What is the correct time to light the Hanukkah candles?

Question: When are the Hanukkah candles lit, and what do you do if you forgot to light on time?

Answer:

According to the Ben Ish Chai, the time for lighting is at the appearance of the stars.

When the time for lighting arrives:

- One should not start eating before lighting.

- One should not start learning Torah before lighting.

- If he already started eating or learning, he must stop and light.

What happens if he forgot to light on time?

According to the Ben Ish Chai, one may light with a blessing even later, as long as the members of the household are awake.

If everyone is asleep, he lights without a blessing.

He adds that it is enough for two members of the household to be awake in order to say the blessing.

The message: the mitzvah of lighting the Hanukkah candles is so important that it should be performed as soon as its time arrives.