Are women obligated to light the Chanukah Menorah/Chanukiya?
As a general rule, women are exempt from all time-bound positive commandments. Nevertheless, by Chanukah, since women were deeply involved in the miracle (as Yehudis, of the Chashmonean family, fed cheese and wine to a Greek governor and then killed him), they are also required to participate in the celebration. Wives, however, are exempt because we consider a husband and a wife as one, and therefore the wife’s obligation is discharged when her husband lights. There are authorities that feel that girls, once their mother is not lighting, should not light as well out of respect for their mother. Rabbi M. Feinstein felt that girls should light for themselves. If one is not going to be at home when the time for lighting arrives, what should one do? When one works and comes home later than the best possible lighting time but before his family goes to sleep, it is best for him to light upon arriving home, with a blessing. Where does the custom of distribution of Chanukah “Gelt” (money) come
