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In group Chanukah celebrations one often sees that the entire gathering recites the brachot for lighting the menorah in unison, despite the fact that only one person is actually lighting the candles.

For those who are reciting the bracha without performing the associated action, is this a bracha levatala, and if not, why not?

I asked a related question once before, but never got a definitive answer. I did, however, receive a comment that suggested that this widespread practice is incorrect. However, other questions on this site suggest that this practice is common, indeed normative, even in shuls.

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    Often? I have never seen a group sing the blessings before one person lights.
    – Double AA ♦
    Dec 19, 2022 at 15:56
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    I see no evidence in that question that such a practice is common or normative in shuls. What do you see there that indicates that?
    – Double AA ♦
    Dec 19, 2022 at 15:57
  • @DoubleAA have you never been to an outdoor public menorah lighting, of the sort that Chabad does in metropolitan areas?
    – mweiss
    Dec 19, 2022 at 20:18
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    I have not, and indeed the vast majority of non-chabad rabbis frown on such a practice eg. judaism.stackexchange.com/a/66227/759
    – Double AA ♦
    Dec 19, 2022 at 20:26
  • It seems that chabad doesn't either recite a blessing. From their website: "On the subject of blessings, it is possible that the traditional blessings will not be recited before the kindling of the public menorah. Why is that? Probably because the lighting you see does not conform to Jewish law. Here are two common reasons why: a) the menorah is powered by electricity instead of old-fashioned fuel and wick; b) the menorah is not being kindled at the prescribed time (on the eight evenings of Chanukah after sunset)."
    – Shababnik
    Sep 10 at 17:52

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