Shabbat candles

Rava said: It is obvious to me that there is a fixed list of priorities. When a person is poor and must choose between purchasing oil to light a Shabbat lamp for his home or purchasing oil to light a Hanukkah lamp, the Shabbat lamp for his home takes precedence. That is due to peace in his home; without the light of that lamp, his family would be sitting and eating their meal in the dark. Similarly, if there is a conflict between acquiring oil to light a lamp for his home and wine for the sanctification [kiddush] of Shabbat day, the lamp for his home takes precedence due to peace in his home.

The Gemara relates that Rav Yosef’s wife would kindle the Shabbat lights late. Rav Yosef said to her: Wasn’t it taught in a baraita with regard to the verse: “The pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, departed not from before the people” (Exodus 13:22), this teaches that the pillar of cloud would overlap with the pillar of fire? The pillar of fire would appear slightly before nightfall. And the pillar of fire would overlap with the pillar of cloud, as well. The pillar of cloud would appear slightly before daybreak. Therefore, in lighting the Shabbat lights it is also appropriate to light earlier, beginning Shabbat slightly before dark on Shabbat eve. She thought to kindle the lights much earlier, on Shabbat eve, long before nightfall. An Elder said to her, we learned: As long as he neither lights too early nor too late.

(1) The kindling of a lamp on Shabbat is not optional that if one wants, one kindles and if one does not want, one does not kindle. And it is not a commandment that we are not obligated to pursue until one has done it, for example an eruv for courtyards or lifting (i.e. washing) the hands before eating; rather, it is an obligation. And both men and women are equally obligated that a lamp be kindled in their houses on Shabbat. Even if one does not have anything he will [be able to] eat, he begs at the doors [of neighbors] and takes oil and kindles the lamp since this is [included] in the rule of enjoyment on Shabbat. And one is obligated to bless before the kindling: "Blessed are You LORD our God, King of the universe who makes us holy with His commandments and commands us to kindle a Shabbat lamp" in the way that one blesses over all things which one is obligated [to do] by the words of the Sages.

(1) And he should be cautious to make a fine lamp, as R. Huna said: One who is regular [to light] a Shabbat lamp, to strive to perform this, and to make it attractive, will have sons who are scholars. And there are those who make two wicks, one to correspond with "Remember" and one to correspond with "Observe." But if he cannot afford to buy a lamp for Shabbat and a lamp for Hannukah, Shabbat takes priority. Similarly if he cannot afford to buy a candle and wine for Kiddush, the candle takes priority because of domestic tranquility, for there is no domestic tranquility without a lamp. And he should not hurry to light it while the day is still long, for then it won't be known that he lights it for the honor of Shabbat. Nor should he light late. And when he lights he blesses: Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe who has sancitified us with his commandments and commanded us to light the Sabbath lamp....And there are those who says that we should not recite a blessing over it, and they explain that if the lamp was already lit he need not extinguish it in order to go back and light it again, nor need he light another lamp. But this is not a good reason, for with regard to covering the blood [of a bird or wild animal that was slaughtered] we taught: If the wind covered [the blood] he need not go back and cover it again, and nevertheless we bless the covering. Furthermore, Rabbenu Tam said that if it was already lit he must extinguish it and go back and light it again. For an elder said: We have taught: As long as he doesn't do it too early or too late. And so too wrote Rav Amram: One who lights the Shabbat candle blesses. And so too wrote the Halakhot Gedolot that the acceptance of Shabbat is dependent upon the lighting of the candle, for once he has lit the Shabbat candle Shabbat has begun for him.

1)One should be careful to make a beautiful candle, and there are some who aim to light two wicks, one for "Remember the Sabbath" and the other for "Keep the Sabbath."

Rema: And you can add 3 or 4 candles,. There is a custom for a woman who forgot once to light, that she should light 3 candles for the rest of her life. And the most important is that the number should not be less.

2) Even if one does not have what to eat, he/she should go door-to-door and ask for oil and light the candle, as this is a clear example of enjoying the Sabbath

4) And if they choose to light the candle the day before, and to accept the Sabbath upon themselves immediately, this is allowed as long as it is late afternoon on Friday.

Rema: If a lamp is already lit before the time appropriate for lighting, you should extinguish it and relight it for the sake of Shabbat

5) Rema: There are those who say you bless the candles before you light, and those who say you bless the candles after you light. But in order to not get enjoyment from the candles until after the blessing, we put our hands over the candle after lighting it and we bless, and then we raise the hand in order to gain enjoyment from the candle, and that is the tradition.