Shabbat candles for those who cannot see

Hi,

We have been learning about Shabbat candles.

A woman who cannot see still lights for the sake of others in the home.

If she has a husband who can see, he should recite the blessing, since he gets the main benefit. If others are lighting their own candles, they should recite the blessing, for the same reason. However, if the only other residents are not lighting their own and are not her husband, she should recite the blessing.

(Mishneh Berurah 263:14)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The berachah men recite on Shabbat candles

Hi,


In yesterday's email I noted that women generally recite the blessing after lighting Shabbat candles, out of concern that reciting the blessing might count as accepting Shabbat.

If a man is lighting before going to shul and davening minchah (the afternoon, pre-Shabbat prayer), it is clear that he is not accepting Shabbat when he recites the blessing. Therefore, some counsel men who light to recite the blessing before lighting, just as one generally recites blessings before their associated mitzvot.

In practice, men may recite the blessing before or after lighting, but if reciting before lighting then they should make sure to keep in mind that they are not accepting Shabbat with that blessing.

(Yesterday's footnotes, plus Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 263:13)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

When to recite the berachah for Shabbat candles

Hi,

In Friday's halachah I mentioned a blessing one recites "before lighting." The question of when one recites the blessing is actually subject to debate:

1. In general, one who is about to perform a mitzvah recites the blessing for the mitzvah before performing the mitzvah, and so one should recite the blessing before lighting;

2. Reciting this blessing might constitute accepting Shabbat, and therefore one could not recite the blessing and then light the candles!

Because of concern #2, the general practice is to light and then recite the blessing afterward. To mitigate concern #1, the lighter doesn't look at the candles until after reciting the blessing; this helps somewhat, because one has not benefited from the mitzvah until after the blessing.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 263:5; Mishneh Berurah 263:26-27)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The blessing on lighting Shabbat candles

Hi,

We have been learning about lighting Shabbat candles.

Before lighting candles, one recites the blessing thanking Gd for the mitzvah "l'hadlik ner shel Shabbat להדליק נר של שבת" "to light the Shabbat lamp." Even one who is lighting multiple candles still uses the singular expression, because the essential mitzvah is to kindle just one light.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 263:5; Mishneh Berurah 263:22)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The role of men in lighting Shabbat candles

Hi,

We have been learning about Shabbat candles.

We have said that although men and women are both obligated to light Shabbat candles, first choice goes to women. Men should still take a hand in the mitzvah, though, by setting up the candles.

For this reason, men in some households light the candles before their wives do, and then extinguish them, so that the wicks will kindle more easily for their wives.

(Mishneh Berurah 263:12)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Shabbat candles: A mitzvah for women or for households?

Hi,

We have been learning about lighting Shabbat candles.

The obligation of lighting Shabbat candles is not women-specific; men are obligated to light candles as well. However, first-choice rests with the woman if she wishes to be the one to light.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 263:2-3; Mishneh Berurah 263:11-12)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

What if I forget to light Shabbat candles?

Hi,

We have been learning about lighting Shabbat candles.

One who forgets to light Shabbat candles is supposed to then light an extra candle, or at least an extra-long candle, on every subsequent Shabbat.

This does not apply to a person who was in an unavoidable situation in which lighting was impossible.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 263:1; Mishneh Berurah 263:7)

Added note: This also does not apply if a person did other things to make sure there would be light for Shabbat, such as turning on electric lights in the dining room.

Have a great day,
Mordechai

How many Shabbat candles? Part 2

Hi,

We have been learning about lighting Shabbat candles.

Yesterday we mentioned the practice of lighting 2 candles, and one source for that practice.

Some light 7 candles, to parallel the 7 days of the week. Others light 10 candles, for the Aseret haDibrot, the ten declarations HaShem delivered at Sinai.

Note that not all of these candles must be on the Shabbat table (although at least some of them should be in the room where one eats).

(Mishneh Berurah 263:6)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

How many Shabbat candles? Part 1

Hi,

We have been learning about lighting Shabbat candles.

One prevalent practice is to light two candles on Shabbat. This seems to originate with the Torah's two principle presentations of the mitzvah of Shabbat: "Remember the day of Shabbat to sanctify it (Exodus 20:8)" and "Guard the day of Shabbat to sanctify it (Deuteronomy 5:12)."

However, one may light as many candles as one chooses.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 263:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Beautiful candles

Hi,

We have been learning about Shabbat candles.

One should make sure to use beautiful Shabbat candlesticks. There are two reasons for this: The general concept of beautifying our mitzvot, and the concept of using these candles to increase the pleasure and honor of Shabbat.

For the same reason, one should use a fuel that burns smoothly and does not produce a bad odor. This is one reason why olive oil is preferred over other oils.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 263:1, 264; Mishneh Berurah 263:1, 264:23)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Shabbat candles for every room?

Hi,

We have been learning about lighting Shabbat candles.

One should make sure that every room he will use during Shabbat has proper illumination. However, the blessing for the Shabbat candles is recited specifically for the candles lit in the room where one will eat.

(Mishneh Berurah 263:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Asarah b'Tevet - The Tenth of Tevet

Hi,

The fast of Asarah b’Tevet, the 10th day of Tevet, marks the beginning of the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem. It led to the destruction of the First Beit haMikdash, and the exile of the Jews to Babylon.

Wednesday December 19th is Asarah b'Tevet. Here in Allentown we fast from first light, at 6:08 AM, until the stars emerge at 5:19 PM.

As we are taught regarding every fast other than Yom Kippur, the main merit of the fast is in donating to charity the money we would have spent on food.

(Talmud, Berachot 6b; Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 549:1; Mishneh Berurah 549:2)

Have an easy and meaningful fast,
Mordechai

The earliest time for Shabbat candles

Hi,

We have been learning about lighting Shabbat candles.

We have said that one must light before sunset, adding from mundane time to the sacred time of Shabbat. Nonetheless, one may not light too early, before the time we call "Plag haMinchah," "The midpoint of Minchah." This is because Plag haMinchah is the earliest time recognized within Jewish law as nightfall.

One may calculate this Plag haMinchah time by the following methods-

A. For followers of the Vilna Gaon's practices:
1) Take the number of minutes between sunrise and sunset, and divide it into twelve units.
2) Multiply one of those units by 1.25.
3) Subtract that period of time from sunset, and you will have found Plag haMinchah.

B. For followers of the Magen Avraham's practices:
1) Take the number of minutes between first light and when the stars emerge, and divide it into twelve units.
2) Multiply one of those units by 1.25.
3) Subtract that period of time from when the stars emerge, and you will have found Plag haMinchah.

For example: If the stars emerge at 4:48 AM and sunrise is 6 AM, and sunset is 6 PM and the stars emerge at 7:12 PM, then the Vilna Gaon will mark Plag haMinchah at 4:45 PM, and the Magen Avraham will mark Plag haMinchah at 5:42 PM.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 263:4)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

When do we light Shabbat candles?

Hi,

We have been learning about lighting Shabbat candles.

Although Shabbat technically begins at sunset, we accept Shabbat earlier in order to fulfill the mitzvah of Tosefet Shabbat, adding from the mundane to the sacred. This is understood by many to be a biblical obligation.

Therefore, Jewish communities worldwide establish lighting times of 18 or 20 minutes before the sun sets.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 261:2; Mishneh Berurah 261:19-20)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Why we light Shabbat candles

Hello, and welcome to our new format!

We have been learning about lighting Shabbat candles.

We have already pointed out that lighting Shabbat candles may be understood as a function of enjoying Shabbat (as quoted in Mishneh Berurah), or of honoring Shabbat (as the Rambam declared).

A third view maintains that lighting Shabbat candles incorporates both elements, honoring Shabbat and creating enjoyment. Lighting where one eats the Shabbat meal creates honor for the day; lighting in other parts of the home provides enjoyment, for we can more easily move about our homes.

This helps explain why candle-lighting, unique among all of the acts we perform to prepare for Shabbat, has its own blessing.

(Aruch haShulchan, Orach Chaim 263:1-2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai