[Avodah] chanukah candles and women

[Eli Turkel]

>
>>> I still  do not understand why wives generally do not light chanukah candles
>>> according  to the Ashkenazi custom that each person lights separately....
>
> According to the Chasam Sofer (Shabbos 21b: Vehamehadrin) [1] the
> reason is, that since the original Mitzva was to light outdoors,
> therefore women did not light Chanuka candles unless they had no other
> choice, because of "Kol Kevudoh... Pnima. As a result, the
> Mehadrin-min-Hamehadrin never included the women.

However, the gemara already recognizes that people on the second floor light
on their level and in dangeous times on their table. So why shouldn't
women in those cases light lechatchila.
Besides it seems strange that if women are required to light that we exempt them
on the grounds of kol kevoda ...  Did women never leave the house even to the
immediate outside in the days of chazal?

>
>>> 2. If  ishto kegufo why can't the wife light even lechachtila for the husband
>
> See above. But who says she cannot? See MB 675:3 (9) that a husband
> may appoint the wife to light for all present. He doesn't say it's not
> Lechachtila .

>>>  and why if he is absent does he need to appoint her as a shaliach?
>  See ibid, as well as the KSA 139:16 and SA OC 677:3 which do not mention this.
> Only if the husband is home is shlichus mentioned.

the Magen Avraham says that if the husband comes late he should appoint
his wife to light instead. However, it is preferable for the husband to light
himself because better to do it yourself than through a shaliach.
Why? The wife lighting is like his lighting ishto kegufo

Somehow things are not symmetrical. She shouldn't light because she is
like his body. However, it is better that he light rather than the
wife who would
only be a shaliach

-- 
Eli Turkel