Note: These Halachos are just as important for men to learn and know, as they are for women.
When Reading in Shul, DO NOT Read During Davening or Krias HaTorah
...Continued from previous week
1) Although the obligation to light Shabbos candles in every Jewish home is for both men and women, traditionally it has become a Mitzvah for the women to light and thus exempt their husbands and other members of the household.
One reason cited for this Mitzvah being the woman’s Mitzvah is a practical one: the woman is in charge of the household needs and is more often found at home thus this household Mitzvah was given to her. (Shulchan Aruch Siman 263:3)
Another reason given, based on the teachings of kabbalah, for this Mitzvah “belonging” to women is as follows: The first woman, Chava, Eve, extinguished the candle of the world, i.e. she caused Adam to sin, and thereby darkened his soul (which is likened to a candle as the Posuk, Mishlei 20:27, states “Ner Hashem Nishmas Adam - the candle of Hashem is the soul of man”) and caused death to descend on mankind. Therefore, as a rectification for the first sin, woman-kind has been given the task of once again illuminating the world, via the kindling of the Shabbos lights. (See Mishna Berura Siman 263 S”K 12)
2) Since the man of the house is also obligated in the performance of this Mitzvah, he should prepare the candles for the woman by inserting the candles/oil into the candelabra or similar preparations, to at least have some part in the Mitzvah. (Mishna Berura Siman 263 S”K 12). Many men also have the Minhag of preparing the candles by lighting them and then extinguishing them, thus making them kindle easier when the woman later lights them for Shabbos.
3) In the event that there is no woman present in the home to light, the man of the house is obligated to light Shabbos candles. If an older daughter, above the age of Bas Mitzvah, is present in the home there is a debate amongst the Poskim as to who takes precedence, the man of the house, as it is his obligation, or his daughter, as she is a female and this mitzvah is traditionally performed by females when possible. Rav Moshe Feinstein Zatzal rules that the man of the house takes precedence. (Ruling quoted in “The Radiance of Shabbos” by Rav Simcha Bunim Cohen Shlita, page 7. See also Shmiras Shabbos K’Hilchaso Perek 43 footnote 46)
Other Poskim maintain that either of them can light the main candles and recite the Bracha and exempt the other one, and the other should kindle the lights in the other rooms of the home as those are also a component of the Mitzvah. (Ruling of Rav Nissim Karelitz Zatzal quoted in Or Haner Perek 1:4 footnote 25)
4) A girl below the age of Bas Mitzvah may not exempt the household with the lighting of Shabbos candles. (See Shulchan Aruch Siman 675:3 and Shmiras Shabbos K’Hilchaso Perek 43:48)
Thus, even in those homes where the custom is for all the girls to light their own Shabbos candles, as is the Chabad minhag and as was the custom in various communities in pre-war Europe, still if the mother or older daughter is not present, the man of the house will need to light and he cannot rely on the candles of the girls below the age of twelve, as their lighting is only for Chinuch purposes and not obligatory.
5) It is a praiseworthy custom for women to put a few coins (or dollar bills) into the Tzedakah box before lighting the Shabbos candles. Many women have set aside a special “Erev Shabbos pushka, charity box” for this purpose. (See Kitzur Shulchan Aruch Siman 75:2. See also Kaf HaChaim Siman 263:34 that for kabalistic reasons it is good to specifically give three coins to Tzedakah at this time.)
6) It is proper for every Jewish woman, after she kindles and recites the Bracha on the Shabbos candles, to daven to Hashem to bless her with children who will illuminate the world with their Torah, i.e. children who are Talmidei Chachamim, Torah scholars. (See Mishna Berura Siman 263 S”K 2)
Women who experience difficult labor when giving birth, and especially women that have not yet merited having children, should recite the Haftarah of the first day of Rosh Hashanah [which details the story of Chana's childlessness and her ultimate giving birth to her son Shmuel the prophet] each Friday evening after lighting the Shabbos candles. This Segulah works best when the woman understands what she is saying, and not simply reading words without meaning. (See Kitzur Shulchan Aruch ibid.)
7) Most women of Ashkenazi descent, and even many of Sephardic lineage as well, light the Shabbos candles and only then recite the Bracha, as their recitation of the Bracha is considered for them as accepting Shabbos and thus they may not kindle the lights or do any other prohibited Melachos after the Bracha was recited.
As long as the Bracha was not yet recited, even though the candles were all lit, according to many Poskim it is not yet considered Shabbos for her, and thus she may extinguish the match with which she kindled the candles, or do any other Melacha for that matter. (See Aruch HaShulchan Siman 263:14 and Biur Halacha Siman 263:1 end of Dibur Hamaschil Shtei Pesilos.). Other Poskim, however, maintain that immediately upon lighting the candles, it is considered for her an acceptance of Shabbos, and she may not do any Melachos, even though she did not yet recite the Bracha. Thus, many women have the custom to not extinguish the match with which they lit the candles, rather they place it carefully on the tray and let it go out by itself, or in some households, the husband or another member of the household takes the lit match from her and extinguishes it. (See Shmiras Shabbos K’Hilchasa Perek 43 footnote 179. See also Ben Ish Chai; year 2 Parashas Noach Siman 8 and Kaf HaChaim Siman 263:62)
8) Once a woman kindles [and recites the Bracha over] the Shabbos candles it is Shabbos for her even if it is still before sunset on Friday afternoon. (See Shulchan Aruch and Rama Siman 263:10. In cases of great necessity she may sometimes light candles and stipulate that she is not accepting Shabbos with this lighting, and then she would be allowed to do Melachos after lighting. However, a Rav must be consulted to determine if this stipulation works for her in the first place in her particular situation. See Shulchan Aruch Siman 263:4)
A woman who regularly davens Mincha, must make sure to do so before she lights the Shabbos candles. If she did not daven before lighting, she may not daven afterwards, as it is already Shabbos for her and she can no longer say the Mincha of Friday. (See Mishna Berura Siman 263:43)
...To be continued B’Ezras Hashem next week
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The Halachos are based on my personal understanding of the Halachic texts quoted, and are for learning purposes only, NOT for Psak Halacha. If you have questions or require further source information, please email [email protected] and I will try to respond as soon as I can. For a Halacha L’Ma’aseh Psak, please contact your local Orthodox Rav.
