting, nevertheless it is forbidden to light it in this place with the intent to place it in another place. And one must place it in its location for its required duration, which is a half hour. However, if it happened that he lit it so that it should rest here, and afterwards due to some reason it was moved from its place—he has fulfilled the obligation in this time. And in the beit knesset, some say that it is permitted ab initio to light it in this place on the condition of placing it in another place (Beit Yosef), because the lighting in the beit knesset is merely a general custom. Nevertheless, one should be careful not to do so ab initio (Magen Avraham, subsection 2). And we have already written in siman 671 that one is obligated to put oil in the lamp before the lighting according to the required measure. And if he recited the blessing over a small amount of oil, and lit it, and added oil afterwards—he has not fulfilled his obligation, for we require the measure at the time of the lighting, since the lighting performs the mitzvah. And it is simple. (And that which the Beit Yosef in section 2 wrote this law in the name of "there is one who says"—such is his way in the Shulchan Aruch, when only one posek mentioned this law. And it is also simple that if he added oil after the blessing and before the lighting—he has fulfilled the obligation.)

A woman lights the Hanukkah candle, and she fulfills the obligation for men as well. For she too is obligated in the Hanukkah candle like a man, as they too were part of that miracle, and also through them the miracle was performed, as I have written in siman 670. A deaf-mute, an imbecile, and a minor do not light, even if the placement was done by an adult, for it has already been explained that the essence of the mitzvah is the lighting and not the placement. There is one of the great Rishonim who said that a minor who has reached the age of chinuch may light on behalf of adults (the Ran in the name of the Ittur). This is based on the Yerushalmi in Megillah, which said that they established the practice for a minor to read the Megillah. However, all the Rishonim did not write so, and also regarding Megillah we do not practice so. Nevertheless, if all the members of the household, each one lights for himself—it is obvious that this minor who has reached the age of chinuch also lights for himself. And one who has already lit—nonetheless, he may recite the blessing on behalf of another, or on behalf of a woman, when they are unable to light and recite the blessing. They should stand next to him, and he should intend to fulfill their obligation according to the law of all blessings of the mitzvot, that even one who has fulfilled his obligation may fulfill the obligation for others. And a blind person—some say he is obligated in the Hanukkah candle, even though he does not see, for behold, he does not need to benefit from the light. Nevertheless, if he can participate with a small coin—he should participate. And if he has a wife—his wife recites the blessing for him. And if he does not have a wife—he recites the blessing himself, and others shall assist him when he is unable to light by himself (Magen Avraham, subsection 4). There is one who hesitates and says that a blind person should not recite the blessing, and it is correct to do so since the essence of the pirsumei nisa is the seeing, and he does not see. Therefore, it is correct as much as possible that the blind person should distance himself from reciting the blessing.