Brooke Martin
Shabbat candles are lit by Jewish women and girls (or men, when there are no women present) 18 minutes before sunset on Friday evening to usher in the Jewish Sabbath. The lighting of candles at the beginning of Shabbat is a rabbinically mandated law and is considered a commandment. The custom is to light a minimum of two candles, which represent the two instances of the commandment of keeping Shabbat given in the Torah: Zachor (remember) the Sabbath and Shamor (keep) the Sabbath. Shabbat candles are special because they are lit to honour the Sabbath and bring light and delight to the home. They are also a metaphor for the Torah and the human soul, with the flame representing the light introduced into the world through studying the Torah and its precepts.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of candles | Traditionally, a minimum of two candles are lit, with some households lighting one for each member of the household. |
| Colour | It is customary to light white candles. |
| Candle type | Specially-made Shabbat candles are available, but regular tea lights or candles in glass cups (neronim) can also be used. |
| Timing | Candles are lit 18 minutes before sunset on Friday evening or on the eve of Jewish holidays. |
| Duration | Shabbat candles should be allowed to burn down completely. They must burn at least until the blessing over bread (Hamotzi) is recited, with some sources recommending they burn for two to three hours. |
| Person lighting the candles | Traditionally, the woman of the household lights the candles, with the obligation passing to a man if no woman is present. |
| Location | Candles are typically lit in the dining room, where the festive holiday meal will be held. |
| Symbolism | Candles are lit to honour Shabbat and represent the light introduced into the world through studying the Torah and observing its precepts. They also symbolise the additional soul that sages believe we are given on Shabbat. |
| Blessings | A blessing is said after the candles are lit. The lighter may wave their hands around the flame three times and cover their eyes while reciting the blessing. |
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What You'll Learn
Shabbat candles are lit by Jewish women and girls, or men in female absence
Shabbat candles are typically lit by Jewish women and girls, 18 minutes before sunset on Friday evening or on the eve of a Jewish holiday. The custom is for the woman of the house to light two candles, with many women adding an extra candle for each child. Girls under the age of marriage light one candle. The candles are usually lit in the dining room, where the festive meal will take place, and they must burn for at least two to three hours, until the blessing over the bread is recited.
The lighting of Shabbat candles is a rabbinically mandated law, a commandment, or mitzvah. The Talmud does not record a blessing attached to the lighting of the candles, but the act is mentioned in the Siddur of Rav Amram (9th century). The blessing is said after the candles are lit, and the lighter covers their eyes until the blessing is recited, to avoid benefiting from the light. The blessing is also said after the act of lighting to avoid saying the blessing and then using the candles for a practical purpose, as they are intended to be purely ceremonial.
The candles are lit to honour Shabbat, and to dignify the Sabbath. They are also lit to ensure that the evening is not spent in darkness, as it was before the advent of electric lighting. The candles are said to represent the light introduced into the world by studying the Torah and observing its precepts. They also represent the additional soul that people are given on Shabbat. The custom is said to have originated from the time of Moses.
In the absence of women, the responsibility of lighting the candles falls to men. This is a rare occurrence, as even in households without adult women, girls as young as three years old are encouraged to light the Shabbat candles with their parents' consent.
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The candles are lit 18 minutes before sunset on Friday
Shabbat candles are lit 18 minutes before sunset on Friday, or on the eve of Jewish holidays, to ensure that the candles are lit before the onset of Shabbat. The Talmud states that lighting Shabbat candles is a commandment, or mitzvah, and that it is forbidden to light them on Shabbat. The Torah also tells us that we may not kindle fire on Shabbat. Therefore, the key is to light the candles before the day begins.
The custom is that when the women light the Shabbat candles early, they welcome Shabbat and refrain from all forbidden work until after Shabbat. However, other household members who do not light the candles themselves do not accept Shabbat until later, at sunset, or when they pray the Shabbat prayers. The woman of the house traditionally lights a minimum of two candles, with many households lighting one candle for each member.
The lighting of the candles is a ritual that brings illumination to our world, and the candles themselves represent the light we introduce into the world through studying the Torah and its precepts. The candles also represent the additional soul that our sages say we are given on Shabbat. The lighting of Shabbat candles is also a way to beautify the commandment of lighting them, and many people use beautiful candlesticks or candles in glass cups to achieve this.
The practice of lighting Shabbat candles appears to have originated as an extension of the practice of lighting a flame before Shabbat, as the sun went down, to provide light after dark. However, the Shabbat candles became an important part of the ritual and it became forbidden to use them for any practical purpose, such as reading by their light.
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Two candles are lit, one for 'remember' and one for 'keep'
The Shabbat candles are indeed special. They are lit 18 minutes before sunset on Friday afternoon or on the eve of Jewish holidays, often in the dining room where the festive holiday meal will soon take place. The custom is to light at least two candles, though some households have a tradition of lighting more, such as one for each member of the household. The two candles correspond to the two forms of the commandment of Shabbat, as stated in the Torah. In Exodus, we are told, "Remember (zachor) the Sabbath day and make it holy", and in Deuteronomy, "Keep (shamor) the Sabbath day and make it holy". Thus, the two candles represent the two instances of the commandment of keeping Shabbat in the Torah, with one candle for "remember" and one for "keep".
The lighting of the Shabbat candles is a mitzvah, a commandment, and it is customary to light white candles, though this is not a rule. The candles are lit by Jewish women and girls, or by men when there are no women present. The candles are allowed to burn down completely and should not be extinguished. They are lit in a safe place, away from flammable items, and it is traditional not to move them once they are lit.
The Shabbat candles are lit to bring peace and tranquility into the home, and they are also lit to honour the Shabbat and to create a bright and cheery ambiance. The Midrash tells us that God says, "If you kindle the Shabbat lights, I will show you the marvelous radiance that will shine upon Jerusalem at the final redemption", indicating that the lighting of the candles brings about the final redemption and peace in the world.
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The candles are lit before the blessing is recited
Shabbat candles are lit on Friday evening before sunset to welcome the Jewish Sabbath. The lighting of the candles is a rabbinically mandated law. The candles are traditionally lit by the woman of the household, though every Jew is obligated to either light them or ensure that they are lit on their behalf. In the absence of a woman, a man can light the candles.
The Talmud records that lighting Shabbat candles is a commandment, but it does not mention a blessing attached to the act. The first recorded instance of a blessing for lighting the Shabbat candles is found in the Siddur of Rav Amram (9th century). Normally, in Jewish tradition, blessings are recited before performing the act. However, since saying the blessing over the candles marks the beginning of Shabbat, and candles may not be lit on Shabbat, the order is reversed: the candles are lit first, and the blessing is recited afterward.
The custom is to light a minimum of two candles, though many households light more, often one for each member. The two candles are said to indicate that the candles hold a special purpose that one candle alone cannot. They also represent the two instances of the commandment of keeping Shabbat found in the Torah: "Zachor" ("remember the Sabbath") and "Shamor" ("keep the Sabbath"). The candles are typically lit in the dining room, as they symbolise light and delight, and it is considered spiritually wanting to dine in darkness.
Shabbat candles are special because they are lit to dignify the Sabbath and create an appropriate environment. They also hold symbolic value, representing the light introduced into the world through studying the Torah and observing its precepts. The candles also symbolise the additional soul that sages believe we are given on Shabbat.
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The candles are allowed to burn down completely
Shabbat candles are lit by Jewish women and girls (or men, when there are no women present) 18 minutes before sunset on Friday evening to usher in the Jewish Sabbath. The universally accepted custom is to light two candles, though some households light one candle for each member. The candles are lit to dignify the Sabbath, and to ensure that the evening is not spent in darkness.
The Talmud records that lighting Shabbat candles is a mitzvah, a commandment. Shabbat candles are special because they are similar to a soul. Just as a flame depends on the material candle, the soul depends on the body to express its potential in this world. A flame gives light, which is intangible, like the soul. And just as a flame is always reaching upwards, a soul is always striving to reach upwards to higher levels and to its source.
The candles must be lit before the official starting time of Shabbat, which varies from place to place, but is generally 18 or 20 minutes before sunset. They must burn for at least the first few hours of Shabbat. For this reason, birthday candles and Hanukkah candles, which burn down quickly, are not recommended. If you anticipate that your candles will still be burning by the time you go to bed, it is especially important to light them in a safe place, far from flammable items.
The Shabbat candles are allowed to burn down completely. They should not be extinguished. This is because the candles are an important part of the ritual, and it is forbidden to use them for any practical purpose, including as light to read by.
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Frequently asked questions
The pair of Shabbat candles is one of the most iconic images of the holiday. Some say that it indicates the candles are special — holding a purpose one candle alone cannot. Others say that it represents the two instances of the commandment of keeping Shabbat given in the Torah, one found in Exodus 20:8 that says “Zachor (remember) the Sabbath,” and one found in Deuteronomy 5:12 that says “Shamor (keep) the Sabbath.”
Shabbat candles are traditionally made of wax or wicks floating in oil.
Shabbat candles are lit to honour the Shabbat and call it a delight. The candles are also lit to dignify the Sabbath and to ensure that we don’t spend the evening stumbling around in the dark.
Traditionally, the woman of the household lights the Shabbat candles. In households with no adult woman, a man takes over the responsibility.
Shabbat candles are lit 18 minutes before sunset on Friday evening to usher in the Jewish Sabbath.
