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Can women shower while candles are burning?

Question:

Can women shower while candles are burning or is that considered work?

 

Answer:

Yes. A woman may shower during the half hour after lighting the candles.

The reason for this minhag is because Yehudis, the daughter of Yochanan the Kohen Gadol, fooled the Greek general and seduced him with cheese (and wine) and then managed to kill him, and that army then ran away. Since this part of the miracle was done thru women, they have the minhag to abstain from doing certain melachos when the candles are lit. The minhag that women abstain from doing melacha during the half hour after lighting the candles only pertains to womanly work, such as sewing, and laundry. Other things such as cooking etc. era permitted. This would include taking a shower, which is not a womanly work.

Have a happy Chanukah

Sources:

הערת הרה”צ מדעברצין זצ”ל לספר נטעח גבריאל -חנוכה פל”ח הערה ד’ וז”ל “אודות המנהג שאין נשים עושות מלאכה במשך חצי שעה זמן חיוב הדלקת נרות כן קבלה בידינו שאין אשה עושה מלאכת נשים היינו כביסה אריגה, אבל בודאי מבשלות ואופות ע”כ”

 

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