Tyler Brooks
Lighting Shabbat candles is a sacred Jewish custom, bringing peace, light and warmth to homes and the world. The candles are lit on Friday evening, 18 minutes before sunset, and the time of candle-lighting is considered auspicious for private prayer. Single girls and women light one candle, while married women light two, and some have the custom of lighting one candle for each family member. The candles are lit on the table where Shabbat dinner will be served, and the match used to light the candles should not be extinguished but instead placed on a fireproof surface or given to someone who has not yet accepted Shabbat.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Time of lighting | 18 minutes before sunset on Friday |
| Number of candles | Single girls and women light one candle; married women light two |
| Who lights the candles | Women, but if no woman is present, the man of the home lights the candles |
| Location | On or near the table where Shabbat dinner will be served |
| Preparation | Give coins to charity, then remove the charity box |
| Blessing | "Blessed are You, Lord our G‑d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to kindle the light of the holy Shabbat." |
| After lighting | Do not put out the match; drop it on a fireproof surface or give it to someone who has not yet accepted Shabbat |
| Candles | Can be homemade using wax sheets, wicks, and hairdryers |
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What You'll Learn
The number of candles to light
The number of candles to be lit during Shabbat depends on the marital status of the woman lighting the candles, as well as the customs of the community. Single girls and women light one candle, while married women light two. Some communities also have the custom of lighting one candle for each member of the immediate family.
The lighting of the candles is considered an obligation for every home. If there is no woman over bat mitzvah present to light the candles, then the man of the home should light them. As soon as a young girl can understand the significance of Shabbat and can say the blessing (at approximately three years of age), she should kindle her own Shabbat candle.
The candles are typically lit on or near the table where the Shabbat dinner will be served. It is customary to give some coins to charity before lighting the candles and to pray to God. After lighting the candles, it is forbidden to put out the match. Instead, drop it on a fireproof surface or give it to someone who has not yet accepted Shabbat.
The time for lighting the candles is 18 minutes before sunset on Friday evening. The earliest one may light the Shabbat candles is plag haminchah on Friday afternoon, which is one and a quarter daylight hours before the end of the day. The latest is just before sunset; after sunset, Shabbat has begun even if the candles have not been lit.
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When to light them
The time of candle-lighting is considered auspicious for private prayer. The earliest time Shabbat candles can be lit is plag haminchah on Friday afternoon, which is one and a quarter daylight hours before the end of the day. The latest time is just before sunset. After sunset, Shabbat has begun, and lighting a flame is forbidden. The customary time for candle lighting is 18 minutes before sunset.
Shabbat candles should be lit only by one person per home, with the priority order being wife, then husband, then children. Girls should not be encouraged to light Shabbat candles unless no parent is able to. Single people should light Shabbat candles in their homes if they will eat there. If a person is eating elsewhere, they should not light Shabbat candles at their own home unless they will be home for some time after dark while the candles are burning.
The candles must burn until at least dark, and someone must be there to see the light from the candles after dark. It is customary to light the candles on or near the table where the Shabbat dinner will be served.
The blessing is said after the candles are lit. To get around the restriction against kindling a flame on Shabbat, one lights the candles and then covers their eyes while saying the blessing.
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Who should light them
The tradition of lighting Shabbat candles is a rabbinically mandated law. Typically, the woman of the household lights the candles on behalf of her family. This is because, in Jewish tradition, women are thought to be more naturally attuned to spirituality, and it is their primary responsibility to infuse spirituality into their homes.
If a married woman is unable to light the candles, her husband or an older child will light them. Single women and single men light candles on their own, unless their mothers light them on their behalf. In households with no adult women, a man takes responsibility for lighting the candles. In contemporary egalitarian families, any adult in the house may light the candles, and it is often done by the family all together.
A widow continues to light two candles. A wife lighting Shabbat candles in a place other than her own home lights only two candles, even if she normally lights more in her own home.
It is customary for any married woman to light candles wherever she will eat. Unmarried women do not need to light their own candles, but they are not prohibited from doing so.
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Blessing the candles
The blessing is recited either before or after the candles are lit, depending on the custom being followed. In Ashkenazi custom, the candles are lit before the blessing is recited, whereas in the Sefardic tradition, the blessing is recited before the candles are lit.
The blessing is recited as follows:
> Blessed are You, Lord our G‑d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to kindle the light of the holy Shabbat.
The blessing can also be said in Hebrew:
> Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu, Melech ha'olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu l'hadlik ner shel Shabbat.
The candles should be lit before the official starting time of Shabbat, which is generally 18 or 20 minutes before sunset. In some places, the customary time is earlier, for example, 30 minutes before sunset in Haifa and 40 minutes in Jerusalem.
At least two candles should be lit, representing "shamor" ("keep") and "zakhor" ("remember"), the first words of the commandments concerning Shabbat. It is permissible to light more than two candles, and some people light an additional candle for each child in the family.
After the blessing, you can softly utter prayers for yourself or others. You should not make use of the light, such as by eating or reading by it, as this may be considered a wasted and invalidated blessing.
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How to make a Havdalah candle
Havdalah is a ceremony that marks the end of Shabbat and the beginning of a new week. The ceremony involves tasting wine or grape juice, smelling fragrant spices, and lighting a braided candle with multiple wicks. The candle symbolises the unity, strength and diversity of the Jewish people.
To make your own Havdalah candle, you will need wax sheets, wicks, and a hairdryer. You can also use beeswax and make your own wicks. Here is a step-by-step guide:
- Select the colours you want for your candle. Each colour will represent one braid. For example, warm colours like red, orange, and yellow are perfect for the harvest season, while cool tones like blue and green are beautiful for seedtime.
- Cut the wax sheets into 2-inch-wide strips. You can also cut the sheets into 5"x 5" squares and roll them into cylinders, as an alternative method.
- Cut the wicks 1 inch longer than the wax strips.
- Using a hairdryer, warm each wax strip slightly, just enough to make it pliable without melting.
- Place a wick in the centre of each strip and gently roll it into a candle strand. If the wax crumbles, it’s too cold; if it sticks to the surface, it’s too warm.
- Lay the strands side by side and warm them briefly with the hairdryer so they stick together at the top.
- Braid the strands, reheating as necessary to prevent breaking. For a 5-strand braid, focus on moving the outermost strands toward the centre.
Your Havdalah candle is now ready to be lit and enjoyed!
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Frequently asked questions
The earliest time to light Shabbat candles is plag haminchah on Friday afternoon, which is one and a quarter daylight hours before the end of the day. The latest time is 18 minutes before sunset.
The mitzvah of lighting candles has been given especially to women, but it is an obligation for every home. Single girls and women light one candle, and after marriage, women light two. As soon as a young girl can understand the significance of Shabbat, she should kindle her own Shabbat candle.
It is customary to give some coins to charity before lighting the candles. You should also place a large sheet of foil or a baking sheet underneath the candles as a safety precaution.
Light the candles on or near the table where the Shabbat dinner will be served. After lighting, do not put out the match. Instead, drop it on a fireproof surface or give it to someone who has not yet accepted Shabbat. Use your hands to shield your eyes from the flames and recite the blessing.
The blessing is: "Blessed are You, Lord our G‑d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to kindle the light of the holy Shabbat."
