Q. Once Shabbat has ended, is it better to light the menorah in the shul before maariv, so at least it will stay on a half and hour or close to it. If lighted after maariv, it will have to be put out after five or ten minutes for security reasons, since everyone is rushed to go home to light.
A. It is clear from Shulchan Aruch (O.H. 681: 2) that maariv is recited before lighting the menora and according to some Poskim havdalah also preempts hadlakah of the lights, since it is more frequent and todir is first.
Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit'a opinion is that indeed that maariv should be first. In regard to extinguishing the menorah after davening. we wrote on question 422: Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit'a opinion is that if possible one should maintain them on for the full half an hour, however if no one is going to be there you may put out the lights or at least leave one on."
On question 2471 we wrote: Horav Shlomo Miller's opinion is that if one can instruct the security person or any other Gentile that stays, to extinguish the candles after a half an hour one should do so.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a
Important Numbers
