I have a question re siman 263 seif 8. Rav Berkovits shlita (in the Mishna Berura Yomi shiurim) mentioned that, certainly l’chatchila, Ashkenazim should switch off the lights before lighting & switch them on l’shem hadlakos neiros. We see that the Mishna Beura brings down that we are somech on saying a brocha for tosefes ohr. My question is the following: for a Yom Tov that goes into Shabbos (or vice versa-or for two days of Yom Tov in chutz la’aretz), when one wants to light neiros for the Shabbos that comes immediately after Yom Tov,when lighting the lights will already be on.If it can be argued that the lights are the ikkur (& what the brocha is going on) & also that when one lights the neiros, due to the significant illumination of the lights, there is actually no tosefes ohr (to be somech on to make the brocha), can one actually light & make a brocha? If so, what would the justification be?Alternatively, should one rather find a dark place in the house & light a candle there & say the brocha?
Answer:
In principle, it is permitted to rely on the concept of “tosefes orah,” the added light that a candle gives. Although this additional light is of course slight, it remains significant, in particular because without the candles there is no heiker (demonstration) that the light is in honor of the Shabbos (the lights are on the whole week). Therefore, there is no obligation to have the lights turned off before lighting.
However, some are particular in this matter, and for those who wish to be particular even on Yom Tov that goes into Shabbos, it is possible to set a timer to turn off the lights at the time of candle lighting, and to turn them on soon after.
The principle place for candle lighting is by the table, so that it would not be lechatchilah to light elsewhere.
Best wishes.
