Question:
I was traveling with my husband in a car in a strange city to us. We were trying to make it back to the hotel before Shabbat when we ran into unexpected delays and unexpected severe traffic. There was no longer any way to make it back in time before sunset and we had nowhere safe to stop to get out and did not know how to walk through the city to make it back to the hotel. We drove 10 minutes into Shabbat (past sunset) until we knew we were in a safer better neighborhood and could figure out how to walk back to the hotel. We immediately parked the car, took everything out of our pockets and left the car to walk. When my husband opened the door for us to exit the car, the light came on. Not knowing what to do, I made the blessing on the Shabbat candles when the light came on. When we exited the car, the door closed and the light went off. Do I need to light an extra candle each Shabbat for the rest of my life now?
Answer:
Hello,
Sounds like a traumatic experience, which had loads of confusion. But let’s not get into what was already done. You do not have to light another candle, because you were not negligent in lighting your candles, you didn’t have a place to light them nor candles to light. You were an “ones” (in conditions beyond your control), and therefore there is no fine or “knas” in such an instance.
Best wishes
Sources:
משנה ברורה סימן רסג ס"ק ז "ואם שכחה כמה פעמים צריכה להוסיף בכל פעם עוד נר אחד יותר והכל משום קנס כדי שתהא זהירה בכבוד שבת וע"כ אם נאנסה ולא הדליקה כגון שהיתה בבית האסורים וכיוצא בזה א"צ להוסיף." וע' קובץ הלכות (שבת ח"א פרק ז' הע' כ"ג) וז"ל "נראה דדוקא בשכחה מחמרינן שצריכה להוסיף, דשכחת המצוה מורה על זלזול בהמצוה אף שעצם השכחה הוי כאונס. אבל בשאר אונס, או אפי' בשוגג שאין בו משום זלזול במצות הדלקה, לא קנסוה. ולכן אשה שלא הדליקה מחמת חולשה, או ... נאנסה ונתקעה בדרך בעומס דרכים והגיעה הביתה אחר זמן הדלקה.. בכל כה"ג ליכא זלזולא וא"צ להוסיף נר להבא".
