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Ending a Mistaken Minhag

Question:

There is a family of 6. For some reason, the mother has been lighting 8 Shabbos candles. She would like to downsize to 6, corresponding to the members of her family. May she do so? Is a Hatarat Nedarim required?

Answer:

A woman should not decrease the amount of candles that is used to lighting. If she doesn’t have a choice she would need to be matir neder.  The reason for this is because it is a mitzvah and a kavod shabbos to add neiros and light to the house.

Sources:

Shmiras Shabbos Khilchoso 43-3, in the name of Minchas Shabbos. Maaseh Rav 140, KItzur Shulchan Aruch 75-2.

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2 Comments

  1. I was raised knowing that we light one candle for each child, and then in addition to that we light one for “Zochar” and one for “shomer”

    1. Correct , but the question was that it is a family of six, meaning that they have only four children.

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