Easy Questions And Difficult Questions

When a boy is dating the questions are generally easy ones. "How are you planning to support your family?" ["I was actually hoping to rely on your parents."] "Where would you like to live?" ["As far away from your parents as possible."] "Who is your hero and why?" ["The Chofetz Chaim because I think about him all the time, meaning whenever I speak lashon hara."] "If you could be any person who would you be and why?" ["Mitt Romney because he is really rich and has lots of free time on his hands to enjoy his money. Plus, I am also a Republican and disagree with Obama's economic policy."] "How do you view the role of a woman in your life?" ["Her place is in the kitchen - if she likes to cook. In the gym - if she likes to exercise. With evil spirits - if she likes to exorcise. In the office - if she likes to work. Wherever she wants to be. My Rebbi told me to say that."]

When a boy gets married the questions become far more complicated. His wife says to him "Where are you going to light Chanuka candles?" Unless he is Lubavitch ["In Times Square"] the answer is not so simple.

My dilemma this year.

I could light next to my front door as the gemara says, but then nobody will see except a few neighbors because my front door isn't visible from the street. No publicizing of the miracle there.

I could light next to the stairs that lead to my apartment complex [which is considered by some to be פתח החצר  the entrance to the courtyard where Tosfos says to light]  but according to the Chazon Ish I wouldn't be יוצא because he felt that in the time of the gemara people used their courtyards extensively so one could light at the entrance but today things have changed and it no longer serves an important purpose so one shouldn't light there. 

I could light next to my window but my apartment faces a long winding road that nobody uses except for a security guard [we live not far from villages inhabited by our peace loving cousins:-)]. No publicizing of the miracle there.

I could light inside my front door to fulfill what the gemara says that one should have his mezuza on the right and Chanuka candles on the left but nobody would see that but my family. No publicizing of the miracle there.

I could light on my roof which is quite visible to from the street but it's WEIRD lighting on a roof. Rav Shlomo Zalman Aurbach ruled that one may light on his porch and the roof apparently would have the same halacha. The problem is that others hold that there must be a צורת הפתח a likeness to a doorway, which my roof lacks.

I could just light the candles on my dining room table but then I'd be missing out on the benefits of publicizing the miracle and having it next to my doorway that the gemara encourages.

I could not light at all but then my soul would lack those 36 lights which corresponds to the 36 hours when the hidden light shone at the onset of creation.

So where should I light??

Tough question.

I think I have come to a conclusion. I picked up a used sefer on the "used sefarim for sale" table in Yerushalayim today [ten shek!] and read parts of  it on the long bus ride home. Hashgachically, he discussed my question and confirmed the conclusion to which I came.....:-).

Baruch hu uvaruch shemo!!!