Question:
Hi,
I am a single young woman that lives by myself. I sometimes travel to my parents for shabbos, but a lot of times, I stay alone in my apartment for shabbos. This past shabbos I was in my apartment and I forgot to light candles before shabbos. I once heard that if you forget to light shabbos candles one week, then from then on, you need to light an extra candle each week. Is this true? Is this only for married ladies or for anyone that forgets?
Thank you for answering!
Answer:
The minhag is that a woman that forgot to light the shabbos candles one week has to light an extra candle, from that week on, as knas and reminder not to forget to light the candles. Essentially this applies to any woman, even if she is not married, but it only applies if she was not yotza the mitzvah with someone else. If you stayed at home you had an obligation to light the candles and therefore this halacha would apply.
If however you turned on some lights in our apartment l’kavod shabbos after plag hamincha (approx. 1 ¼ hours before sunset), then there are many that you can rely on who rule that you wouldn’t have to light another candle. (If you are Sefardi see sources)
Sources:
O:CH 263-1, B:H ibid D:H Sheshk’cha, Chut Shani 4 pg. 56, Hilchos Shabbos B’shabbos vol. 1- 4 -29, in the name of R’ Eliyashev zt”l,
If there was light on in the house but it wasn’t lit l’kavod shabbos most poskim say that the knas still applies, see Shemiras Shabbos K’hilchoso 43: footnote 30, Shevet Ha’Levi 5:33, Kinyan Torah 6:9:3, Shraga Hameir 7-83( 1), Tzitz Eliezer 21-11, Nishamas Shabbos 263- 442, Rivivos Eprayim 8-123, Horav C. Kanievsky shlit”a brought in Aliba D’hilchiso 47 pg. 127, Madanei Osher 22-2. Note: According to some Sefardi Poskim (Ohr L’tzion 18-12, and Talkut Yosef Shabbos 1-pg. 151( 26)) that a woman may rely on the fact that there ws electric lights in the house even if they weren’t lit for shabbos.
