Shabbat candles

Shabbat candles

Shabbat candles (Template:Lang-he) are candles lit on Friday nights, 18 minutes before sunset, to usher in the Jewish Sabbath.Lighting Shabbat candles is a rabbinically mandated law. Candlelighting is traditionally done by the woman of the household, but in the absence of a woman, it may be done by man. After lighting the candles, the woman waves her hands over them, covers her eyes, and recites a blessing.

History

The requirement to light Shabbat candles is of rabbinic origin. It is traditional to light two candles, but in some homes an additional candle is lit for each child. The lighting of Shabbat candles has a dual purpose: To "honor Shabbat" (כבוד שבת) and create shalom bayit or domestic tranquility (שלום בית).

In Yiddish, lighting the candles is known as "licht bentschen" or "licht tsinden."

Blessings

"ברוך אתה ה אלוקינו מלך העולם אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו להדליק נר של שבת"

Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu Melekh ha‑olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu l'hadlik ner shel Shabbat.

"Blessed are You, LORD, our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to light the Shabbat candle[s]."

Variants

Chabad families add the word "kodesh" ("holy") at the end of the blessing, making "... the candle of the holy Shabbat," (ner shel Shabbat kodesh).

References

Further reading

• B.M. Lewin, The History of the Sabbath Candles, in Essays and Studies in Memory of Linda A. Miller, I. Davidson (ed), New York, 1938, pp.55-68.