Torah · Halacha YomitLaws of Shabbat Candle Lighting - Part 3Rabbi Uri Nahum · August 14, 2022 · Shabbat Candle Lighting 3-15Play+30Position0:00—Save⌄ShareA Shabbat halacha class with Rabbi Uri Nahum.Recorded by BSD Productions.Transcript0:00www.jrootradio.com, the preferred radio station for the Jewish home.0:06Welcome to Halacha Hour here on JRoot Radio at 97.5 FM.0:13Here we're here on live on Wednesday afternoons,0:17and if you're listening to this on Tuesday evenings at 100:20o'clock, you're listening to the rerun.0:22I hope you enjoy the show anyway.0:23It's a halacha show, be'ezrat Hashem. We discuss the halachot,0:26and right now we're specifically in the halachot of Shabbat,0:30the halachot of candle lighting,0:32hadlakat nerot, mitzvah hadlakat nerot on Erev Shabbat,0:35and as usual we learn from the Piskei the Ben0:38Ish Chai. Before we begin today,0:40I wanted to go over a few points that we mentioned in the past week, maybe two weeks,0:45and we mentioned in the past the idea of a knas.0:48A knas means a fine, or you could call it a tax.0:52Some people want to call it a punishment, whatever it is.0:55And we're going to clarify this point a little bit more0:57because I noticed that most of the questions that we're receiving1:00are specifically about that area of knas.1:02So therefore, before we begin,1:04I just want to say that if you have any questions or texts,1:08if you want to call in or text message regarding the subject of knas,1:12do it now,1:13and after we clarify the whole point,1:15we'll take the questions1:17and any points that we missed,1:19be'ezrat Hashem, we hope to clarify them.1:21Okay, the numbers to the station are,1:23to call in,1:27718-683-5858, and if you want to text in your question,1:29it's1:32347-927-8398. One more time, to call in for a question,1:37718-683-5858, and if you want to text in your question1:39right now specifically about the subject of knas,1:42it's1:45347-927-8398. Let's first define knas.1:47And then we'll be able to get into the1:52halacha. Knas, basically, in general,1:53what a knas means,1:55it's a fine, it's a tax or a punishment1:57for whatever it may be.1:59In the Torah, we find knas2:01where the Torah says2:02if a person commits a certain punishment,2:04a certain aveirah, a certain sin,2:05so he gets a knas.2:08In Hilchot of Halakat Nerot,2:10we find a very interesting knas.2:12The source of the knas2:14is from one of the rishonim,2:16one of the rabbis who lived about seven or eight hundred years ago,2:19and his name is the Maharil.2:21Maharil says something very interesting,2:23and he says2:24that a woman who misses candle lighting,2:27who forgets to light on Erev Shabbat,2:30on Friday afternoons,2:31she must add an additional candle2:33for the rest of her life.2:35She must fast and she must do vidui.2:37Now, most people are2:39aware of the first part of the Maharil,2:41that a woman who forgets candle lighting,2:43she has to light an extra candle for the rest of her life,2:46which means if she usually lights two candles,2:49then the rest of her life2:50she has to light three candles every Friday afternoon.2:52Okay, that's what the Maharil says,2:54and it seems to be she has to fast2:55and she has to do vidui.2:57The Darkei Moshe,2:58who is the Rav Moshe3:00Isserles, the Rama,3:01on the Beit Yosef,3:02over there on the words of Maharil,3:03he says3:05that these are chumrot rechokot.3:08I quote the exact words.3:10These are very far-out stringencies.3:11He's very machmir, the Maharil,3:13that a woman should add.3:14In fact, according to the Darkei Moshe,3:16he says if a woman usually lights two candles,3:18the two candles have a meaning.3:20They have3:21kavanot. The kavanah of the two candles,3:23like we mentioned last week,3:24is zachor3:25v'shamor, because it says in the Torah3:26two commandments about Shabbat.3:27One time it says zachor,3:29one time it says shamor,3:30and that's why we light two candles.3:32And like we saw, the Midrash3:33says everything on Shabbat is doubled.3:35There's a lechem3:36mishneh, there's3:38shnei kevasim, so therefore they have a3:39meaning. By adding, it might come out to be worse,3:42because now you don't have the meaning anymore.3:44You're lighting3:45three; you lost the meaning of the two candles.3:47So therefore, according to the Darkei Moshe, he says3:49these are chumrot rechokot.3:50Sometimes it's even worse.3:51However, he concludes.3:53The woman, we see3:54that they3:55followed the minhag. The women were noheg3:57to follow the Maharil,3:59that if they miss, this is what they do:4:00they light candles,4:02an extra candle every week.4:03Those are the words of Darkei Moshe.4:05Now, this is all brought down in the Rishonim.4:07Let's get now to the4:11halacha in Shulchan Aruch, because Sefardim or Ashkenazim4:12doesn't make a difference.4:12We all have to follow what it says in4:14Shulchan Aruch, and if you're Ashkenazi,4:15so you follow the way the Rama explains it.4:17When we get to4:19Shulchan Aruch, we find that Shulchan Aruch does not discuss4:23the subject of knas at all by candle lighting.4:26Maran doesn't bring it at all.4:27It doesn't bring it in the Beit Yosef.4:28It doesn't bring it in4:30Shulchan Aruch. However, the Rama writes,4:31listen to the words:4:35Ha'isha sheshachcha pa'am achat lehadlik. A woman who forgot to light one time,4:39madliket kol yemeiha gimel nerot.4:41From now on,4:41she has to light an additional candle,4:43which is three candles.4:44Why?4:45Didn't you tell me4:46you're not allowed to add?4:49You're changing from the kavanah,4:51zachor v'shamor. So the Rama explains himself.4:53He says,4:54Ki4:58yecholin lehosif al davar hamechuvan, neged davar acher, u'vilvad shelo yefchot. You're allowed to add on,4:59even though there's kavanah with two,5:00there's a special meaning5:02when you have two5:03candles. You're allowed to add on,5:05but you're not allowed to cut down.5:07Okay, so this is what the Rama brings down,5:10that a woman who forgets5:11has to follow.5:12There's a5:13knas, and she has to light an additional candle.5:15Now, what does it mean5:17she has to light an additional candle?5:18The simple meaning is that5:19she used to light two candles,5:21now she lights three.5:22She used to light all her life four candles,5:24now she lights five.5:26That's the simple meaning,5:27which means that if she would miss three times,5:29she started out her marriage5:31when she only lights two5:32candles. That's the minhag in her mother5:33and her grandmother's house,5:35and all of a sudden5:35now she misses three times.5:37So you come to her house,5:38you'll find on Erev Shabbat5:39she's going to light seven candles.5:41Every time she misses,5:41she adds an additional candle.5:43That's the simple explanation5:44of Darkei Moshe, of the Rama.5:46However, some of the5:49Acharonim explain a little bit more.5:50They give a little bit of a5:52different understanding of the5:53knas, of this punishment,5:54and they say like this.5:55The Eliyah Rabbah begins and he says,5:57not necessarily that she have to5:59light an additional candle.6:00She could add more oil6:02to the candles that she's lighting.6:04For example, if she has oil6:05that could last for three hours,6:08she should put6:09in—she missed one6:11day—she should put in oil6:12that lasts three hours and a quarter,6:14three and fifteen minutes,6:15three hours and a half, whatever it6:16is. She should add on to the oil that she lights.6:19If she lights with wax candles,6:21she should light with longer candles.6:23That's how the Eliyah Rabbah says.6:25And the Acharonim say that6:26we could rely on this6:27when a woman herself6:29cannot afford the candles;6:30it's very expensive for her.6:31Let's say6:32a poor woman,6:33she doesn't have so much income,6:34and it's hard for her.6:36You know, she missed Shabbat.6:36Okay, you're right,6:37she has to get the6:38knas, so let her only add6:40a little bit more oil.6:41She doesn't have to go ahead6:42and light a whole additional cup6:43or an additional wax candle.6:45The Chida says,6:47he himself also,6:48he repeats the words of the Darkei Moshe6:52that it's chumra yeseira, chumrot rechukot. Still he says,6:54better than lighting an additional candle.6:55The Chida says,6:56how much does it6:57cost for an additional candle every week?6:59An extra dollar,6:59whatever it may be.7:01Give that money to a poor woman7:02for her to light candles.7:05Instead of you lighting an extra candle,7:07give it to a poor woman7:08that she should do it.7:09Not one time,7:10but every week.7:11And then there's other7:12Acharonim that explain7:13that it doesn't necessarily have to be7:15by lighting the candles on Shabbat.7:17It could also be7:19any candle of a mitzvah.7:21What does it7:21mean, any candle mitzvah?7:22Well, to light candles7:23in the shul is a mitzvah.7:24Once upon a7:25time when there was no7:26electricity—believe it or not,7:27there was no electricity7:28once upon a7:29time—yeah, okay, there was no electricity.7:30They used to light candles.7:31They used to have light7:32only from candles.7:33She should donate7:34an additional candle7:35to the shul,7:36or she should7:37donate one of the candles in the shul7:38on Erev Shabbat.7:40Okay,7:40and it could be7:41with any ner mitzvah,7:43Yortzai, whatever it may be,7:44she should light7:45an extra additional candle.7:46That's how some7:47Acharonim explain the7:48Rama. Okay?7:49Now,7:49this is not across the board.7:52The question is,7:52we want to know,7:53okay, the Rama brings7:54it, so I understand7:55the Ashkenazim7:56are bound to it.7:57The question is,7:58what about the7:59Sefardim? Maran didn't bring it, so...8:00Who didn't bring it. And also, what about a woman? It's not her fault.8:04You know, she's a poor woman. She wasn't able to do it for some time.8:08Does this apply no matter what? If a woman misses candle lighting even one time,8:12she has to light it?8:13So for that, we find something—there's exceptions.8:16The first exception we find is something called8:18ones. Ones means it's completely out of control of the person.8:22Something went wrong and was not in the control of the person.8:25In our subject that we're talking about, candle lighting,8:27it's possible that a woman misses to light candles because out of8:31ones, meaning it wasn't her fault at all that she missed lighting candles.8:35It will give you a few examples.8:37For example, let's say a woman, lo aleinu, gets sick,8:40right? Has v'shalom, a woman gets sick. She has to be in bed or she has to be in the hospital.8:45So how can you blame her for not lighting candles?8:46Well, you want to get out of surgery and go light candles?8:49It's impossible. That's called8:50ones. You can't fine her. You can't give her a knas when she's sick.8:53Likewise, if a woman is tending to somebody who's sick,8:56and as a result of tending to the sick person, she can't light candles.8:59For example, she has to spend Shabbat in the hospital,9:03and she has to be 100% of the time next to her sick mother9:08because, you know, the nurses could just do whatever they want over there,9:11so therefore she has to be next to her sick mother the whole time,9:14so she didn't light candles.9:15You can't give her the knas either.9:17Why? Because that's9:18ones. Another example of9:20ones: the woman lit the candles, and what happened is all of a sudden,9:25something out of the blue, the kids came, they knocked down the candles,9:27or the candles, you know, they shut off on their own.9:31It wasn't her fault. She lit the candles.9:32She accepted Shabbat. Now she can't light candles anymore9:35because something blew them away.9:37She didn't put it next to the window.9:38Something happened and the candles shut off.9:41That's also ones. It's not in her control.9:42She did what she had to do,9:43even though there was no candles that were lit during Shabbat.9:46Still, that's considered ones, and we will not give her the knas either.9:51Another example that's brought down by the poskim is something9:53that's considered ones, something that's very, very far out9:57and completely not expected.9:59For example, you know, she was supposed to10:02get—she's flying from Israel, she's making a stopover. In some different country,10:07and when she went to make the stopover, she got stuck in the10:10airport, and she had to spend Shabbat in the airport.10:12She didn't like candles in the airport.10:13Trust me, you're not lighting any candles in the airport, okay?10:15So then she didn't like candles on Shabbat.10:18Does she get a knas?10:18And the answer is no.10:20She made her trip that she should leave and she should arrive Thursday night in Brooklyn,10:24and she got stuck in Germany or she got stuck in Turkey, whatever it may be,10:27and she couldn't get home. It was completely out of her control.10:30There was a storm, and she got delayed, and she got stuck in the airport.10:33She even had to spend Shabbat in the airport.10:34So that's something completely far out, okay?10:37Now, of course, there are many, many other examples of10:40ones, and the rabbi has to decide, if such a situation happens,10:43the rabbi will decide if this is considered ones or not,10:46and if the knas applies or not.10:49But besides ones, there's other exceptions also10:53that candles were not lit for Shabbat, that a person does not have the knas.10:57For example, if a man forgets to light.11:00Let's say a person who's single, a man, single, and he's living by himself.11:05Or in the cases where we're going to11:07learn—not today, in the upcoming classes we're going to11:10learn—about a person who is, who's even men are obligated to light candles,11:15and we mentioned that a little bit,11:17and he forgets to light.11:18The Acharonim bring down that we don't find such a knas by men.11:22The knas seems to be by women.11:23In fact, if you look at the words of Darkei Moshe,11:26the women are noheg like the Maharil.11:29It wasn't the men; it was the women who accepted upon themselves.11:31So we don't find a knas by men.11:32Even a man who lights every week two candles,11:35if he misses, if he forgot, he doesn't have to light an additional candle.11:38Also, here's another example.11:41Let's say a person is going to eat by somebody else's house.11:45A typical example: a couple or a family is going to eat by their11:49in-laws or they're going to eat by their parents,11:50and by the time they get to the house,11:52it was already too late.11:53It's right there, right before11:54shekiah. They get the stuff inside the house.11:56Baruch Hashem, at least they made it for Shabbat.11:58They're coming all the way from Lakewood to Brooklyn,12:00but they couldn't—the lady, the mother,12:03she didn't have time to light candles.12:04Meanwhile. Her mother, or her12:08mother-in-law, who is the baalat habayit, the owner of the house,12:10she did light candles.12:12So really, technically, when you learn the halachot later on,12:14when people go as guests,12:16technically, candles, one person could light the candles.12:19Just the minhag is that people also light when they go to eat by somebody else's house.12:22In such a case, also knas will not be applicable over here,12:25even according to the Ashkenazim.12:27Also, if a person forgets on Yom Tov,12:30if a person forgets to light candles on Yom Tov,12:32since technically on Yom Tov you're allowed to light,12:35it's only Shabbat you're not allowed to light.12:37So on Yom Tov you're allowed to light.12:38Also, we don't find a knas if people forgot on Yom Tov,12:42and therefore if a woman forgot to light on Yom Tov,12:44she does not have the knas,12:46and she doesn't have to light an additional candle every holiday or even every Shabbat.12:50Good?12:52And we find another exemption,12:54although not everybody agrees on this,12:56and that is when the electricity is on.12:58What does that mean, when the electricity12:59is on? This is now more practical to our days.13:02Let me tell you just, first of all,13:03a machloket between the Pri Megadim and the13:06Mishnah Berurah. There's a machloket in the following.13:07Last week somebody called in with the following question,13:10and we gave him the answer of the13:12Mishnah Berurah. We'll tell you why.13:13The question is as follows.13:14Let's say you have a custom of lighting six candles,13:18and now you lit,13:19but you forgot to light the amount of candles that you usually light.13:22You usually light six; this time you lit four,13:24you lit three, you lit five.13:25It doesn't make a difference,13:26but you cut down from the amount of13:28candles. Does this apply that a person should get a knas13:30that the next week he shouldn't?13:32So there's an opinion called the Pri Megadim,13:34that the Biur13:35Halacha, which is the Chafetz Chaim brings him down,13:37he says that the knas applies.13:40Yeah, because you lit five instead of six,13:42so therefore next week you have to light seven from now on.13:44However, the Biur13:47Halacha writes—I'm going to read you the words of the Biur Halacha from the13:49inside—he says like this:13:52Ve'lo nehira. This does not make sense.13:58D'chol zeh ein hu rak minhag. This whole thing of a knas14:02is only a minhag; it's only a custom.14:05There's no source for this in the Gemara.14:06We don't find any source in the Gemara.14:10Vehabu d'lo losif alei. Let's not be too machmir on this.14:12We don't have to be so stringent.14:13So according to Biur14:14Halacha, as long as there's somebody who lit anything,14:16there was some sort of light,14:17that's good enough to exempt the person from a knas.14:21So therefore, based on this,14:23if a person forgot to light candles in the house,14:26but the electricity was on14:27and therefore there was light in the house,14:29he wasn't sitting in darkness the whole time,14:31and I believe almost everybody in their house,14:33if even they forget to light candles,14:35if the woman forgets to light candles,14:36there's electricity.14:37So based on this,14:38a woman doesn't have to light additional candles next week.14:42She does not have the knas at all14:44because there was electricity.14:46However, not everybody agrees on this.14:48There are some who argue regarding electricity.14:53For the Sefardim, first of all,14:54you should know,14:55I have not seen any Sefardi that argues.14:58The main books,15:03Chacham Ovadia, zichrono livracha, Chacham Ben Tzion Abba Shaul, and Menuchat Ahavah, Rav Moshe Levi,15:05aleihem hashalom, all these three main15:07Sefardi poskim, all of them say15:08that as long as there was electricity on,15:10even if a woman forgot,15:11for sure the knas does not apply.15:14That's all the15:15Sefardim. Even amongst Ashkenazim,15:16a lot of them also say the same thing15:17based on this Mishnah15:18Berurah. Since the electricity was on,15:20there should be no problem.15:22However, even amongst Ashkenazim,15:23those who are15:24machmir, I'll just give you a few names:15:26Shevet HaLevi, which is Rav Shmuel15:28Wosner, one of the biggest poskim for the Ashkenazim,15:31still alive today, and Bnei Brak,15:32Shut Kinyan Torah,15:35Shut Lehorot Natan, Minchat Yitzchak. These are some examples of some rabbis nowadays who say15:40that even when electricity was on,15:42the knas still applies if she forgot15:44to light candles completely.15:48Okay, this is the opinion of some Ashkenazim.15:50Like I told you,15:52Sefardim, nobody is15:52machmir if the electricity was on.15:54However, everybody will agree on the following.15:57This is only if the electricity was on by itself.16:00And a person just forgot because, you know, forgot to light candles, and the electricity was not lit specifically for Shabbat.16:07However, if a woman comes and she specifically lights the lights for Shabbat,16:13for example, let's say you have a certain chandelier in the house that you'll only put on for Shabbat,16:17even though it's not in the living room, let's say it's not where you're eating.16:21Let's say you put it on in the living room and you're eating in the dining room,16:25two separate rooms,16:27but you will only put on that chandelier and that specific light for Shabbat.16:31Even though you didn't make a bracha on it, but you put it on already,16:36even if you forgot to light candles with the flame, the knas does not apply16:40because you did light for Shabbat.16:42So you didn't make a bracha. Bracha does not me'akev. Bracha doesn't hold back the mitzvah.16:46And not only that,16:47even if the woman didn't light, but her husband is the one who will put on.16:50He's in charge of the lights.16:51We're going to see soon that a husband should have some sort of responsibility in the house regarding the lights on Shabbat,16:57or before Shabbat, that is.16:59Still, since the husband put on the lights in order that they should have light specifically for Shabbat,17:05then we agree that there should be no knas at all either.17:09Okay?17:10Now, keep in mind regarding all this17:15knas, because I noticed a lot of people were asking specifically about the17:18knas, keep in mind the words of the17:20Biur Halacha, the Kemo she. It's a chumra. It's based on the17:23minhag. A person shouldn't sit on it so much.17:25Yes, you have to make sure you light the candles.17:27I'm not חס ושלום coming to be מזלזל in the mitzvah of candle lighting.17:30You have to make sure you light the candles,17:32and you have to make sure you set time for it,17:34but just don't drive yourself crazy about it if you missed it.17:37I remember one time, oh, there was a couple that I heard the story from the husband,17:43and he said a very nice thing.17:44His wife, they were newly married.17:46And they were eating by their in-laws or their parents.17:49Somebody warned the17:50parents, and by the time they got to the house, it was already right by17:53shkia. By the time they got into the house, it was already17:55shkia and it was too late to light candles.17:57And his wife was very, very upset.17:59It's their first year of marriage, and she missed candle lighting.18:01She just started the mitzvah a few months ago,18:03and now she missed it,18:04and she was very, very upset.18:05So her husband said something very smart.18:07He was a very smart man.18:08He told her the following.18:08He said, So what are you going to do now?18:10You're going to ruin your Shabbat?18:11You can sit there and be sad throughout the whole Shabbat and not be happy on Shabbat?18:14Don't ruin the Shabbat.18:15So you missed one mitzvah, big deal.18:17You have other mitzvot to do on Shabbat.18:19And that's the same message we give to everybody who misses Shabbat.18:22Okay, so you're right.18:23You should have been more careful,18:25and next week make sure you set special time to go light candles.18:29But don't ruin the rest of your Shabbat and the rest of your Shabbatot18:32because you missed this mitzvah,18:34especially when you have candles in the house as well.18:36Okay, so that's what we give the message to all the ladies.18:40At the same time, we do tell you that Shabbat is going to become shorter and18:44shorter. This Motzaei Shabbat already we're going to turn back the clock,18:49and Shabbat next week is going to be an hour and 15 minutes earlier than this week.18:53And therefore, ladies have to know that it gets very, very rushed in.18:57Right before Shabbat, things happen,18:59and they have to designate time that they should go and light the candles19:03and put an alarm in the house,19:05put an alarm on your phone or something as a reminder,19:08and everything should drop to go to light the candles,19:12so this way that you don't miss on this great mitzvah.19:15Okay,19:16in the case where it was already shkia at sunset and a woman cannot light,19:23it's already too late,19:24but still19:26b'di'eved, is there something to do about it or not?19:28We'll talk about, b'ezrat Hashem, when we get up to Hilchot Tet19:31in the Ben Ish Chai. Okay, so that's one point we want to clarify in the19:35Kness. I don't know how to check the text19:38messages. I don't know if we're getting text messages or not.19:40So if there are messages, I apologize right now.19:44I'll check it out for you,19:45how to check text messages.19:47Text.19:50So if there's any text messages, we'll take it soon.19:53If there's any phone calls, call in now,19:55and we'll answer the questions about19:57Knas. Another point that I wanted to clarify,19:58I got a few questions on it also last week.20:01Last week we mentioned that a20:05person—we mentioned last week that a person who is coming to light,20:09the lady who's coming to light or the husband that's coming to light,20:12before lighting your candles on Shabbat,20:13we said that you should shut off all electricity in the house first,20:18and then afterwards, after you shut off all the electricity,20:22then light your candles,20:25and then afterwards put on the electricity.20:27And have in mind when you make a bracha for this.20:29And somebody asked,20:30How come?20:31Why do you have to shut off the electricity when you're lighting the20:35candles? And the answer is,20:36it's really based on the discussion that we said last week.20:39I can't go over it again,20:40but last week we mentioned a machloket between the20:44Acharonim if our electricity could qualify for the mitzvah of candle lighting.20:48Meaning, if I have no candles20:51and the only thing I have is electric,20:54the electric lights in the house,20:55can I put on the electricity and could that qualify as a mitzvah of hadlakat nerot or not?20:59Last week we brought a discussion between the21:03Acharonim, a machloket, two opinions.21:05Some—guess what?—some say yes21:06and some say no.21:07So according to the opinions that say that electricity could qualify for the mitzvah of21:12hadlakat nerot, so if you put on your electricity first21:14and you have light in the house,21:16and now you're coming to light your candles,21:18so what's happening now?21:20Where are you getting the benefit of light from?21:22You're not getting it from the candles;21:24you're getting it from the electricity.21:25So you're already21:27yotzei dei chovah, so what are you lighting now candles?21:28You tell me, I'm adding more light in the room?21:31That's a big discussion we'll talk about later on,21:34but it's not so simple.21:35So that's why, according to all opinions,21:37the best thing to do is shut off the lights in the room,21:40specifically in that room that you're going to light.21:42It doesn't have to be the rest of the house.21:43Let's say you're lighting in the dining room.21:45The light could be on in the kitchen, in the hallway, in the bedrooms, and in the bathroom.21:48Everywhere else the light could be on.21:49When you're coming to light the lights in the dining room21:51where you're going to make the21:53bracha, shut off the electricity.21:54Make the blessing,21:56light the candles,21:56and have in mind on the blessing that that's covering also the electricity that you'll put on after the regular candles.22:01And this way, you're good according to all opinions,22:06okay?22:07Some say, Oh, but we're not used to it.22:08We've never heard about it.22:10Listen, there's a lot of things that we're not used to,22:12and we have to get used to them.22:14We have to know22:14that's what we're coming to learn.22:16We're coming to classes so we can learn.22:17We can learn about all these halachot,22:20that we should do the right thing according to all the opinions,22:23okay?22:24From here, we can move on already to our regular halacha class.22:30We're in on—let me see.22:32Yeah,22:32okay.22:33We are up to halacha vav in the Ben22:35Ish Chai. If you want to follow us inside,22:36it's in Parashat22:38Noach, halacha22:40vav. I mentioned last week that the mitzvah, the obligation of lighting candles on Shabbat is an obligation on men as well as women.22:49However, in the house, to make the blessing, only one person is allowed to make the22:52beracha, and the person who is making the beracha has to be—the person making the beracha has to be the woman,23:03unless she wants to give it to the men to light it,23:08okay?23:09So she has a preference over the men.23:12We have a phone call.23:14Hold on.23:18Hello?23:20Good afternoon.23:46Minhag. Okay,23:48a good question.23:49Here's a person who was driving, was going somewhere,23:53and they got late,23:55and by the time they came to Shabbat, they weren't able to light the candles,23:59and therefore.24:00Since then, she started lighting an extra candle.24:02The question24:04is—yes, yours as well, and there was electricity in the house as well,24:07and you were eating by other people.24:09So now the question is, since you made it,24:11is that considered a neder or not?24:14If you want to stop lighting candles,24:16the answer is if you want to stop lighting the additional candle,24:18you don't have to make hatarat nedarim.24:20Since you made it thinking that there was an obligation,24:23since there was electricity,24:24so it's not really a24:26neder. A neder is only when you know what the correct halacha is24:29and you're doing it,24:31and even though you know that you're not obligated,24:33you still24:34added. Over here, you thought there's an obligation to light candles,24:36and that's why you lit it.24:37But really, like you said,24:40... and there's many opinions who say24:41even in such a case, even Ashkenazim24:43don't have to light an additional candle.24:44You could stop lighting the additional candle if you want24:47without making hatarat nedarim.24:51I'm going to talk about it a little bit later on24:53when bein hashmashot is.24:53Bein hashmashot is a big subject.24:55It means after sunset until a few minutes afterwards.24:59That's a big subject.25:00We'll talk about it later on.25:02Yes.25:03You're welcome.25:04Okay, bye.25:07Okay, back to halacha vav.25:08Halacha vav.25:09Now we said that the beracha has to be said by the woman.25:13However, the man has a role also,25:16could have a role in the mitzvah of lighting candles.25:20And here the Ben Ish Chai tells us,25:28טוב שבעל יעסוק בערב שבת בתיקון הנרות בהנחת השמן והפתילות. If a man wants to be involved in the mitzvah of hadlakat nerot,25:31then what he should do is25:34he should prepare the candles.25:35How?25:37בהנחת השמן והפתילות. If he wants to be involved,25:38then take the cups of oil,25:40let him clean it out,25:42put the oil inside,25:43put the wicks inside,25:45קומפרש, בדברי רבינו האריזל, like the Arizal says,25:47that he should prepare the candles.25:49The man himself should prepare the candles for lighting on Shabbat,25:53and על פי קבלה, I'll tell you.25:54This is a very holy thing.25:56It's brought down that,25:57like we mentioned last week,25:59lighting the candles is akin to lighting the26:03Menorah in Beit HaMikdash. And just like lighting the26:05Menorah in Beit HaMikdash, if the Kohen Gadol was around,26:06he would light it,26:07and it was the other Kohanim who prepared the candles for him.26:09It shows more kavod to the mitzvah26:11when many people are being involved in the same mitzvah.26:14It would be a very good idea26:15if the husband could somehow get home a little bit earlier26:17and be involved in helping his wife out26:20in preparing the candles.26:22He should prepare the oil,26:24the cups, clean it out from last week,26:26put in new oil.26:27If he puts water, he could put water,26:28and put the wicks26:29so that his wife should light the candles.26:31Also, there's other things that the husband could also do in the house.26:34For example,26:35the husband could put on the lights in all the other rooms,26:38and for that,26:39that's also a mitzvah, you should know.26:41It's not just the berachah that you make by the dining room,26:44and that's it.26:45There's also a mitzvah to have the house26:47lit, like we mentioned last week.26:48Just since there's only one berachah that you make,26:50you make it only on the one that you're eating in the dining room.26:54It's similar to a person who's doing26:56bedikat chametz. Let's say doing26:58bedikat chametz. The mitzvah of26:59bedikat chametz is that a person should search the whole house.27:04Now, if a person makes a berachah in the living room27:09on27:10bedikat chametz, only in the living room,27:11this doesn't mean you only search in the room.27:13Every room that you search is also a mitzvah.27:15Likewise,27:16if you light lights,27:18even27:19just in every room in the house,27:20it's also a mitzvah.27:21It's part of the mitzvah of27:23hadlakat nerot, and that the husband could do.27:24If you want to get your kids involved in it,27:25that's also a great idea.27:27Each kid will take another room27:28if you have so many rooms in the house,27:29and you light this room27:30and you light that.27:31It's your responsibility to put on the light in this room,27:33preparing the house for Shabbat,27:35keeping the light on.27:36But again, berachah is only one per household,27:39and preferably it should be done by the woman27:41in the place where you're going to eat.27:43The Ben Ish Chai concludes and he says,27:47Don't think it's below your dignity,27:50men. Here, the27:51Ben Ish Chai, the great holy27:52Ben Ish Chai, him and his father,27:53and that was the minhag in their household,27:55that the men,27:56especially the Ben Ish Chai himself,27:57would prepare the cups for lighting the candles.28:00He prepared with the oil.28:01Why?28:02Because the Arizal said it.28:03The Arizal said,28:03and it's very, very important.28:06Okay.28:08Another thing28:09the Mishnah says,28:10one of the things that the husband has a responsibility to do is28:15hadliku et haner. He has to make sure to tell everybody,28:19light the candles.28:20What this means28:21practically nowadays28:22is a little bit of what we mentioned.28:24You have to go,28:25as a husband,28:26it's your responsibility to be like the28:28mashgiach. You're the28:30mashgiach of the,28:31what do you call,28:32of the house,28:32to make sure that the lights are on,28:34to make sure that if you have a28:36blech, if you have the stove,28:37that should be on.28:38You should take care of everything that has to be done in the house28:42in preparation for Shabbat.28:44You should know, men,28:44the women are sometimes very, very busy,28:46and they could forget a lot of things28:48because so many things are going on in the house,28:49especially right before Shabbat.28:51So the husband,28:52who's not so busy with all these preparations,28:56should have his own preparation for Shabbat.28:57Before going to shul,28:58make sure the stove is on,29:00make sure the stove is covered for Shabbat,29:03make sure it's garuf29:05v'katum, make sure the lights in the rooms are supposed to be on are on,29:07make sure the lights are supposed to be off are off.29:09If it's a summer,29:10make sure the air conditioning is on.29:12That should be the responsibility of the husband.29:14That's all included29:15when the husband says,29:20Hidlakten? Hadliku et haner, right?29:20Did you put on29:21Eruv? Did you hatmana?29:23And like the Mishnah says,29:25benichutan. All this should be done very, very calmly.29:28Okay.29:30We move on now to29:32halacha zayin. Halacha zayin is a very important29:40halacha. Okay.29:44Halacha zayin, the Ben Ish Chai talks about when to light.29:46So it's a very short halacha in the29:49Ben Ish Chai, but it's a very big discussion in the29:54poskim. As far as all the different things29:55that come out of this29:56halacha, let's just first read it in the29:58Beit Yosef, and then we'll come back to talk about30:01it. Says in the30:06halacha zayin, Lo takdim v'lo te'acher. A woman or a man,30:08anybody who's lighting the candles for Shabbat,30:10should not light too early30:12and should not light too late.30:14We don't have a precise definition30:16of what's too early, too late right now at this point,30:18so just keep in mind,30:19we're just saying30:20don't light too early30:21and don't light too late.30:26Umin hadin, yecholah lehadlik achar sheyagia zman Arvit. Technically, according to30:28halacha, once the time of praying Arvit comes,30:31they can light.30:32Now, one second,30:33you have to know30:33what does it mean praying30:35Arvit. This doesn't mean after30:38sheki'ah. There's a machloket in the Gemara,30:39Masechet Berachot, regarding the earliest time for a person to pray30:42Arvit. There's machloket between Rabbi Yehuda and30:45the Chachamim, and according to30:46Rabbi Yehuda, the earliest time that one could pray30:49Arvit is a time called plag30:51hamincha. What is plag30:53hamincha? Plag hamincha is a certain time of the day,30:59dehainu sha'ah u'revi'a kodem halayla b'sha'ot zmaniyot. It's an hour and a quarter31:03before31:06nighttime, but these are not regular hours;31:07these are31:08sha'ot zmaniyot, which means that these are halachic hours.31:10They vary.31:11In the summer, these hours will be longer.31:13That means what we call 60 minutes31:14will not be an hour.31:16An hour might be 90 minutes,31:18according to31:19halacha, because the day has to be divided by 12,31:21and each section of these 12 sections of the day31:25is called an hour.31:25So in the winter, when the day is much shorter,31:27an hour could be as long as 45 minutes.31:30That's it.31:30Sometimes even 40 minutes.31:32So that's why you have to know31:33when is31:34plag hamincha. It's hard to figure out on your own.31:36Most calendars will say31:38what time31:39plag hamincha. That's the earliest time,31:42technically from31:43halacha, you're allowed to light the candles for Shabbat.31:48אבל קודם זמן זה אינה יכולה להדליק. Before that time,31:49if a woman lights candles31:50before31:52plag hamincha, it's31:53asur. You're not allowed to light at that time,31:54and even if she made a31:56beracha, it's a31:56beracha levatalah, and when plag hamincha comes,31:58she has to light again.32:00There's nothing to talk about. It's asur to light candles earlier than that.32:03However, mitzvah min hamuvchar, lhadlik chatzi sha'ah קודם שקיעת החמה, וכן נוהגים ביתנו. In the times of Ben Ish Chai in Baghdad,32:10the custom was that they would light a half an hour before sunset,32:14and that's what Ben Ish Chai says is the preferable time.32:16Here in America, we know the time that most Jews light is something called candle lighting time,32:22which is usually 18 minutes before sunset.32:26Now, this is only in32:27America. You go to Yerushalayim, the minhag of the Ashkenazim is to light 40 minutes before sunset.32:33You go to Sfat, it's a half an hour before sunset.32:36The Sefardim in Yerushalayim, it's 20 minutes before sunset.32:39There are different customs in different places.32:41In America, this 18-minute time before candle lighting is something only in America that was started32:45by the rabbis maybe about 40 years ago32:48to make sure that everybody is united somehow in accepting Shabbat earlier.32:52However, within a half an hour is a preferable time32:57if one wants to light before 18 minutes.32:59According to halacha, though, here's a big difference.33:02Within a half an hour, the Shulchan Aruch writes like this:33:05If a woman wants to light so early,33:08the earliest time, like the Ben Ish Chai says,33:10is from33:12plag hamincha. That's it. That's when it begins.33:14Before that plag hamincha, it's asur to light, like we mentioned.33:17And after plag hamincha, although she's allowed to light,33:22she must accept Shabbat at that time.33:25It's a very strange33:26halacha. What do you mean she must accept Shabbat?33:27Don't women accept Shabbat anyway?33:29Well, we're going to see that, we're going to talk about it later on,33:34that not necessarily does a person have to accept Shabbat when he lights candles.33:38This applies to Ashkenazim as well as33:40Sefaradim. We're going to talk about it much more in depth.33:43You don't have to accept Shabbat by candle lighting time,33:45but if you're lighting that early from33:48plag hamincha, you have to accept Shabbat.33:49Why? So Shulchan Aruch explains,33:50you know why you have to accept Shabbat if you're lighting so early?33:53Because it has to be evident, it has to be very clear33:56that when you're lighting the candles on Friday,33:59that you're doing it for the sake of Shabbat.34:01If you're lighting so early, maybe since it's so early,34:04let's say it's an hour and a half before Shabbat,34:06that's considered34:07plag hamincha. So it doesn't look like you're lighting for Shabbat.34:08There's still an hour and a half till Shabbat comes in.34:10So it looks like maybe you're lighting it for your own self.34:12You need some light in the room.34:14But if you accept Shabbat...34:16The person, and this is only applicable to the person lighting,34:19by the way, not everybody in the household.34:20If the person lighting accepts Shabbat,34:22and this is the last thing that he did before lighting the candles,34:27he lit the candles and that's the last thing he did before Shabbat came in,34:30then it's very evident that the person is lighting it for the sake of Shabbat.34:33In such a case, you could light from34:36plag hamincha. So again, Shulchan Aruch says,34:37if you light from plag hamincha, you have to accept Shabbat.34:40Why?34:41So the lighting of the candles should be evident34:43that it's done for the honor of Shabbat.34:46I saw one of the books34:48quote in one of the shoots,34:50one of the books in our days,34:52called Kinyan Torah.34:53He says a very interesting idea,34:56and he says like this. He says34:58the whole reason that you have to accept Shabbat35:00when you're lighting the candles so early,35:02Shulchan Aruch says,35:03that should be evident that you're doing for the honor of Shabbat.35:05Let me ask you a question.35:07When was the last time somebody lit candles in his house35:09because he needed light?35:10If we need light today, what do we do?35:13We put on the electricity.35:14The only time a Jewish person is going to light candles35:16is either because he has a35:18yahrzeit, or because he's lighting it for the sake of Shabbat.35:21And especially if a woman has the candlesticks,35:24and it's in the special spot35:26that's right next to the table where you eat,35:28or it's on the Shabbat table,35:30it's very evident from the fact that I'm lighting my candles35:34in the candle on Erev Shabbat,35:37the Shabbat candles,35:38it's very clear just lighting candles alone35:40that I'm doing it for the sake of Shabbat.35:42So therefore, he says35:43that really you don't have to accept Shabbat nowadays.35:46Why?35:48Since it's evident from lighting candles alone35:51that since I never light candles,35:53I only light candles35:55because I'm doing it for the35:57mitzvah of hadlakat nerot, so then I don't need to accept Shabbat to make it evident.36:00This is what the book Kinyan Torah brings down.36:04So if a person is in need to rely on this opinion,36:08you could rely on this opinion when it's necessary.36:10A woman cannot accept Shabbat so early.36:14She could not accept Shabbat so36:15early, but she has to light so early,36:16then she could do it.36:17For example,36:18here's something that comes up all the time.36:21What would be36:23if a woman has to go away after lighting candles,36:27and she can't light within the half an hour,36:29but she has to go away and she cannot accept Shabbat.36:32So the question is,36:34she wants to light candles,36:35and let's say she wants to go to36:36the mikveh, she has to go afterwards.36:37What should be done in such a case?36:39So in such a case,36:40really the preferable thing is,36:41a woman has to know this:36:43let your husband light when the time comes.36:45If you have to leave the36:46house before that half an hour of lighting the candles,36:49and especially if you have to travel36:50and you don't want to accept Shabbat right away,36:52then36:53you should go to where you have to go36:56and36:57let your husband light,36:58and let him make the36:59beracha. There's no37:00knas; he didn't miss the37:01mitzvah. It's like you appointed a37:02shliach, your husband or somebody who is an adult in the house.37:04It could be a girl or boy above the age of bar37:07or bat mitzvah; they can light in the house.37:08That's the preferable thing.37:10If not,37:12the husband is not around,37:12or the husband is not doing,37:14you know, for whatever reason37:15the husband cannot do it,37:16he's busy, has to run to shul,37:17whatever it is,37:19then what she could do is,37:21even according to the37:22Ashkenazim, she has to get into the car37:23and drive all the way to the37:24mikveh. So what she could do is,37:26she can light the candles37:27on the condition that she's not accepting Shabbat,37:30and she should light it within the half an hour,37:33and she could do it with the37:34beracha. In such a case, however,37:35she should make sure37:36that the candles light long enough37:39that they stay lit long enough37:41that for her to come back from the37:42mikveh, that she should still have some light,37:44for her or for her husband to come back from shul,37:46that there should still be some light in the evening.37:50Now, if that's also not an option,37:52she has to light before half an hour,37:54because by the time she gets to where she has to get to,37:57it takes more than a half an37:59hour to find parking,38:00to whatever it is.38:01She cannot be ready on time,38:02but she has to light much earlier.38:05So in that case,38:06so then let her light,38:08meaning to say,38:09she has to light before the half an hour before Shabbat.38:11Let's give an example.38:12Let's say Shabbat is38:14six o'clock, and she has to leave the house by38:165:10. She can't leave later than that.38:175:10 she has to leave the house,38:18even though Shabbat is38:19six o'clock. So technically she has to light at38:225:30, and then if she lights at38:235:30, she can light with38:25a beracha and not accept Shabbat.38:27However, in such a case38:28where she has to leave at38:305:10 and her husband is unable to do it later on,38:32then she could be38:33somech on what we said38:35beforehand in the name of Kinyan Torah,38:37and that is38:37she could light at38:395:10. Preferably, some say without a38:41beracha, because some argue on this point.38:43Preferably without a38:44beracha, she could light without a38:46beracha, and the mitzvah still counts.38:47And then she could get in38:48and not accept Shabbat,38:49and then she could drive38:50to where she has to get to,38:51and she'll walk back.38:52But again,38:53she has to make sure the lights are on long enough38:55for her to come back38:59and have hana'ah from it.39:00Okay?39:02Now this, up to here,39:03we're going to take a musical break39:04for about a few minutes,39:05and we'll come back,39:06we'll answer a few questions39:06we got through the text,39:08and if you have any questions,39:08you should call in now39:10so we can answer your question.40:02Hashem Elokeinu, v'Elokei avoseinu. Lihyosi lam. Ha'atzeinu, sul chayeinu, magen yisheinu. V'yafto hu l'doyr vadoyr, noideh lecha. V'yafto hu l'doyr vadoyr, noideh lecha. U'nesa beis tehilah selah. Ha'atzeinu, sul chayeinu, magen yisheinu. V'yafto hu l'doyr vadoyr, noideh lecha. V'yafto hu l'doyr vadoyr, noideh lecha. U'nesa beis tehilah selah. Give me, give me, give me, give me, give me, give me. Okay, we're back. I want to apologize from the beginning. If the questions are coming in, I don't answer them right away. I'm here trying to figure out exactly how to click on the text and answer them, so let that be in the beginning as an apology. I apologize if I don't get to your questions. There are two questions that came through the text that I want to answer, but other ones I believe we discussed already, and two points. Number one is as follows. Somebody sent in the question. And the point question, a very good point, the whole point question. This is, I wanted to talk about it. He says like this: that I mentioned that a person should first shut off the electricity, then they should make the beracha, light the candles, and then put on the electricity. And the question is, how could they do that? Isn't it that once you lit the electricity—I mean, excuse me—isn't it once you lit the candles, the flames, you can't put on the electricity? You accepted Shabbat. And the answer is as follows: when you made the blessing on lighting the candles, and then you went over and you were lighting—let's say you have two candles—how could you light the second candle? Didn't you accept Shabbat? And the answer is, no, of course not. I don't accept Shabbat until I finish lighting all the candles. So let's say you have a custom of lighting seven candles, and you lit number one, two, three. One, is it considered that you accept Shabbat? That's assuming you want to accept Shabbat by the candles. And the answer is, you decide. If you accepting Shabbat before the time is your decision to do40:10whenever you want. So most people have the custom of accepting it once they finish lighting the lights that they need for Shabbat. In the case of lighting flame candles, people have in mind, I'm gonna light the Shabbat candles, and when I finish lighting my seven flames, then I accept Shabbat. So then have in mind that I'm gonna accept Shabbat when I finish lighting the electricity, because this is also part of the mitzvah. According to many opinions that say that electricity could work for mitzvah hadlakat nerot, so it's wonderful. Have in mind that you're not accepting Shabbat until you finish lighting all the lights that you need for the sake of Shabbat, including the electricity. You don't make a bracha on electricity because you have the flames in front of you, and everybody will agree it's better to make on the flames, but you should have the lights off. Light the candles, and then afterwards put on the lights. Now, somebody told me, yeah, but in some books bring down that we don't have such a minhag. We don't. I'm not telling you you have to do it. It's preferable. You want to do it according to— you want to do according to most opinions, that you cover according to all opinions. I don't say most opinions, according to all opinions. If the lights are off first, the electricity, you light the candles, the flame candles, and then you light the electricity. That's according to all opinions. You have Chacham Ben Zion talking about it. Chacham Ovadia mentions it. A person should first shut off the electricity, light the candles, and then afterwards, have in mind, I'm not accepting Shabbat until I finish lighting the electricity in the room. Another question, I thought it's important to bring it up, is I'm going to read you exactly what it says over here. It says, what about a person that has a problem of being late for Shabbat many times? They don't forget, but things are not ready and busy to do candles. Well, that's precisely the knas. The knas was given40:17precisely for that reason, is that a person is not taking care of this mitzvah. When you know that you're going to have a responsibility to now— you're going to be fined that you didn't do this on time, so therefore you're going to have to add an additional candle. You're going to make—48:00So somehow you do it. Lemashal, we're all busy people. Nowadays, we're always, always busy.48:05But New York City doesn't care if you're busy, too busy to change your registration or too busy to do your inspection.48:12If you're one day late and you didn't do the inspection, and you come to go and say,48:16Your Honor, I was busy, so they tell you, Yes, we know you're busy,48:20but that's part of the responsibility of being a driver in New York City.48:23You have to make sure you go and you bring your car to the inspection because it's important.48:31And we put on the fine specifically that you should take time out of your busy schedule to make sure you get the inspection.48:37So that's the same idea over here.48:39According to the opinions that hold that the knas is to make sure that you do the candles, that's the idea.48:46We know that people are busy. Everybody is busy,48:49but we want you to make sure that you set aside special time that you're able to go and light the candles,48:56and in case you don't, there's a knas. With that knowledge, you'll make sure to set aside time.49:00That's one way of explaining the49:02knas. You should know there are other opinions that explain the knas that it's really not just as a punishment, but rather it's a49:09kaparah. Like we saw the words of the Maharil, she has to fast and she has to do49:13vidui. We don't do any of those things. Nobody brought that to halacha, but the Maharil did.49:17Maharil says it seems to be some sort of kaparah if a person stayed without lights.49:20Now, although there's many things to rely on, but still, like we mentioned, it's a very important mitzvah.49:24A person must make sure to designate time to do this mitzvah.49:30It's not going to be able to happen by itself.49:32Okay, I believe we answered the main questions. There's other comments or questions.49:39That's it. Okay, let's get back now to the halachot. We're up to49:44halacha chet. Now really, this halacha is a very, very important49:47halacha. This is a big discussion. Before we get to this halacha, I have to give you an important introduction.49:53I'm nervous to give it because I'm looking at the time. I only have a few minutes left of the class,49:58and it's a very, very important introduction. To understand many, many halachot that are related to this,50:05okay? Let's begin with the following.50:07Must a person accept Shabbat when lighting candles?50:11The question is referring to anybody who is lighting candles, whether it's a woman or it's a man.50:18Do they have to accept Shabbat by lighting candles or not?50:20Let me give you the full background. They should understand this from the beginning.50:25This is important information, no matter who you are,50:27if you're a layman or if you're a learned person, if you want to understand the subject very clearly,50:30this is very vital information,50:34okay? Let's begin with the following.50:36There's a great rabbi, one of the50:39early Sefardim, his name is debatable, some say it's Rabbi50:44Yehuda Gaon according to Rashi. He wrote a book called Halachot Gedolot,50:46and he's known as the Baal Halachot Gedolot.50:48He is the person, the author of the Halachot Gedolot,50:50a very, very important book,50:52and all the great rabbis consider this book a very, very holy stuff.50:56It's about a thousand years old,50:58okay? We're going to refer to him as the Bahag.50:59That's how we refer to him; it just makes it easier.51:02This rabbi, a thousand years ago, the Bahag51:04writes the following51:05halacha. Listen to this halacha. He says,51:08when Friday is Hanukkah,51:11whenever you have to light candles for Shabbat,51:14and Friday is Hanukkah and Shabbat is Hanukkah,51:16and now you're coming to light two sets of candles:51:18the candles that you need for the menorah,51:20for the mitzvah of Hanukkah,51:22and the candles that you need for Shabbat.51:24Which one should you light first?51:27Says the Bahag,51:28you should first light the candles of Hanukkah,51:33and then afterwards light the candles of Shabbat,51:36okay? You have two51:38mitzvot: Hanukkah and Shabbat.51:40Shabbat I do every week. Hanukkah only comes once a year.51:43Says the Bahag, no.51:44Light the candles of Hanukkah first.51:47And then the candles of Shabbat.51:48Why? Says the Bahag,51:50because if you do it the other way,51:53if you light the Shabbat candles first,51:55before you light the Chanukah candles,51:57then it's going to be a problem.52:00By lighting the candles on Shabbat,52:03of Shabbat, you accept the Shabbat.52:04So how could you light now the candles of52:07Chanukah? So this is the opinion of52:09the Bahag. It's clear from the opinion of the Bahag52:11that a person who lights candles accepts Shabbat.52:16And the question is,52:17is this an only opinion?52:19Is this only the opinion of the Bahag?52:20We find many great Rishonim that follow the opinion of the Bahag.52:23Some of the great names that we're familiar with52:26is the Ran, Rabbeinu Nissim, or52:29the Rua, and Rabbeinu Yosef also quotes52:31the Mordechi following the opinion of the Bahag.52:32You have here a list of Rishonim52:34that say that when you light candles on Shabbat,52:38you accept Shabbat.52:40And that's why they explain52:42there's a custom they used to have52:43that after lighting the candles,52:44they would just throw the candle from the hand.52:47They didn't have carpets back then, trust me.52:49They would throw the candles away from the hand,52:51it would fall on the floor,52:52it would extinguish,52:54and this way52:56they don't have to shut it off with their hand,52:58because once they finish lighting candles,52:59they accepted Shabbat.53:01Good, that's the opinion of the Bahag.53:02However, not every Rishon agrees with the Bahag.53:06In fact, listen to the following list.53:08You have the Ramban, who53:10was one of the first ones to disagree with the Bahag,53:13the Rosh, Rabbeinu Asher,53:14the Tur in the name of the Tosafot,53:17the Rashba. All these Rishonim53:18disagree with the Bahag,53:20and they say53:21that you don't have to accept Shabbat by lighting candles.53:24You can light.53:25L'maaseh, lighting candles53:26is a mitzvah. It's very nice.53:28Yes, it's very important.53:29You can accept Shabbat.53:31You could accept Shabbat,53:33but you do not have to accept Shabbat.53:35When must you accept Shabbat?53:38That's if you're praying53:39Arvit. Even if you're praying Arvit earlier,53:41before sunset,53:42when you're praying53:43Arvit and you answer53:44Baruch Hu et Hashem53:46hamevorach, you consider that you accepted Shabbat.53:48Okay,53:48so let's review.53:49We have two main opinions.53:51According to the Bahag53:53and the other lists of Rishonim,53:55when a person lights candles53:56on Erev Shabbat,53:57on Friday afternoon,53:58he must accept Shabbat54:00once he finishes lighting candles.54:01According to another group of Rishonim,54:03led by the Rashban, the Ramban,54:05they hold54:06no.54:07Accepting Shabbat54:08is not dependent on mitzvah of lighting candles.54:11Accepting Shabbat54:12is only when you pray54:13Arvit and you say the words54:15Baruch Atah Hashem54:16HaMevorach. Now,54:17to understand the Bahag a little bit more,54:19the question is as follows:54:21Could a person choose54:22not to accept Shabbat54:23when lighting candles?54:24Meaning,54:25I'm lighting candles now54:26according to the opinion of the Bahag.54:27Can I make a condition?54:29If you ask the Bahag,54:30let me ask you:54:31could you make a condition54:32when lighting candles54:33that you don't want to accept Shabbat?54:35So this is also a54:36machloket, believe it or not.54:38There's a54:39machloket between the Mordechi54:41versus the54:42Tashbetz. According to the Mordechi,54:44if a person makes a condition,54:45even according to the Bahag, by the way,54:46because according to the other rabbis,54:47like we said,54:48you don't have to accept it at all.54:49But according to the54:50Bahag, who says you must accept Shabbat,54:52if you make a condition,54:55some say,54:55like the Mordechi,54:57you could make a condition54:59not to accept Shabbat,55:00and you don't have to accept Shabbat.55:02However, the Tashbetz argues.55:04He says no. The Bahag says55:05you must accept Shabbat55:07by candle lighting,55:08and even a condition would not work.55:10So here,55:11let's review the55:12machloket. We have the Bahag,55:15let's call it versus the Ramban55:16and the Rashba.55:17According to the Bahag,55:19you must accept Shabbat55:20by candle lighting.55:21According to the Ramban,55:22you don't have to accept Shabbat55:23by candle lighting.55:24Now, according to the Bahag,55:26could you make a condition55:27and choose not to accept Shabbat?55:28That's also55:29machloket. Some say condition works.55:31Some say condition does not work.55:33Good?55:34Now, this is the background.55:35This is the opinions of the rabbis55:38from a thousand years ago55:39till up to 600, 700 years ago.55:42Now that we have55:45halacha, we follow the rulings of the Shulchan Aruch.55:48What is the ruling of the Shulchan Aruch55:50and the Rama55:51when it comes to lighting candles on Shabbat?55:54Do you have to accept Shabbat or not?55:56So it's evident from the ruling of the Shulchan Aruch.56:00Here he writes that accepting Shabbat is not dependent on candle lighting.56:06Accepting Shabbat, according to Shulchan Aruch, is dependent on tefillat Shabbat.56:10More specifically, when we say Mizmor Shir Leyom HaShabbat, that's it.56:15Whether you wanted to accept it or not, it doesn't make a difference.56:17Let's say Shabbat is six o'clock, and your minyan is praying Kabbalat Shabbat.56:22When we say Lecha Dodi, and we say the end, we say Bo'i Kallah, and we say Mizmor Shir Leyom HaShabbat.56:25They said this at 5:40. You must accept Shabbat.56:29That's the ruling of the Shulchan Aruch.56:31The Rama brings down that the minhag of the women is that they do accept Shabbat by lighting,56:37unless they make a condition.56:39So we see here, according to the Rama, he ruled like the minhag to be56:43machmir. He said that's the minhag, that's a custom by the56:46Ashkenazim. They accept Shabbat by candle lighting. However, they could make a56:50condition, like the Mordechai explains. Ashkenazi women, it seems like she could make a condition56:55not to accept Shabbat if she doesn't want to when lighting candles.56:59Mishnah Berurah points out, you should know that although you're allowed to make a57:04condition, conditions should only be made if it's really necessary.57:08You can't just make a condition anytime you want.57:10Only if it's very, very necessary, the Ashkenazim who make condition57:13should only do it if it's very necessary.57:15Now we have to stop because of the time, but I'll conclude with one thing.57:18The Acharonim point out that Maran in Shulchan Aruch, when it comes to Hilchot Chanukah, writes,57:24if you all know, now first we light the Chanukah candles, the menorah candles,57:29and then we light the candles of Shabbat.57:31So we see that he didn't rule like the minhag when it comes to Hilchot Chanukah,57:35to teach us that a person, it's preferable, that a person should accept Shabbat when lighting the candles.57:43That's the lechatchila, that's for sure preferable.57:44So even though you don't have to, but it's for sure preferable57:48that whoever is lighting candles on Erev Shabbat should accept Shabbat.57:52Okay? We need to clarify a few more points,57:54bezrat Hashem. We'll meet up again next week on Wednesday afternoon at 257:57o'clock. We'll clarify some points, and we'll move on, bezrat Hashem, to learn the58:02halachot of when a person should make the berachah of candle lighting,58:06and if he has to accept Shabbat or not, according to Sefardim and58:09Ashkenazim. Until then, have a wonderful Shabbat and a wonderful week. Bye-bye.