Comparing Codes: The Time to Light the Hanukkiah

...The mitzva of kindling the Hanukkah lights is from sunset until traffic in the marketplace ceases...

Until when exactly is this time? Rabba bar bar Ḥana said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Until the traffic of the people of Tadmor [tarmoda’ei] ceases. They sold kindling wood and remained in the marketplace later than everyone else. People who discovered at sunset that they had exhausted their wood supply could purchase wood from them.

(5) We may not light Chanukah lamps before the sun sets, but rather [must light] with its setting. We do not (light) afterward or before it. [If] one forgot, or acted wantonly, and did not light with the setting of the sun, he can light until pedestrians have left the marketplace. And how much is that time? Like a half hour or more. [If] this time passes, he may not light. And he needs to put enough oil in the lamp so that it will continue to be lit until the pedestrians have left the marketplace. [If] he lit it and it became extinguished, he is not required to light it another time. [If] it stayed lit after the pedestrians have left the marketplace — if he wanted to extinguish it or take it away, he may do [so].

Its commandment is from the end of the setting of the sun until a half hour into the night because that is when people are going to and fro and can see into their houses and (thus) there is "publicizing the miracle." Therefore one needs to put enough oil to last this amount (of time). And if one put more (than that measure), one may extinguish (the lights) after this time passses. And similarly, one may make use of its light after this time has passed because that is the (time) of the essence of the commandment.

Nevertheless, its (permissable) time is all night, as opposed to the Rambam, his memory is for blessing, who wrote that if one forgot or purposely didn't kindle by the (time of) the setting of the sun, one may kindle until the pedestrians have left the marketplace. Once this time has passed, one may not kindle.

And if the whole night passed (and one hadn't kindled), one should not kindle during the day on the morrow "for what good is a candle while the sun shines?" And similarly, one should not make up (for the missed night of kindling) on the next night because its time has passed. And thus Rabbi Yitzhak ben Rabbi Yehudah (11th century, Mainz; a teacher of Rashi) wrote.

And Tosafot (also) wrote that for us, we don't have to be strict about the timing that the Sages set because they only set the time for them as they would light outside and after that time, there would be no pedestrians. But for us, we light indoors, and it is seen only by family members (and so), we don't have to be strict about the time.

And he (Rav Saadia Gaon?) wrote in the Sefer HaMitzvot that nevertheless, it is proper to kindle while the family members are awake.

And it seems that even for us one must be strict in the timing because even though we kindle indoors, since we kindle at the doorway of the house, and that is open, it is seen by pedestrians.

(1) Chanukah candles are not lit before sunset, but rather with the end of sunset, neither later nor before. And there are those who say that if one is busy, it is permissible to light from Plag Hamincha and onward, as long one puts enough oil [so that the lamp will remain lit] until people stop passing through the marketplace.

(2) If one did not light with sunset, either due to forgetfulness or on purpose, one should light until people stop passing through the marketplace, which is approximately half an hour, because then the people are passing and coming home and thus the miracle is publicized.

Therefore one must place enough oil for that time, and if one put more oil in, one may extinguish the candle after that time has passed, and may use the light after that time.

[Rema: There are those who say that in this time, when people light indoors, there is no need to be careful to light before people stop passing through the marketplace (these are his own words, and the words of the Tur, quoting Tosafot), and regardless, it is good to be careful even now.]

And this is the ideal case. But if this time has passed and one has not lit, go ahead and light all night, and if the entire night has passed and one has not lit, there is no making up for it later.

[Rema: And on other nights, one should light like all other people, even though one did not light at first. (He found this written in the name of the Maharil and also shared it as his own opinion.)]