Question:
Can you daven after licht bentching, and/or if you take on Shabbos early, for things that are not spiritual? I’m assuming that the answer is yes because people often say that the time after licht bentsching is an eis ratzon/if you take on Shabbos early it’s an eis ratzon to daven for the things you need, but if that is indeed correct, why would this be fine if on Shabbos you are not supposed to say non-urgent personal tefilos that are not for divrei ruchniyus?
Answer:
Hello,
It is an es ratzon for a mother to daven for the spiritual wellfare of her children. The reason is because the gemora says that a person who is careful to perform the mitzva of hadlokas neiros carefully, and beautifully, will merit to have children who will “light up the world with their torah”. This is why women daven for this after lighting their candles. Being mekabel Shabbos is also a segula for all sorts of good things, as it says “likras Shabbos … ki he mekor habracha”. Shabbos injected all sorts of bracha into the Shabbos, and Shabbos is the pipeline, and the source of bracha. This being the case, when we add to the Shabbos, we are plugging ourselves into the source of bracha, and therefore it is a segula for all sorts of good things, such as parnassa, shidduchim, health, etc. On the other hand, once a person has been mekabel Shabbos he or she may not daven for mundane things, but the truth is you don’t have to daven for it is Shabbos, Hashem knows what we need, and since He doesn’t want us to daven for this on Shabbos we will be better off without davening for it. If you would like, you can daven and ask for what you want before being mekabel Shabbos, this way you will have both aspects, the early Shabbos and the tefillah.
Best wishes
