זוהר הקדוש – Bereishis 48b – “נר של שבת”
The candles of Shabbos were given to the women of the holy nation of Klal Yisroel to light, because it was a woman who put out the light of the world. This refers to Chava, for she caused Odom to sin and eat from the Eitz Hada’as, which put out the “light” of his Neshama, as the Posuk says, “נר ד' נשמת אדם” –Odom Harishon was comprised of all the Neshomos which would come forth in the future. Thus, Chava extinguished the light of the entire world – and she needs to rekindle it. (The Sod of this is that the Shechinah is the Malkah of the world, and the Neshomos which are Neiros, serve the Shechinah. This is why it is specifically the wife, who is the Malkah, the queen, of her house, is to light the candles, and not the husband – for the Neiros serve her, just as the Shechinah is the queen and gives light to the Neshomos of Klal Yisroel). The woman is to light the candles with great joy and great desire, for it is a great honor for her that she is compared to the Shechinah, the Malkah, and that is why she is Zoche to light them. This is also a great Zechus for woman to be Zoche to holy children who will illuminate the world with their Torah, and she also brings a Zechus to her husband to give him long life. For these reasons, a woman should be very careful and meticulous with this great Mitzvah of lighting the candles before Shabbos.
