781. Who should light Ner Chanukah?
Men, women and children should all participate in the mitzvah of ner Chanukah (the Chanukah lights). Children are taught to light their own Chanukah menorah—many have the custom to do so from a very young age. It is advisable to light with children in their own bedrooms (if it can be done safely), and to use the opportunity to educate them about the miracles surrounding the lighting of the menorah. Parents can point out the similarity between the child’s room as a place of Torah, tefillah(prayer) and tzedakah (charity) and the Beis Hamikdash, especially since they have a menorah in their room!
Men and women are equally obligated to fulfill the mitzvah of ner Chanukah, but the common custom is that they are yotzei (fulfill their [mitzvah] obligation) with their fathers as single girls, and their husbands as married women, and need not light on their own. Women who are home alone, or single women who live in an all-female household, should light the menorah in their place of residence. Some have the custom of lighting and having a male over the age of Bar Mitzvah recite the brachah for them—though this is not necessary according to halachah.
Women and girls should be present during the lighting—although the menorah being lit in their home is all that is absolutely necessary to fulfill the mitzvah; being absent may incur various halachic sha’alos (questions). Additionally, pirsumei nisa(publicizing the miracle) is one of the requisites of the mitzvah, which entails lighting the menorah with the presence of as many people as possible.