Chloe Adams
Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, involves the lighting of candles as part of the ritual. The lighting of candles is a significant part of Jewish customs and traditions. For Yom Kippur, it is customary to light two holiday candles, similar to Shabbat, and a Yahrzeit candle in memory of a deceased parent. The Yahrzeit candle is lit before sunset, and the blessing is recited, commemorating how fire was created from new. The candle is known as a 'ner neshama' or 'soul light' in Hebrew and is meant to burn for the entire 24–25 hours of Yom Kippur.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the candle | Ner neshama (soul light) |
| Time of lighting | At least 18 minutes before sunset |
| Who lights the candle | All women and girls or, if there isn't a woman in the house, the head of the household |
| Blessing recited | "Blessed are You, L‑rd, our G‑d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and has commanded us to light the (Shabbat and) Yom Kippur candles." |
| Duration of burning | 24 hours |
| Type of candle | Havdala candles have at least 2 adjacent or intertwined wicks, whereas yahrtzeit candles have a single wick |
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What You'll Learn
- A 24-hour candle is lit before Yom Kippur and is known as a ner neshama (soul light)
- A Yizkor candle is lit before the formal Yom Kippur candles to remember loved ones
- Yahrzeit candles are lit before the holiday candles to remember deceased parents
- Havdala candles are lit after Yom Kippur and have at least two wicks
- The blessing for the candle lighting is found in any edition of the High Holiday prayer book
A 24-hour candle is lit before Yom Kippur and is known as a ner neshama (soul light)
Yom Kippur is the Jewish Day of Atonement. It is customary to light candles on this day, with the custom being to light a candle each year as Yizkor, the remembrance prayer, is also recited. The candle is lit before each holiday when Yizkor is said.
The Yizkor candle is lit before the formal Yom Kippur candles by those who will be remembering loved ones no longer living. There is no blessing recited for the lighting of the Yizkor candle, although many prayer books include appropriate devotional material to recite just before lighting.
The blessing for the lighting of the Yom Kippur candles is as follows:
> בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אַדֹנָ-י אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל (שַׁבָּת וְשֶׁל) יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים · Bah-rookh ah-tah ah-doh-noi eh-loh-hay-noo meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm, ah-shehr ki-deh-shah-noo beh-mitz-voh-tahv veh-tzee-vah-noo leh-hahd-lik nayr shehl [if Yom Kippur is on Shabbat add: shah-bahtveh-shehl] yohm hah-kee-poo-rim. Blessed are You, L‑rd, our G‑d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and has commanded us to kindle the light of [if Yom Kippur is on Shabbat add: Shabbat and] Yom Kippur.
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A Yizkor candle is lit before the formal Yom Kippur candles to remember loved ones
Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, involves a candle-lighting ritual. It is customary for all women and girls (or, in the absence of women, the head of the household) to light candles at least 18 minutes before sunset. The candle, known in Hebrew as a ner neshama (soul light), should burn for the entire duration of Yom Kippur.
The Yizkor candle is a special candle lit before the formal Yom Kippur candles by those who will be remembering loved ones who have passed away. There is no blessing recited when lighting the Yizkor candle, although prayer books often include devotional material to be read before the candle is lit.
The Yahrzeit candle is another candle lit before the formal Yom Kippur candles. This candle is lit in memory of a deceased parent. It is customary for the Yahrzeit candle to burn for the entire 24 or 25 hours of the holiday. The Yahrzeit candle is often packaged inside a glass jar and is readily available for purchase at Judaica stores, many supermarkets, and online.
The lighting of candles is a significant part of Jewish customs and traditions. Candles are lit to welcome the Shabbat on Friday evenings at sundown, and again to conclude the Shabbat. During Jewish holidays, candles are lit to mark the transition to sacred time.
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Yahrzeit candles are lit before the holiday candles to remember deceased parents
Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, involves a candle-lighting ritual. It is customary to light a candle before the start of the fast on Yom Kippur and before sunset on other holidays. This candle is known as the Yahrzeit candle and is lit to remember the deceased. The Yahrzeit candle is lit before the holiday candles and is a way to remember deceased parents.
The Yahrzeit candle is lit in memory of a parent who has passed away, and it is intended to burn for the full 24 or 25 hours of the holiday. The candle is lit before sunset, and once lit, it should be left to extinguish on its own. The lighting of this candle is a time for family and friends to gather and share anecdotes about their loved one, reflecting on their legacy. The Yiddish word "Yahrzeit" means "anniversary" or "time of year". It originates from the German words "Jahr", meaning "year", and "Zeit", meaning "time".
The Yahrzeit candle is different from the Shiva candle, which is lit immediately following a person's death and burns for seven days. The Yahrzeit candle is also distinct from the Havdalah candle, which has multiple wicks, while the Yahrzeit candle has a single wick. The Havdalah candle is lit after Yom Kippur, as cooking and adjusting the size of a flame are forbidden during the holiday. The blessing recited while holding the Havdalah candle acknowledges the creation of fire:
> Blessed are you, L‑rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who creates the lights of fire.
The Yahrzeit candle is lit before the formal Yom Kippur candles, and no blessing is recited during its kindling. However, prayer books often include devotional material that can be recited before lighting the memorial candle. The Yahrzeit candle is reminiscent of the fragility of life and serves as a bright reminder of the legacy of the deceased.
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Havdala candles are lit after Yom Kippur and have at least two wicks
Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, involves a candle-lighting ritual. The custom is to light a candle each year as Yizkor, the remembrance prayer, is also said on Yom Kippur. The candle is lit before the holiday when Yizkor is said. The Yizkor candle is lit in memory of loved ones no longer living.
The Havdala candle, which is lit after Yom Kippur, has at least two wicks. This candle is lit after the 24-hour Yom Kippur candle has been lit and left to extinguish on its own. The blessing for the Havdala candle is:
> "Blessed are you, L‑rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who creates the lights of fire."
This blessing is said on Saturday night, as it is believed that Adam created fire for the first time on a Saturday night. The Havdala candle is different from the post-Shabbat candle, which commemorates the creation of fire. The post-Yom Kippur Havdala candle is about the idea that fire was forbidden during the holiday and is now permitted.
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The blessing for the candle lighting is found in any edition of the High Holiday prayer book
Yom Kippur is a Jewish holiday during which candle-lighting plays a significant role. The custom is to light candles at least 18 minutes before sunset, and the blessing for the candle lighting can be found in any edition of the High Holiday prayer book.
The blessing in the prayer book is as follows:
> בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה׳ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּֽנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים
This translates to:
> Praised are You, Adonai, our God, Sovereign of the universe, who, sanctifying us with divine commandments, has commanded us to light the Yom Kippur lamp.
If Yom Kippur coincides with Shabbat, the blessing concludes:
> ...לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל שַׁבָּת וְשֶׁל יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים
Which translates to:
> ...to kindle the light of Shabbat and Yom Kippur.
In addition to the formal Yom Kippur candles, a special Yizkor candle is lit by those remembering loved ones who are no longer living. This candle is lit just before the formal Yom Kippur candles, and there is no blessing recited for this candle. However, many prayer books include appropriate devotional material to recite before lighting the memorial candle.
The Yahrzeit candle is another candle that is lit before Yom Kippur. This candle is lit before sunset and burns for 24 hours, commemorating the fragility of life and remembering the legacy of loved ones who have passed away.
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Frequently asked questions
The candle-lighting ritual is a sacred part of Jewish customs and traditions. The lighting of candles symbolises the transition to a sacred time during the Jewish Day of Atonement.
The candle, known as a ner neshama (soul light) in Hebrew, is lit at home and should burn for the entire 24 to 25 hours of Yom Kippur.
The blessing, found in any edition of the High Holiday prayer book, is as follows:
> "Blessed are You, L‑rd, our G‑d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and has commanded us to light the Yom Kippur lamp."
The candle is lit after the Yom Kippur meal, just as candles are lit on Friday nights. Women and girls, or the head of the household if there is no woman present, light the candles at least 18 minutes before sunset.
In addition to the Yom Kippur candle, a Yizkor candle is lit by those who will be remembering loved ones who have passed away. A Yahrzeit candle may also be lit in memory of a deceased parent before the Yom Kippur holiday candle.
