Tyler Brooks
The lighting of two Shabbat candles is a rabbinically mandated law. The candles are lit on Friday evening before sunset to usher in the Jewish Sabbath. The two candles represent the duality of Shabbat, with one candle symbolizing the remembrance of the Sabbath (zachor or remember the Sabbath day from Exodus 20:8) and the other symbolizing the observance of the Sabbath (shamor or observe the Sabbath day from Deuteronomy 5:12). The lighting of the candles is meant to bring peace and joy into the home, and they are traditionally lit by the woman of the household.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of candles | Two |
| Colour of candles | White |
| Who lights the candles | Woman of the household |
| Time to light the candles | Before sunset on Friday |
| Symbolism | Joy of the holiday, honour, duality of Shabbat, remembrance and observance of the Sabbath |
| Other reasons | To drive away evil spirits, to bring peace and harmony, to dignify the Sabbath |
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What You'll Learn
The two candles represent the joy of the holiday and the honour we accord it
Lighting candles before Shabbat is a rabbinically mandated law. The candles are lit on Friday evening before sunset to usher in the Jewish Sabbath. The lighting of the candles is traditionally done by the woman of the household, but every Jew is obligated to either light them or ensure that they are lit on their behalf. The number of candles lit varies, with some families lighting more than two, adding a candle for each additional member of the family.
The two candles also symbolise the duality of Shabbat. One candle symbolises remembering the Sabbath, as in Exodus 20:8, "remember the Sabbath day", and the other symbolises observing the Sabbath, as in Deuteronomy 5:12, "observe the Sabbath day". These two verses appear in the two iterations of the Ten Commandments in the Torah. The practice of lighting the candles may have evolved from the prohibition against kindling a flame on Shabbat, which led people to light a flame before the beginning of Shabbat.
The lighting of Shabbat candles is also associated with the concept of light as a primary building block of the universe and a symbol of harmony and domestic tranquility. According to the Talmud, the Shabbat candles should be lit in the place where we dine, as "a meal is of no account where there is no light". The candles are lit before the official starting time of Shabbat, which varies from place to place but is generally 18 to 20 minutes before sunset.
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They symbolise the duality of Shabbat
The lighting of two Shabbat candles is a rabbinically mandated law. The candles must be lit before the official start of Shabbat, which is generally 18 or 20 minutes before sunset. The act of lighting the candles symbolises the duality of Shabbat.
The two candles represent the joy of the holiday and the honour accorded to it. One candle symbolises the remembrance of the Sabbath day, and the other symbolises the observance of the Sabbath day. The duality of Shabbat is also reflected in the fact that the Sabbath day is sanctified publicly by blowing the shofar and privately by kindling lights.
The lighting of the candles is traditionally done by the woman of the household, but every Jew is obligated to either light or ensure that candles are lit on their behalf. The candles are lit to bring increased peace into the home, and to hasten the final redemption, when there will be peace in the entire world.
The practice of lighting Shabbat candles is an ancient one, and it is mentioned in the Torah. The Midrash tells us that God says, "If you kindle the Shabbat lights, I will show you the marvellous radiance that will shine upon Jerusalem at the final redemption." This indicates that the lighting of the candles is a way to bring about peace and redemption.
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They represent the husband and wife
The lighting of candles is a crucial part of the Shabbat ritual. It is customary to light at least two candles before the official start of Shabbat, which is generally 18 to 20 minutes before sunset on Friday evening. The act of lighting the candles is known as licht bentschen ("light-blessing") or licht tsinden ("light-kindling") in Yiddish.
One of the reasons for lighting two candles is to represent the husband and wife. Before marriage, girls or single women light only one candle, and upon marriage, they begin lighting two. This tradition is also reflected in the custom of some families to light a candle for each household member.
The lighting of the Shabbat candles is a way to dignify the Sabbath and bring peace and a celebratory atmosphere into the home. In the past, when there was no electric lighting, lighting candles served the practical purpose of illuminating spaces, especially during meals. Today, the candles continue to be lit in the place where people dine, as a meal "is of no account where there is no light," according to Rashi's commentary on the Talmud.
The Shabbat candles are also lit to symbolise the duality of Shabbat, representing the joy of the holiday and the honour accorded to it. The act of lighting the candles is a transformative one, bringing a touch of eternity to the mundane spaces of our homes.
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They bring peace and gratitude to homes
Lighting candles is a rabbinically mandated law and a sacred ritual in the Jewish community. The lighting of Shabbat candles is a way to bring increased peace and gratitude into homes. The candles are lit on Friday evening before sunset to usher in the Jewish Sabbath. The practice is traditionally carried out by the woman of the household, but every Jew is obligated to either light or ensure that candles are lit on their behalf. The ritual is a meaningful moment to reflect on the week that is ending, cultivate a sense of peace and gratitude, and think of loved ones near and far.
The lighting of two Shabbat candles, each with a single wick, is intended to imbue the mundane space of our homes with a touch of eternity. One candle symbolizes remembering the Sabbath or "zachor" ("remember the Sabbath day" from Exodus 20:8), and the other symbolizes observing the Sabbath or "shamor" ("observe the Sabbath day" from Deuteronomy 5:12). These two verses appear in the two iterations of the Ten Commandments in the Torah. The duality of the candles also corresponds to husband and wife in some interpretations.
The act of lighting the Shabbat candles is believed to hasten the final redemption, bringing peace to the entire world. This ritual is also associated with driving away evil spirits, demons, and all that come from Lilith, as mentioned in an early modern Yiddish prayer. The lighting of the candles creates an atmosphere of tranquility and gratitude, enhancing the holiness of the day and bringing peace to the home and the wider world.
The number of candles lit can vary depending on family customs and traditions. Some families light more than two candles, adding a candle for each additional member of the family. In some traditions, single girls or women light only one candle until marriage, after which they light two. The lighting of Shabbat candles is a sacred tradition that brings peace and gratitude to homes, uniting families and creating a sense of harmony and spirituality.
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They are lit before sunset on Friday evening to usher in the Jewish Sabbath
The lighting of two Shabbat candles is a rabbinically mandated law. The candles are lit before sunset on Friday evening to usher in the Jewish Sabbath. The official starting time of Shabbat varies from place to place, but it is generally 18 or 20 minutes before sunset. In Haifa, the custom is to light the candles 30 minutes before sunset, and in Jerusalem, 40 minutes before. The candles are traditionally lit by the woman of the household, but every Jew is obligated to either light them or ensure that they are lit on their behalf.
The lighting of the candles is a way to dignify the Sabbath. Before the advent of electric lighting, it was necessary to light lamps to create an appropriate environment for the Sabbath meal. The candles are said to bring increased peace into people's homes. According to one Yiddish prayer, the candles are meant to "burn bright and clear to drive away the evil spirits, demons, and all that come from Lilith".
The two candles hold symbolic significance. One candle symbolizes remembering the Sabbath ("zahor"), as in Exodus 20:8, "Remember the Sabbath day". The other candle symbolizes observing the Sabbath ("shamor"), as in Deuteronomy 5:12, "Observe the Sabbath day". These two verses appear in the two iterations of the Ten Commandments in the Torah. The lighting of the candles also symbolizes the duality of Shabbat.
The practice of lighting Shabbat candles is believed to have ancient roots. According to Tobiah ben Eliezer, the custom was adopted by Israel from the time of Moses. Genesis Rabbah relates that "For all the days that Sarah lived, the Sabbath lamp stayed lit until the next Sabbath eve, and for Rebecca it did the same". Some believe that the Jews adopted this custom from the Persians, while others argue that it was instituted by the Pharisees to protest against superstition or the refusal to have any light on the Sabbath.
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Frequently asked questions
The lighting of the two Shabbat candles is a rabbinically mandated law. The candles are lit to bring peace and dignity to the Sabbath. The two candles represent the joy of the holiday and the honour accorded to it.
The two candles represent the duality of Shabbat. One candle symbolises remembering the Sabbath ("zachor", Exodus 20:8) and the other symbolises observing the Sabbath ("shamor", Deuteronomy 5:12).
The candle-lighting is traditionally done by the woman of the household. However, every Jew is obligated to either light or ensure that candles are lit on their behalf.
The candles are lit on Friday evening before sunset. The official starting time of Shabbat varies from place to place but is generally 18 to 20 minutes before sunset.
The candles are usually lit in the place where the family will be dining. The ritual is a meaningful moment to reflect on the week that has passed, to cultivate a sense of peace and gratitude, and to think of loved ones.
