Q. Re- question 1966 above, on an elderly single and bed-bound convalescent patient at a retirement nursing home or hospital, who has no possibility of lighting or being present at the lighting of a Menorah.
Since in most Jewish retirement nursing home or hospitals with a sizable Jewish population, there is a minyan and they likely light a kosher menorah in that site, can they not have in mind to include all the patients at the same location who are unable to light. After all this is now their home, at least temporarily. Would one not comply with Ner Chanuka if someone would light for him in his own home, even if he is not present? If this can be done, it would make worldwide a difference for thousands of patients at such locations.
A. Horav Shlomo Miller’s opinion is that the room-bound patients may not be necessarily be considered as dwellers of the whole institution. It would then be better, if the one lighting the menorah, should be makneh or legally transfer a minimal amount of the value of the lights, to the ownership of all Jewish patients at that institution, even if they are not present at the menorah lighting ceremony.
The Rov indeed recommends that this should be done, to be mezake es horabim and merit the many with the most important mitzva of Chanuka.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit’a