Candlelighting is the iconic mitzva of Shabbos. Why is this mitzvah specifically given to the Jewish women? What level of obligation does it carry, and how does it compare to other mitzvos, such as handwashing before eating bread? How much is one required to invest in order to fulfill this mitzvah? Does this obligation still apply in our electric age? Does candlelighting take precedence over wine for Kiddush? Is it part of the mitzva of oneg Shabbos (delighting on Shabbos) or kavod Shabbos (honoring the day), and what is the difference between the two? Is the mitzvah about having lit candles, or is it about actively lighting them on Friday to honor Shabbos? Does the mitzvah also apply on Yom Kippur, when there is no meal? Can the mitzvah be fulfilled by having a non-Jew light the candles? What should a woman do if she only remembers to light the candles after sunset? Does the mitzvah apply in northern countries, where the sun sets very late during the summer months? These and other questions are explored in the following article.
Lighting Shabbos Candles – Part I
This week's parasha discusses the actual construction of the Mishkan, beginning with the mitzva of Shabbos (Shemos 35:2): "Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day, there shall be to you a holy day, a Shabbos of complete rest to the Lord."
Candlelighting is the mitzvah most associated with Shabbos. Every picture and illustration of Shabbos depicts two lit candles. Rabbi Pesach Krohn notes the following anecdote: In the mid-‘90s, a Jewish advertising executive attempted to raise Jewish awareness and pride by mentioning Shabbos each week on the cover of the New York Times. He contacted a Jewish philanthropist and sold him on the idea. It cost nearly two thousand dollars a week, but for the next five years, readers would be greeted every Friday with an ad on the front cover: ‘Jewish Women: Shabbat candle lighting time this Friday is _____”.
Eventually the philanthropist had to cut down on the number of projects he had been funding, and in June 1999, the little Shabbos candle lighting notice made its last appearance in the New York Times. At least, that’s what people thought.
On January 1, 2000, the NY Times ran a millennium edition commemorating the paper’s 100th anniversary. It was a special issue that featured three front pages. One contained the news from January 1, 1900. The second contained the actual news of the day, January 1, 2000. And the third front page, featured projected headlines of January 1, 2100, including stories such as a welcoming Cuba, the fifty-first state, and a debate whether robots should be allowed to vote. In addition to the creative articles, there was one extra piece. Down on the bottom of the Year 2100 front page, was the candle lighting time in New York for January 1, 2100. Nobody asked for it. Nobody paid for it.
The production manager – an Irish Catholic – was asked about this curious entry. His answer speaks to the eternity of our people. “We don’t know what will happen in the year 2100. It is impossible to predict the future. But of one thing you can be certain. That in the year 2100 Jewish women will be lighting Shabbat candles.”
Shabbos Candles and the Jewish Women
The mitzvah of lighting candles is unique in that it is specifically associated with Jewish women. Lighting Shabbos candles is perhaps the mitzvah most closely identified with a Jewish woman, even though men are also obligated to fulfil this mitzvah when a woman is unavailable. In addition, while most mitzvos that require one person to fulfil the obligation on behalf of the entire household typically place that responsibility on the man, in this case, Chazal specifically assigned the obligation to women. Why is this mitzvah uniquely linked to women?
The Mishnah (Shabbos 2:6) lists lighting the Shabbos candles as one of the three commandments specifically given to women, and neglecting them could, G-d forbid, result in death during childbirth.
The Tur (OC 263) cites the Midrash Tanchuma (Noach 1; Metzora 9), which teaches that since a woman, through her actions, extinguished the light of the world,therefore it is her responsibility to rekindle that light. In other words, through the primordial sin of Adam and Chava, Chava’s actions caused the Hidden Light to depart from the world, leading to death of the body and departure of the soul, which is described as the body’s light, as it says, "The candle of G-d is the soul of man." Consequently, the woman is commanded to repair this action. By lighting Shabbos candles, she rekindles the light of the world, and corrects the original transgression. While this process is ongoing, each Shabbos candle that a Jewish woman lights, brings us one step closer to repairing that ancient sin, which is the root of much suffering in the world.
The Divrei Yirmiyahu (Shabbos 25a) writes that from this we learn that the light of the Shabbos candles has the power to illuminate the soul, to excite it, and to reconnect it with the Creator, returning to it the vitality it had before the sin. That is why the Gemoro (ibid) writes that one who is careful with candle-lighting as prescribed, will merit children who are talmidei chachomim – children who are connected to the everlasting light of Torah.
The Rambam (Shabbos 5:1) and the Shulchan Aruch (OC 263:3) both write that there is also a technical reason: women are most often at home, tending to their household needs. Therefore, Chazal placed this obligation on the homemaker.
Level of Obligation
The Rambam (Shabbos 5:1) writes that there are three levels of commandments:
- Optional (reshus)– One may choose whether or not to perform the mitzva.
- Commandment (mitzva) –One is obligated to perform the mitzva, but there is some flexibility.
- Obligation (chova)– One is absolutely required to fulfill these commandments to the best of his ability.
Eruv chtzeros and washing hands for bread are two examples mentioned by the Rambam for commandments of the second category. While washing hands before meals is an obligation, one must only travel as far as one mil (1-1.2 km) out of his way to find water, and wait to eat only if they know they are within 4-4.8 km of water which is in the direction they are going. However, one who is farther away is not obligated to wait any more to find washing water.
The mitzvah of lighting Shabbos candles, though, is a chova obligation for which one must make every effort to fulfill. The Rambam mentions that one must go to great lengths to fulfill the obligation, even if it means begging or otherwise humiliating oneself in order to perform it.
Candlelighting in the Electric Age
Before the age of electricity, nights were dark. Only the wealthy had candles to illuminate their homes. The poor would either eat their evening meal in the dark, or eat earlier, at twilight, when there was still a bit of light outside (see Brachos 2b and Tosafos there). However, to honor Shabbos, everyone is obligated to light up his house, and eat the meal with light.
Today, when even the poorest have excellent electric lighting, Shabbos candles are hardly noticeable. Does the obligation still exist?
The Mitzvah of Honoring and Enjoying Shabbos
Shabbos has two positive Rabbinic commandments: kavod – honoring Shabbos, and oneg – taking pleasure in Shabbos, which refers to engaging in activities that bring joy, such as enjoying delicious food and beverages. In contrast, the mitzvah of kavod requires actions that reflect the respect and dignity of the day, such as wearing special clothes, covering the table, and preparing the home in honor of Shabbos.
In practice, many actions are both kavod and oneg. For example, preparing food for Shabbos both provides oneg by ensuring that the food tastes good and is pleasing to the palate, and provides kavod by preparing the appropriate number of meals, and purchasing respectable foods for the occasion. In the past, a meal of fish, spinach and garlic heads was considered respectable and worthy of a Shabbos meal. The Shulchan Aruch mentions a menu of fine meat and wine. The Mishnah Brura explains that the no particular food item is obligatory (although there are many customs) and the mitzva is fulfilled even when a respectable spread is offered, if one is needy.
Another example is wine. A person might find the taste of wine pleasing, thus fulfilling the both the mitzva of oneg and kavod when purchasing nice wine for kiuddush. However, one who personally dislikes wine only fulfils the mitzva of kavod -- respecting Shabbos -- when making kiddush on fine wine.
Candlelighting: Honor or Delight?
Building on the above understanding, we can now explore the purpose of the mitzvah of candlelighting. Does it primarily reflect the honor of Shabbos (kavod), or is it about the pleasure it brings (oneg), illuminating the room and enhancing the Shabbos meal experience?
Moreover, we must address an important question: why is it that, among all the commandments related to honor and pleasure on Shabbos, only candlelighting is accompanied by a blessing?
In Midrash Tanchuma (Noach 1; Metzora 9), it is stated: "And you shall call the Shabbos a delight" (Yeshaya 58:13). The Midrash adds that this refers to lighting the Shabbos candles, as sitting in the dark is not oneg Shabbos. Punishment in Gehinnom is associated with sitting in darkness, as Iyov states (Iyov 10:21): "Before I go, and I shall not return, to the land of darkness and the shadow of death."
Shabbos, a taste of the World to Come, is an experience that reminds us where we are (or should be) heading. Since the essence of Gan Eden and the World to Come is the pleasure derived from the Hidden Light (Or HaGanuz), lighting the Shabbos candles is a key element in the mitzva of oneg Shabbos.
On the other hand, the S'mag (Positive Commandment 30) explains why there is a blessing specifically on lighting the Shabbos candles: "The main commandment was given by the prophets to honor Shabbos, and the lighting of a beautiful candle is the expression of that honor." In other words, the most important and central act of honoring Shabbos is having a candle lit in its honor.
The Tosefes Shabbos (OC 263:1) addresses an apparent contradiction in the Rambam. On the one hand (Shabbos 5:1), when he discusses this commandment, the Rambam writes that lighting the candles is part of the obligation of oneg Shabbos. Yet, on the other hand (Shabbos 30:5), the Rambam lists three things a person must arrange before Shabbos: set the table, make his bed, and have candles lit. This list implies that the obligation of lighting the candles is related to honoring Shabbos. Also, when the Rambam (30:7) lists the elements of oneg Shabbos, he only mentions eating pleasant foods and drinking good beverages, and not lighting Shabbos candles.
The Tosefes Shabbos clarifies that the Rambam and the Shulchan Aruch maintain that in the context of eating, the obligation to light candles is also tied to the mitzva of oneg Shabbos, because one enjoys his food more when he can see what he is eating. However, there is another mitzvah: that the house be well-lit, so people don’t stumble or trip over things. This mitzvah is related to honoring Shabbos.
The poskim mention several differences in halacha related to this differentiation.
- If the mitzvah is about enjoying pleasure on Shabbos, then if the living space is already illuminated, there is no need for additional candles. However, if the mitzvah is about honoring Shabbos, lighting the candles must be done in a way that demonstrates respect for the day. Simply having electric lights on at home would not be sufficient, as it would not specifically reflect the honor for Shabbos.
- Rabbi Chaim of Brisk (the Griz, Chidushei Rav Chaim on the Rambam, Chapter 11) explains the contradiction in the Rambam’s writing as follows: The obligation of enjoying Shabbos is for the day of Shabbos. Therefore, when the Rambam discusses oneg Shabbos (Shabbos 5:1), he mentions that the obligation is to have candles lit on Shabbos, not the act of lighting the candles themselves. On the other hand, when the Rambam discusses honoring Shabbos, he speaks about the obligation to light a candle on Friday afternoon, because this act of preparation shows honor for Shabbos—by lighting a candle in advance, one demonstrates their respect for the day.
- Some Acharonim contend that if the mitzvah of lighting Shabbos candles is rooted in the mitzva of honoring Shabbos, then lighting candles on Yom Kippur should also be mandatory, in recognition of the day's sanctity, since Yom Kippur is considered a Yom Tov. In halacha (OC 610:1-2, with the explanation of the Gra), there is a debate regarding whether a blessing is recited at candlelighting on Erev Yom Kippur, and whether it is proper to light them. However, if the mitzvah is one of oneg (enjoyment), there is no obligation for oneg on Yom Kippur, especially since oneg is associated with the meal, which we do not eat on Yom Kippur. (Even a sick person who must eat on Yom Kippur would not be considered fulfilling the mitzva of oneg.)
- Some poskim argue that the wording of the blessing discloses its purpose. Had the mitzvah been about the result of having a lit candle, the blessing would have been "on the mitzvah of Shabbos candle," rather than "to light the Shabbos candle." The fact that we say "to light the Shabbos candle" implies that the mitzvah is indeed about the actual kindling.
- The Si'ach Yitzhak (OC 134:1) discusses the land of the midnight sun, or those with very short nights. In those areas, one can read outdoors without any lighting. Is lighting Shabbos candles still necessary there? And can the blessing be recited? Since the added light from the lit candles adds to the festive mood, the Si’ach Yitzchok rules that lighting candles with a blessing is necessary.
Lighting by a Non-Jew
In the past, weddings were often held on Friday afternoons, with the wedding feast coinciding with the Shabbos meal. This arrangement allowed the entire community to join the wedding ceremony, which took place just before Shabbos. After Kabbolas Shabbos and Maariv, family members and close relatives would gather for the combined Shabbos and wedding feast. However, many women, preoccupied with the wedding celebrations, would often forget to light the Shabbos candles until after sunset.
The Magen Avraham (OC 263:11) rules that if it is still between dusk and nightfall (bein hashemashos), it is permissible to instruct a non-Jew to light the candles for the mitzvah, and the Jewish woman can then recite the blessing. On the other hand, Rabbi Akiva Eiger and other poskim (ibid) question this ruling, noting that halacha does not permit a non-Jew to act as an agent for a Jew, meaning the non-Jew’s action is not considered as though the Jew performed it. Therefore, how can one recite the blessing over candles lit by someone else? The Mishnah Berura (OC 263:21) cites both opinions on the matter.
The Shulchan Aruch HaRav (Kuntres Acharon, OC 263:3) explains that the mitzvah is not about lighting the candles themselves, but rather about the pleasure derived from their light. Therefore, when a woman enjoys the candlelight, she can recite the blessing even if a non-Jew lit them. However, he cautions that this approach should only be relied upon in a sha'as hadchak (emergency or pressing situation).
Rabbi Tzvi Pesach Frank, the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem (Har Tzvi, OC 1:140), proves from this ruling that the mitzvah is about having a lit home on Shabbos. Therefore, the effort made to ensure there is light by instructing a non-Jew to light the candles is considered fulfilling the mitzvah, even if the non-Jew actually lights them. He supports this with the language of the Rambam who writes, "One must have a lit candle in their home on Shabbos," which implies that the act of lighting the candle itself is not the essence of the mitzvah. (See above for Rabbi Chaim of Brisk’s view, which posits that there are two distinct mitzvos: 1) to light on Friday, and 2) to have the light on Shabbos.)
The Electric Age
Given the above discussions, is there any real benefit in lighting Shabbos candles in today’s world of electric lighting? And can one still recite a blessing over lighting Shabbos candles in such a case? All poskim agree that we still kindle the Shabbos candles and recite a blessing over them, but there are different explanations.
The Orach Chaim (263:8) notes a machlokes when there are many women lighting candles in the same room. Some contend that each women recites her own blessing, since every additional candle brings more oneg, while others say that only the first woman to light should recite the blessing, and subsequent ones should not. The Shulchan Aruch rules not to recite the blessing in this case, due to the uncertainty, while the Rema maintains the custom for each woman to recite the blessing. The Kaf HaChaim (footnote 56) notes that even among Sephardi poskim, many follow the Rema’s view and recite the blessing.
As a result of the above discussion, some individuals are particularly meticulous in honoring Shabbos by ensuring all electric lights are turned off and then relit specifically le’kavod Shabbos. This extra step taken to honor Shabbos certainly merits the blessing of children who are talmidei chachomim. However, even without such extra precautions, the standard practice is to light the Shabbos candles and recite the blessing over them.
Rabbi Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe, OC Volume 5, Chapter 20) writes that in today’s age, where electric lighting is common, the mitzvah of lighting candles is primarily one of honoring Shabbos, as the act of lighting the candles demonstrates respect for the day. Yet, he notes that since there is no concern that people will stumble over objects or eat their meal in the dark, halacha does not require one to choose between buying Shabbos candles or wine for Kiddush. When there is a toss-up, purchasing wine for Kiddush should take precedence.
Rabbi Dov Landau shlita explains that Chazal determined that every additional light brings joy and pleasure, and only when the light level reaches that of daylight do we say that “a candle in the middle of the day has no effect”. Until that point, every small addition impacts us, though we may not consciously notice it. Therefore, although an electric light produces, for example, 12,000 lumens and a candle adds 25 lumens, that small addition still has an effect, even if we are not immediately aware of it. Every additional light for Shabbos part of the mitzvah of kavod and oneg Shabbos.
In next week’s installment, we will explore this topic further, discussing whether the mitzvah can be performed with electric candles or lights, how many candles must be lit to fulfill the mitzvah, and other related aspects.
