Torah · Halacha YomitLaws of Shabbat Lighting Candles - Part 2Rabbi Uri Nahum · August 11, 2022 · Shabbat Candle Lighting 2-15Play+30Position0:00—Save⌄ShareA Shabbat halacha class with Rabbi Uri Nahum.Recorded by BSD Productions.Transcript0:03www.jrootradio.com, the preferred radio station for the Jewish home.0:15The halacha class, which we learned in the Ben0:19Ish Chai, and we're up to0:21Chot Shabbat. Before we begin the class, let me just give you0:23a few numbers to call in,0:25and I was told to give a request that0:27whoever has a question,0:32we'll tell you when to call in with a question,0:34and to also please only ask on things that we've learned about,0:39and please understand me to be patient when we say0:42that we'll get to it.0:43And I know, Baruch Hashem, there's a lot of good questions out there,0:46and be'ezrat Hashem, we have a lot of good answers,0:48and really, I believe we will cover most of the questions0:51that people want to know.0:53Just need to get there to get to this time.0:54So let me give you the numbers now.0:56You can call in or you can text in.0:57The number to the station is1:04718-683-5858. Again, the number is1:09718-683-5858. That's to call in with a question.1:10If you want to text in a question or comment,1:14you could text it in at1:21347-927-8398. Again, the text number is1:26347-927-8398. Okay,1:27let's continue.1:28We're in the middle, or really we just started.1:30We're starting to learn the halachot of hadlakat nerot,1:33and these halachot are so important and so special1:37and dear to many, many of us,1:40and especially this mitzvah is one of the1:42mitzvot that the women are known for.1:44In fact, in this week's parashah,1:45Parashat HaYisara, it says that— Rivka was taken and she was chosen by1:52Eliezer to be the wife of1:54Yitzchak Avinu. And it says over there that Yitzchak Avinu brought Rivka home,1:58and when she came home,2:00it says over there that a miracle happened.2:03What was the miracle?2:04The same miracle that took place in Sarah Imenu's time.2:07In Sarah Imenu's time,2:07when she used to light a candle,2:09it used to be like the ner hamaaravi in the Beit HaMikdash.2:12She would light it and it would last2:13from beginning of the week till the end of the week.2:15That stopped.2:16Once Sarah Imenu died, that stopped.2:19And then when Rivka Imenu came back2:22and she, I mean, when she came and she married2:26Yitzchak Avinu, that Shechinah, that presence of the Shechinah came back2:28and it was symbolized by the lighting of the candles.2:31When she would light Erev Shabbat,2:32the candle would stay lit for the rest of the week.2:35So we're beginning halachot in the appropriate time,2:38and let's begin.2:39We mentioned that we'll work off the Ben2:42Ish Chai, and we mentioned also that we're going to talk this2:45because of the day the halachot were written2:47in the times of the Ben Ish Chai, as well as the2:50Shulchan Aruch in the time we didn't have electricity.2:53So we're going to have to learn first the basics2:55of the halacha and then to apply them2:57and how they coincide today with our society2:59that we have electricity3:01and the light mainly comes from the electricity that we use.3:07So let's begin,3:09Halacha Aleph. In Halacha Aleph, Ben Ish Chai talks about3:11the number of candles that we have to light3:14and the kavanah, the intention that a person has,3:17or the kavanot really, for the number of lights.3:21Let's read from the inside.3:23Ner Shabbat, hachiyuv min hadin hu ner3:26echad. The chiyuv from the din,3:28that means what the Chachamim told us to do,3:31the obligation, minimum obligation,3:33is to only light one candle, one light.3:37Ah, al pi hasod, tzarich lehadlik shtei nerot.3:40However, al pi Kabbalah, a person has to light3:43more than one candle; he has to light two candles.3:47Echad keneged zachor v'echad keneged shamor.3:48Why?3:49Because we find two commandments in the3:51Torah when it comes to Shabbat.3:53One of the commandments is3:54Zachor et yom haShabbat3:56lekadsho, and the other one is3:58Shamor et yom haShabbat4:00lekadsho. And because of these two4:02commandments, we light also two nerot, two lights,4:06one for zachor and one for shamor.4:09Gam od.4:10So now he brings something Kabbalah.4:12I'm going to skip the rest of the reading4:13in order not to make the class dry,4:15but we'll give you a few remazim4:17a lot of people like to understand4:19a little bit the depth of the4:21candles a little bit more.4:22I'll tell you, first of all,4:23the Kolbo. There's a rishon,4:24one of the rishonim, one of the early rabbis4:26before the Shulchan Aruch,4:27he wrote a book called the Kolbo,4:29and he quotes a very, very interesting reason.4:31He quotes a Midrash.4:32The Midrash says4:33that we find that everything on Shabbat is doubled.4:36What does that mean,4:36everything doubled?4:37Well, lemashal,4:39we bring a korban.4:40We used to have a4:41Beit HaMikdash; we used to bring a korban.4:41Every single day4:42we'd bring a korban tamid in the morning,4:44and that consisted of one animal,4:46one sheep,4:48seh tamim. On Shabbat, we bring4:51shnei kevasim. We bring two sheep for the korban;4:52that's already doubled.4:53Another thing is,4:54every day normally a person,4:55when he makes hamotzi and he wants to eat,4:56he usually has one loaf of bread.4:58On Shabbat, even if you want to eat one loaf of5:00bread,5:01you have to make a bracha on two loaves of bread,5:06lechem mishneh. Likewise, we find the commandments for Shabbat5:08is not written one time in the Torah,5:10guard the Shabbat,5:11but rather it says it twice:5:12Zachor et yom haShabbat,5:14and it says again,5:16Shamor et yom haShabbat5:18lekadsho. Also, we find also that the mizmor,5:22the mizmor Tehillim that5:24we said in5:25Beit HaMikdash and we still say it till today,5:27pertaining to each day,5:28the mizmor on Shabbat is called5:30Mizmor shir l'yom haShabbat.5:32It's in, I think it's5:34tzadi bet in Tehillim,5:36and it says it,5:38Mizmor shir l'yom haShabbat.5:40It doesn't say mizmor... Shabbat,5:43or shiur shel Yom HaShabbat,5:45mizmor shir, mizmor, and shir5:46both then mean a song.5:47So we see that everything is doubled,5:48and that's why also the candles,5:50even though from the minimum obligation5:52hadin that we should have candles as one,5:54still we light two5:56because of these two reasons.5:57Because of the reason of5:59on Shabbat everything is doubled.6:01Another remez that6:02the Mekubalim bring down,6:03this over here will get a little bit Kabbalistic.6:06Ner in gematria,6:07gematria means the numerical value6:09of each letter,6:11nun is 506:12and resh is 200.6:13We know that the letters of the Torah,6:15letters of the Hebrew,6:16really the Aleph Bet,6:17have also a number value.6:20And therefore from here we see that6:22besides the word,6:23when the word equals a certain number6:25and we find something similar to that word6:27that has the same number,6:29so they obviously have some sort of6:30connection to each other,6:31and that's the concept of gematria.6:32We have actually a whole shiur on gematria.6:35It's an hour long.6:36It's a video that we describe what gematria is6:39with numbers on the screen and everything,6:40and it's recommended to watch that video.6:43In any case,6:44the gematria of ner twice,6:46because you have two candles,6:47equals 500.6:48What's the significance of 500?6:49We have three explanations.6:52Number one is that 500 equals6:56ramach and6:58the 248. What does that mean?7:00The men, the chachamim tell us that the man has 248 limbs in his7:04body, and the woman has 252 limbs in her body.7:07Combined together is the7:10200. We know the concept of Shabbat7:11represents the relationship between male and female.7:14In fact, there's a Midrash that says7:17that Sunday was paired up as a shidduch with Monday,7:20Tuesday was paired up with Wednesday,7:23Thursday was paired up with Friday,7:26and Shabbat was all alone.7:27And Shabbat came to Hashem,7:28and Hashem told it,7:30You want to have a pair?7:31Knesset Yisrael, the Jewish people,7:33will be your zivug.7:34And we have this concept of a relation7:36between husband and wife7:38that connects to Shabbat,7:39and therefore the candles also represent7:42that. The two candles represent7:43the male and female aspect.7:44That has much more depth in Kabbalah.7:46The Ben Ish Chai says that the gematria of 500,7:49which is the gematria of two ner,7:51equals7:54Chanun HaMarbeh Lisloach. That's the7:56words, Chanun Marbeh Lisloach. Hashem, who gives a lot of forgiveness,7:57and that's brought down in sefarim.8:00That when a person lights the candles,8:04the lights that come out of the candles8:06also bring about a spiritual light,8:09and that spiritual light is the light that was lost8:11when we sinned in8:14Chet HaEgel. Exactly how, that's for a different class,8:15but that's what Sefarim bring down.8:17Another explanation that's brought down8:19is that the lights that we lost in8:21the Eitz HaDaat—it's a tikkun for8:23Eitz HaDaat. In fact, we're going to learn later on,8:24the obligation of lighting candles8:26belongs to men and women alike.8:28Yet we know that the women are the ones who light the candles.8:30How come?8:31Because she's the one who started the sin of8:34Eitz HaDaat, and to a certain sense8:36she dimmed the light, or the greatness of Adam HaRishon.8:39So she comes now and she lights the nerot,8:42and she brings back that great image,8:45or the great light of Adam HaRishon,8:47of mankind really, of everybody.8:49So that's the idea of lighting the candles.8:51It's a tikkun for the sin of8:54Eitz HaDaat, and that connects very well with another Midrash.8:56The Gemara says in8:58Masechet Shabbat that when a person comes9:00home—two angels, when he comes home from shul on Friday night,9:03two angels come,9:04they place their hands on top of him,9:06and they say,9:11Vesar avoncha vechatatcha techupar. Your sin is removed,9:13and you're being atoned for your negligence.9:17What's the connection over here?9:19So we could explain maybe that's sin9:21that's referring to over here,9:22that the angels bless the person9:23when he comes home from shul,9:23is the sin when a person lights the candles,9:27he's metaken that sin of9:29Eitz HaDaat. Maybe that's a good idea.9:30But that connects also.9:31We know that women pray by the candles.9:33You see those pictures,9:34the old artwork9:36from many, many hundred years ago.9:38They always depict9:40the women by the candle lighting,9:41praying for her children.9:41There's always that little kid,9:42if you look in the picture,9:43and that's brought down in9:45Sefarim, already from Bechai already. Seven hundred years ago already,9:47he writes that a woman should pray by the9:49candles for the welfare of her children.9:51And you could say maybe the same idea over here.9:53What's the connection9:54to why do you have to pray by the9:57candlelight? Besides this,9:57the pshatim that Rashi gives,9:59Rashi says10:00because ner mitzvah vTorah or. You pray specifically by the candles10:02that your children should turn into10:05talmidei chachamim, because it says,10:06ner is a10:07mitzvah and the Torah is light.10:07So same thing,10:08we're lighting light;10:09Hashem should also give our children10:11also the light of Torah.10:13On another level10:14we could explain,10:15we know by10:16eitz hadaat, when the woman ate from the10:18eitz hadaat, Hashem gave a punishment to Adam,10:19and He gave a punishment also to10:22Chava. The punishment10:23to Chava, besides we know childbirth,10:25that she has to go through the pains10:26of child delivery,10:28and also she has to go through the pain10:29of being pregnant,10:31one of the other punishments also by eitz hadaat is,10:36harbah arbeh itzvonech. And Rashi explains,10:37what is itzvonech over here?10:39What's the pain that it's referring to over here?10:41Rashi explains,10:43zeh tzaar gidul banim. It will be difficult to raise children.10:46It's not a new thing today10:47that it's hard to raise children.10:49Everybody always says,10:50Oh, this generation is not like the last one,10:51trust me, they said that in our days,10:52and they said that in my grandparents' days,10:54and they said that one,10:55and every generation was difficult.10:56Yet maybe in our days10:57there's more challenges from the outside society,10:59from the outside world, I agree.11:01But in general,11:02raising children is not an easy thing.11:03It's a difficult thing.11:04In fact, it became a difficult thing11:06from the time that Chava ate from11:09the eitz hadaat, raising children became very, very difficult.11:11That was part of the curse of11:12eitz hadaat. So maybe now that we come11:14and we light the candles,11:14this is a perfect time, and we say, Listen,11:16Chava says,11:17Listen, I dimmed the light of Adam11:19Harishon, I made the sin11:21with the eitz hadaat, so11:22here, Hashem, I'm lighting now the candles,11:24I'm metaken the sin of11:25eitz hadaat, and therefore I pray11:26that You also minimize the punishment11:30that You gave of raising children,11:32of the difficulty of raising children,11:33and have my children turn out to be11:35tzaddikim. I want to tell you a beautiful story.11:36The story always sticks out in my mind.11:38There's a11:39great—there were two great rabbis,11:40they were brothers.11:42Big11:42talmidei chachamim. In fact, they were considered11:44some of the gedolei Yisrael; we won't mention the names.11:46In any case, their mother was not religious.11:49Their mother originally was not religious.11:51She was, I guess, what they call a11:54chilonit. And they asked,11:54you know, how come?11:55What was the11:57zechut that—they asked one of the11:58rabbis—what was the zechut that your mother11:59was able to have two children12:01who were such big12:02talmidei chachamim? One, you could say, okay, it's a fluke,12:03but over here two children became such12:05great rabbis. What happened?12:07So he tells them, you know why?12:09My mother used to light candles.12:10One thing she used to keep was the candles.12:11That was something she had from her mother;12:13she always used to keep,12:13even though she was not religious,12:15but she would light the candles every week.12:16And when she would light the12:17candles, just like her mother and grandmother did,12:20and all the mothers do,12:21she would pray by the candles with her full heart12:24that her children should become great people.12:26And how great should they be?12:28Well, at the time when she used to pray,12:30the greatest man in the world12:32of non-religious Jews was David12:34Ben-Gurion. He's the one who started the State of Israel.12:36He was the greatest man.12:37He was the Superman of Judaism12:39for people who didn't know anything about Torah.12:40And then she said,12:42I used to pray that my children12:43should turn out to be like David12:46Ben-Gurion. And all of a sudden,12:47in the news it shows12:49that David Ben-Gurion had to take advice from who?12:51None other than the Chazon Ish.12:52He used to go to the Chazon Ish12:53and consult with him on certain things.12:55So she said,12:56if I thought David Ben-Gurion was so great,12:58why is he taking advice from this rabbi?12:59It must be the Chazon Ish is greater.13:01So while I'm praying that my children13:02should be like the second best,13:04let me pray that they should be like the best.13:06And she started praying that my children13:07should become like the Chazon Ish.13:08And in fact, that's exactly what happened.13:10She was not a religious woman,13:11but her tefillot were sincere.13:14She meant it and she wanted it,13:15and therefore her children13:16turned out to be13:19gedolei Yisrael. And that's the13:20tefillot—that's what Rabbeinu Bechaye mentions:13:23Ba'al ha-katnut, a person should pray,13:24a woman should pray13:25specifically for the children.13:26Like Rashi says,13:28Ki ner mitzvah veTorah or, specifically that your children13:29should become13:31talmidei chachamim. The other minhagim that brought down13:33regarding how many candles to13:35light by hadlakat13:37nerot, some bring down,13:38in fact some13:39mekubalim bring down to light seven candles.13:40Why seven candles?13:42A few reasons.13:43Some say that it corresponds13:44to the seven days of the week.13:46There's also seven aliyot minimum13:48that a person, we give on Shabbat13:50to the people who get up to the Sefer Torah,13:52and also the mekubalim explain13:54the seven sefirot.13:55In any case,13:56that's a reason.13:57That's another thing that's brought down, seven.13:59There's also a minhag of ten candles,14:01because Shabbat is a time when we rest,14:04because Hashem created the world,14:05and Hashem created the world14:07be'asara ma'amarot, in ten utterances.14:09Every time you look in the Torah14:10it says,14:11Vayomer, Vayomer, Vayomer. There are ten utterances14:12which Hashem created the world in.14:14So therefore on Shabbat,14:15when we stop from creation,14:16that's why we keep Shabbat,14:19we light, some light ten candles.14:21There's another14:22minhag where people light two candles14:24plus an additional candle14:25for every member of the family.14:27And all these are different14:29minhagim. Whatever minhag you have,14:31you should stick to it14:32and continue doing it.14:33Somebody asked here on the station last week,14:36what about if you're visiting?14:37What about in your house14:38you do seven candles,14:38and now you're going to somebody else.14:39Do you have to still keep14:41the minhag of lighting seven candles?14:42And the answer is really no.14:44That's what they brought down in the14:45sefarim, that a person who has a14:47minhag, the minhag is usually in the person's house.14:50He doesn't have to be14:51makpid. He doesn't have to be specific14:53that I should light the same amount of14:54candles somewhere else.14:55If, however, he brings his own candles,14:57and it doesn't bother the host,14:59or it doesn't bother the15:00host that she's lighting seven candles15:02or ten candles, whatever it is,15:03then in that case,15:04then you could do so.15:05You could light the candles15:07that you've been doing till now.15:10Okay,15:11that's I think enough for halacha aleph.15:12Let's move on to halacha bet.15:14Halacha bet,15:15Ben Ish Chai talks about15:17where to light the candles,15:19and he says,15:22the main location15:23where a person should light the15:25candles is where he's going to eat.15:31And that's where she should make the15:33beracha of hadlakat haner,15:35which is the beracha of asher15:37kideshanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu hadlik ner15:40shel Shabbat. U'makom makom, even though the main location15:42is where a person is going to eat,15:48tiknu chachamim zichronam livrachah sheyadlik ner echad b'makom sheyeshen sham. Still, the Chachamim said15:49that a person should also light15:50in the bedroom where he's going to sleep,15:53v'chen b'veit ha-tavshil, what we call the kitchen,15:58b'chol makom sheyesh lo knisah bo ba'laylah l'hotzi v'lehachnis, in any spot in the house.16:00Where he's going to go inside, where he's going to use it on Shabbat in the dark.16:05However, in the other spots in the house, a woman should light without a16:12beracha. Then afterwards, the last candles that she should light16:15should be in the place where they're going to have their meal,16:17whether it's a dining room, a living room, whatever you want to call it,16:19and over there she should make the16:22beracha. Okay, we're going to take a pause in this halacha just to explain it.16:24Once upon a time, the light that people had was only from candles.16:30If you didn't light candles, there was no light whatsoever.16:33It was complete pitch dark.16:35Even from outside, you wouldn't have light.16:37Actually, I'll take it back.16:39You would have another time, you would have another source of light,16:41and that is from the light of the moon.16:43If anybody tried to sit and to be neheneh just from the light of the moon,16:47you find it very difficult,16:48especially nowadays. We don't even know what the moon looks like.16:50We have street lights, and unless you go to the country,16:52you really don't know how much the moon lights.16:54But in those days, that was the only candles they used.16:58Shachamim were metaken that there should be light.16:59We explained last week there are two reasons why we light candles on Friday afternoon.17:04Number one, Chachamim considered that we light candles,17:07what we call oneg Shabbat, the oneg of Shabbat,17:10because we want you to enjoy.17:11When there's light, people enjoy.17:12Imagine shutting off the lights and sitting in the darkness.17:15I'll give you an example.17:16You ever had to get something from your basement17:18and you forgot to put on the light, or there's no light, and it's on Shabbat,17:20you can't put on the light on Shabbat.17:21You get scared.17:23Even though you know you locked your doors17:25and you have all the security,17:26and you have security guards and bodyguards outside your house,17:30you still get nervous.17:31Maybe something's going to jump out at me,17:34right? People get scared from the dark,17:35and when things are dark, they get nervous.17:38I'm not talking about kids. I'm talking even about adults.17:40And you have to be like,17:42you're walking against the walls, you're touching up the walls,17:44you're trying to see your place.17:45It's not enjoyable.17:47And also, if you're eating your food and it's dark, you don't enjoy it.17:50When we see light, we like it, we enjoy it.17:54It gives us a17:55simcha. That's called oneg Shabbat.17:56The other reason, shalom bayit.17:57A person shouldn't bump into things on Shabbat.17:59Those are two main reasons why we light on Shabbat.18:02So now. Where you eat, where you eat,18:04you have both reasons that are applicable.18:07You're gonna have the second reason of shalom bayit,18:11meaning that you shouldn't bump into things.18:13That's applicable by every part of the house.18:15But you also have, where you're gonna eat,18:16you have the concept of oneg Shabbat.18:18You're sitting, you're eating your food.18:20You want to see what you're eating.18:21So therefore, that location is where a person should light with the18:26beracha. In other places, yes, you also have to light.18:29I'm talking about in their days, without electricity for a second,18:31right? So they used to light also over there,18:35but that's not the main place.18:37So therefore you light, but you don't make18:39beracha. Well, you make a beracha only specifically where you're gonna eat,18:43because that's the ikar, that's the main place,18:45okay? That's in those days.18:47In our days, most of our light comes not from the candles,18:51but it comes from electricity.18:53So therefore, we do not have to light candles in every room.18:57We could rely on just lighting the electricity.19:02It doesn't have to be full light.19:04In fact, sometimes it's disturbing.19:05But whatever room you're gonna use,19:08you should have some sort of light on.19:09And of course, the more light that you have that's easy to see, it's nicer.19:15So that's the halachot pertaining to our days and electricity.19:19Let's say you have a house, you have a basement,19:22you have your main floor, and you have the top floor where the bedrooms are.19:26So the main floor, pretty much you can use every room.19:28You're gonna put on the light in the bathrooms that you use.19:30You're gonna put on the light in the kitchen,19:32and you put on the light in the dining room19:34and in the living room, and then in the bedrooms,19:36although you don't need a light, but you put on a light in the hallway,19:39maybe a nightlight so it doesn't disturb you at night19:41so the kids could sleep.19:43And the basement, if you don't really use the basement,19:45you're not planning to use the basement, you don't put on light.19:46But you should put on the light wherever you're gonna use it.19:50However, the blessing that you make.19:53And that's going to be on real regular candles with a flame,19:56should only be in the place where you're going to eat.19:59If you're eating in the dining room, that's where you should light.20:02If you're eating in the kitchen, that's where you should light.20:04There's nothing specific to the dining room or kitchen.20:06It's all where you're going to have your meal on Shabbat.20:08If you plan to have your meal on Shabbat,20:09so you light it over there and you make the blessing in that room,20:14okay? Now here we have two different minhagim.20:17The Ashkenazim, they put the candles directly on the table20:22and they light al ha-shulchan, on the table,20:24and over there, that's where they make the blessing, on the table.20:28If you're a Sefardi, if you're in by Ashkenazim,20:30you know what I'm talking about, you see,20:31they have the candles on the table.20:34The Sefardim, however,20:36and whether they light on the table or not,20:38you should know that the Arizal says20:40that really a person should not light on the table itself.20:43The Arizal explains20:45that the whole Shabbat is like a Beit HaMikdash,20:49and your table resembles the20:52mizbeach, and the candles that you light20:54resembles the menorah that was in the Beit HaMikdash.20:57So therefore, the Arizal explains20:58a person should not light directly on the table.21:01Rather, just like in the Beit HaMikdash21:02the menorah was not on the21:04mizbeach, the menorah was to the south of the Beit HaMikdash,21:08so too the menorah should be located in your house21:12somewhere to the south,21:14off the table,21:14not on the table, but off the table,21:17keneged ha-shulchan. That's what the Arizal writes,21:18and if you have the ability to do so,21:20you should do that in your house.21:22Especially if you're fixing your house,21:23you're renovating your house,21:24or you're building your house,21:25you should try to put a location on the southern wall,21:28south. By the way, we mean south21:30not pertaining wherever you are,21:32in whatever city you are,21:34whatever south is,21:35that wall over there,21:36you should try to make a corner over there21:38to light the candles on that side,21:40okay? That's how the Sefardi minhag is,21:42and that's the way that, based on the Arizal,21:44the way he explains it,21:45okay?21:47Now. There is a question here.21:50The question is,21:52what if you have a time?21:55We said, let's just review a little bit,21:57and then I'll explain the question a little bit more.21:59We just said that the22:01main, the beracha goes on the main place where you're going to eat.22:04So, for example,22:05let's say22:06you're—we're going to learn about it more,22:07bezrat Hashem—let's say you're in a hotel,22:09okay,22:09and there's a cafeteria where you're going to be eating your food,22:13and there's going to be a place where you eat,22:15okay,22:15and it's in the same building.22:17So let's assume right now you're by yourself,22:19so then you would make the22:21beracha, since you're in the same place.22:22So the dining room where you're going to eat,22:24you make the beracha over there.22:25Let's say it's private for a second,22:28because really it's much more complicated than this.22:30And then22:31upstairs, where you go back to the room,22:32already you lit downstairs,22:33and that's good enough;22:34that exempts you.22:35What about if you have a time22:36when you have many people eating together,22:38okay,22:38and the main location is going to be the dining room,22:42and now, however, you22:44have—it's a religious Shabbaton or22:45whatever—and you have men and women in separate rooms.22:48So you're going to have the candles lit in one room for the men22:52and candles lit also in another room for the women.22:54So you can't make berachot in both places.22:56You can only make a22:57beracha, one beracha per household or per location.23:01So where do you make the23:01beracha, in the men's place or the women's place?23:03So even though the mitzvah is really on the women,23:06and the women are the ones who are supposed to light23:08and make the blessing,23:09in this case,23:10where the men and women are eating two separate rooms,23:13since the men are the ones who are going to make the kiddush,23:16the beracha should be recited23:17in the place where the men are going to be.23:20That's assuming, again,23:21where you have an obligation to make a beracha in the cafeteria.23:24We're going to learn that's not so simple,23:26but we're not going to come up to this halacha until much later on.23:28But just quickly, I mentioned it,23:30then the time when you are going to make a23:32blessing in the cafeteria or whatever you're going to eat,23:34and there are two rooms where men are23:36and there's another room where the women are,23:38the blessing should only be recited23:40in one location23:41and should be by the men's side.23:44Why by the men's side?23:45Because they're going to make the kiddush23:47and al pi Kabbalah,23:48it's very significant,23:49has a lot of significance23:50that the candles should be in the same location23:52where the kiddush will be recited,23:54okay.23:56Now,23:58besides everything.24:00Now that we're almost pretty much done with this halacha,24:02but I just wanted to add that besides the minimum obligation,24:06after now we spoke about the minimum obligation,24:07you should have some light.24:08You should know there's a special mitzvah24:11that the house should be lit for the sake of Shabbat.24:13You know, sometimes you walk into a house and you have small lights.24:17A person is trying to save a little bit of electricity.24:19He doesn't put on the light here, doesn't put on the light here,24:21and he has just the bare minimum of lights.24:23Okay, yotzei dei chovah. I can't tell you24:24you're not yotzei dei chovah. You're not doing any sin. You have lights.24:26You have the minimum amount of lights,24:28but it's definitely not as24:30pleasant. It's not as honorable for Shabbat as it could have been.24:33When you have a guest, you put on all the lights in the house.24:34You have no greater guest on Shabbat than the24:37Shechinah. The Shechinah literally comes to the house,24:39and in honor of the24:40Shechinah, a person should put on as much light as possible.24:43You don't have to waste, but it's honorable for the Shabbat.24:46If you have a shandelier, put on all the lights for the Shabbat.24:48It brings, first of all,24:50it brings a different atmosphere to the house.24:52When everything is lit,24:53it shows there's something very chashuv and very, very special over here.24:58So therefore, a person,24:59there's an additional mitzvah that the house should be lit very, very well.25:02In fact, we find in Midrashim25:05that some of the greats of the Jewish people that were born25:08were born to parents who were careful25:11to make sure to light very well for Shabbat.25:16And Sefarim bring down, the Gemara brings25:18down—excuse me, why25:19Sefarim? The Gemara brings down,25:20Chazal bring a few times where one rabbi would pass by a house25:24and he would see that they lit the house very nicely.25:28This is back then with candles,25:29and still they lit it very nicely for Shabbat.25:31And he says, There's a great person that's going to come out of here.25:34In fact, Talmidei Chachamim were born from those families,25:37rabbis who were mentioned in the Gemara,25:40because the parents were careful to light a very special light,25:44a good light, not just the minimum,25:46but they lit a light that was very, very nice.25:49Okay, we move on now to the end of the halacha.25:52Let's finish up the halacha.25:54We said that the women really25:56light, and they're supposed to light in every place.25:58So he says over here,26:04Let's say other people in the26:05family want to be involved in the mitzvah of lighting.26:07We already mentioned the mitzvah is on the woman.26:10But if there's other people that want to be involved,26:12the man wants to be involved,26:13so we're going to talk about how the man gets involved in the mitzvah later on.26:16But if he wants to actually light,26:19he can light in other rooms.26:21However, he's not allowed to make a26:22bracha, and this is very important.26:23Some Ashkenazim, I believe26:24Chassidim, have a minhag,26:27a custom of lighting and making26:29bracha. Other members of the family lighting and making26:31bracha besides the woman, besides the mother,26:33we do not do that.26:34One bracha per household, okay?26:37If there's guests, we'll talk about it later on.26:39But as far as the family itself,26:41if there's eight members of the family,26:43even if the children are already adults,26:45meaning to say they're bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah,26:47they could light, but they're not allowed to make a26:49bracha. One bracha per household.26:51If the children light,26:52then, and with the26:54bracha, then that's it.26:55The mother cannot light there with the bracha anymore,27:03okay? And look how important this mitzvah is.27:06The Chachamim said27:07in once upon a time27:07when they didn't have electricity27:08and the person had to light,27:09if you don't have enough money to light,27:11then you have to go knocking on doors27:13to collect money for tzedakah27:15to be able to light candles for Shabbat.27:17That's how far it goes.27:18It's so important, so special, this mitzvah.27:20The person has to actually collect money for it.27:22And that leads us into the next27:24halacha. The next27:26halacha, we're going to read it and learn it inside,27:28and afterwards I'll explain27:29that really this halacha is not so practical in our days27:33and it'll lead us into the subject of electricity.27:35Let's first see the27:37halacha. Halacha gimel, Bnei Shai says as follows:27:41Ner Shabbat v'yayin l'kiddush, ner kodem. If you have the option,27:43a person is limited on funds,27:44all he has is, let's say, a dollar, okay?27:48And with that dollar27:49he could either purchase...27:52Nerot Shabbat, or you could purchase27:54yayin l'kiddush, and you need wine in order to make27:56kiddush. What do you do?27:57What do you spend your dollar on?27:59Ner kodem. You spend your money first on the candle.28:03Af al pi d'kiddush d'oraita, even though the kiddush is28:05min haTorah, according to many, as I said last week,28:06and most poskim, most Rishonim and Acharonim hold28:10that the kiddush is28:11a mitzvat aseh min haTorah, as it says,28:14Zachor et yom haShabbat l'kadsho. Still, like we learned in Hilchot Kiddush,28:18yachol lekadesh min haTorah al hapat. A person can make kiddush from the Torah on bread,28:24and therefore you could be28:26mekayem mitzvat kiddush. You're not going to lose out on kiddush;28:26you could make it on bread.28:28So what do you need the wine for?28:29Go buy candles.28:31Mi'divrei sofrim hu d'zecher. So why do we make it on wine?28:32It's only28:33d'rabbanan. The kiddush on wine is28:37d'rabbanan. לכן נר שבת קודם משום שלום ביתו. That's why ner Shabbat is preferable to buy.28:41Why?28:42Because you need light in the house,28:44and we said28:45light in the house brings shalom in the house28:47and brings shalom bayit.28:48But for this person,28:49we said enough to have one light;28:51you don't need more than one light.28:53Good?28:54Now,28:55why do I say this halacha is not practical today?28:57Like we said,28:59today our lights come from electricity.29:01So if you have a dollar left29:02and you don't have enough money to buy candles,29:06or you need to buy wine for kiddush,29:10then the poskim bring down29:11that actually you should buy the wine for kiddush.29:15Why? Because you have lights.29:16We have lights from the electricity.29:18And now we'll get into the subject of electricity,29:22if a person could make hadlakat nerot with electricity.29:27So this is a big subject, you should know.29:30How does electricity play a role nowadays29:32when it comes to lighting?29:34Let's first understand29:36if electricity could work for hadlakat nerot or not.29:40Once we understand that,29:42we'll go and explain what the poskim bring down29:45if a person could make berachah on hadlakat nerot or not.29:49So I want to point out29:50there's two points over here we have to cover.29:52Number one is,29:53could the light of electricity29:56work for the mitzvah of29:58hadlakat nerot? Number two is,29:59even if30:00a wife cannot make a blessing on it or not.30:02Okay?30:02Let's basically—there's two approaches to the electricity.30:05We're going to simplify it.30:07Let's take this first approach.30:08The first approach says as follows:30:12when lighting for Shabbat candles,30:16there are two obligations.30:17There's an obligation on the person himself to light,30:22and there's also an obligation30:24that there should be light in the house30:27because of the reasons that we said, shalom bayit.30:29There's what they call30:31chiyuv gavra; the person has the obligation to light.30:33And the other reason is30:34that there should be light in the house.30:36Now, he says30:38although—the first approach says that30:40although, yes, when I put on the electricity,30:42there's light in the house, and I could see,30:44and I'm not going to trip over anything.30:46In fact, the one bulb that you put on in the house30:49could be worth maybe twenty candles, even more.30:52It gives much, much more light.30:54It's much more enjoyable when I put on the electricity30:55than those little flames of candles, right?30:58Still, although you're right, you do have light.31:02However, since you are not considered31:04that you're lighting it directly, how come?31:05Because the way electricity works31:08is that when you put on the switch,31:09so it connects the cables together,31:12and now there's an electrical current that's running,31:16and from the main electrical unit,31:18it's running towards the bulb that you have31:20or whatever lights that you're putting on.31:22The way the current works is that it sends31:25off—it sends one current after another.31:27It just happens so fast31:28that it looks like the light is going on; it's constant.31:31But it's really one after another.31:34There's one after another.31:34So now, this approach, which is taken by the31:40Ohr Letzion, Chacham Ben Tzion Abba Shaul, alav hashalom, and the Shemirat31:42Shabbat Kehilchatah—he brings in the name of31:45Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach—in this way, they hold that you're not lighting directly.31:48When you put on the switch,31:50technically you put on the light for a split second.31:53And then really it should have stopped,31:56but then the current comes another second,31:58so it comes in breaks.32:00It comes in two breaks.32:02They compare it to imagine a person lights candles,32:05candles with oil,32:06and he puts just enough oil to last one minute.32:09Now, we're going to learn that to light candles that last for one minute,32:12that doesn't work.32:13You need to have enough light that it lasts you at least to go into Shabbat.32:16So over here, you put on the candles that only for one minute.32:19Of course, you're not32:20יוצא ידי חובה. But let's say you do so.32:21Let's say you take a cup,32:22you put a little bit of oil that can only last you for one minute,32:24you put a wick,32:25and you light the candles.32:26And then afterwards somebody comes in32:28and he's planning,32:28he comes and he adds more oil,32:31and then another minute he adds another little bit of oil.32:35Is that32:36מותר? No, you can't make such a32:38ברכה. So Chacham Bension says that's the same idea with electricity.32:40When I'm lighting,32:42it says32:42להדליק, after light.32:43The ברכה is that you have to actively take part in the lighting.32:47But your lighting in the electricity,32:50at least from the main,32:52doesn't continue;32:54it stops afterwards32:55because the current now takes over32:56and the electrical company takes over.32:58So therefore, Chacham Bension says33:00you cannot make a blessing,33:02you cannot even use them for33:04הדלקת נרות, because you're not actively lighting the light.33:07That's one approach.33:09The second approach holds,33:11although you're right,33:12the ברכה is33:13להדליק נר של שבת. But if you look in the words of the Rambam and the Shulchan Aruch,33:17and the way they quote the obligation of lighting the33:20נרות, they say the following. Listen to the words:33:28אחד האנשים ואחד הנשים חייבים להיות בבתיהם נר דלוק בשבת. They are obligated that they should have in their houses33:33a lit candle on Shabbat.33:36So you see from here33:37that the obligation is not to actively light;33:39the obligation is that there should be a light.33:41As long as that light is lit33:43for the sake of Shabbat,33:44but there should be light in the house for Shabbat.33:47So therefore,33:48Chacham Ovadia, who takes this approach, says—33:49Has nothing to do with you actively lighting.33:53You yourself, as long as there's light in the house,33:56that's good enough.33:57So according to33:59Chacham Ovadia, if you—and it's not only Chacham Ovadia, by the way;34:01it's a few other Acharonim as34:03well—they take the same approach.34:05Candles—excuse me,34:06electricity on Shabbat can be used.34:08Why? Because you have to have light,34:09and I do have light34:09by putting on the electricity.34:10I do have light in the house,34:11and that is sufficient for lighting the candles.34:14This is the two approaches,34:16at least for the34:18Gedolei Sefaradim, and there's of course many Acharonim, Ashkenazim34:20also involved in this dispute,34:22taking the two different approaches.34:23According to34:25Chacham Ben Tzion, electricity cannot be used for34:28hadlakat nerot. According to34:29Chacham Ovadia, yes, it can be used,34:29and not only that,34:31Chacham Ovadia makes a bracha on34:33hadlakat nerot. However, he himself says34:35this is not34:36lechatchila. A person shouldn't go ahead and light34:40hadlakat nerot with electricity34:41lechatchila. Try to do whatever possible way you can.34:44Try to go ahead and light it with candles.34:47Only in the situation where a person doesn't have candles34:50or he's in a place where they don't allow him to use candles,34:53then Chacham Ovadia says you can do it with the electricity.34:56You can make the bracha on the electricity and put it on.34:59Now, I do have to point one more thing35:01according to35:02Chacham Ben Tzion, forgot to mention.35:03According to35:04Chacham Ben Tzion, he says that the problem with electricity35:05is only when the electricity is coming from the electric company,35:11like the way we have,35:12the way electricity runs in our houses.35:14However, he says,35:16and he explains35:20the technic—the way it works with a battery and a generator,35:24they work differently.35:25If I take a flashlight,35:26which is operated through a battery,35:29or if my house is running through a generator,35:31it does the same way as my lights in the house35:35when they're working from the electric company.35:38Only an electric company35:39do they work with this current35:40that comes and feeds every once in a while.35:42However, in the regular generator or battery,35:46it's direct,35:48and therefore Chacham Ben Zion will also agree35:50that if I have a flashlight35:52or if I have my house electricity running on a generator,35:56I can also make a35:57bracha because it's direct.35:59So therefore, the compromise to36:02this—we did this also when we had a Shabbaton a few times.36:05We had a Shabbaton a few times in the yeshiva,36:07and in the yeshiva rules36:09is you not allow, like, candles in the room.36:10So therefore, told all the guys,36:12we brought flashlights36:14and we put them in the rooms,36:15and we told everybody,36:17make a36:18bracha before you put on the flashlight36:20and then put on the flashlight.36:22According to36:22Chacham Ben Zion and Chacham Ovadia, it would work36:24while you have light,36:25and it's direct from a battery or generator,36:28and therefore there's no problem.36:30And that's the advice that we give also.36:31If somebody has to use electricity36:33because he's not allowed to use candles or flame,36:38wherever he is,36:39the simple solution is36:41to take36:43one dollar and eight cents—you have to include tax, of36:45course—and go buy yourself a 99-cent candle, I mean 99-cent flashlight,36:49excuse me, and use it,36:50and this way you'll say36:51the bracha according to36:53Chacham Ben Zion and36:54Chacham Ovadia. Now, this is an introduction36:56to how you can use electricity,36:57but you know36:57it makes a big difference36:58if you hold electricity works.36:59Now let's go back37:00to electricity in the house.37:02This is still a37:03machloket; it's the debate between37:05Chacham Ben Zion and37:05Chacham Ovadia, and it makes a big difference37:07if you hold37:08that electricity works or not.37:11And it makes a37:12difference—I wrote down over here37:14four areas where it makes a difference.37:16So just tell you a few of them.37:18Number one is37:18the halacha that we just learned.37:19We learned37:20if a person doesn't have enough money,37:22so then37:23you can only buy either wine for Kiddush37:26or you have to buy37:28light for37:30hadlakat nerot. So therefore,37:31we said,37:32what should you do?37:33You should buy the light for candles.37:36But37:36if you go with the opinion that holds37:38you're allowed to have electricity37:42as37:43hadlakat nerot, so you don't need to buy37:45the37:46shemen, you don't need to buy oil for candles.37:47You can just rely37:48on the electricity that you have in your house37:50and spend your dollar37:51on the wine for Shabbat.37:53Another case,37:54we will see later on,37:55there's something called a knas.37:57I guess you'd say a fine37:59or a tax37:59or a punishment38:00if a woman forgets to light candles38:04on Shabbat.38:06Let's say she forgets to light the candles on Shabbat,38:08so the Rama brings down,38:09and we have to talk about it again38:11much more in depth,38:12but over there38:13the Rama brings down38:13that38:14a woman should light extra candles38:15the next,38:16every week for the rest of her life,38:17she has to light extra candles.38:18According to this,38:19since she had the electricity38:20on, one is a knas38:21because the house was left in dark.38:23You come home,38:24the husband comes home from shul,38:25he sees it's complete pitch dark,38:27right?38:27Back then38:28we didn't have electricity,38:29so that's why there's a knas.38:30Next week38:30she has to light more candles.38:31But nowadays38:32that we have electricity,38:33she forgot to light the candles38:36with the flame,38:37and then38:38she remembered afterwards38:39when it's too late to light.38:41In that case,38:41a lot of Acharonim say38:42since you have electricity,38:44you shouldn't give her a knas.38:45You shouldn't give her the fine38:46of lighting an extra candle38:47for the next couple of weeks.38:48Now38:49this is38:50for sure38:50according to the38:51Sefardim, and a lot of38:52Ashkenazim also agree to this,38:53but38:54some38:55Ashkenazim hold that38:56no,38:57really38:57she should also light it.38:59She's still given a knas.39:00We'll talk about it in39:01depth a little bit later on.39:02Okay,39:02these are the main two differences.39:04We're going to take a little bit of a break right now,39:06and39:07we're going to put on a little bit of music.39:08And if anybody has any questions39:09about what we learned right now,39:10the number of candles,39:11the Kavanot behind the candles,39:13and39:14electricity,39:15how it works,39:16if39:16after the music39:17we see we don't have any phone calls39:18or anything,39:19then39:19we'll continue39:20exactly the same with Halacha daled. Chosh olim al Yisroel, u'rivonim levonecho. U'rivonim levonecho. Chosh olim al Yisroel, u'sholom, sholom al Yisroel. Al Yisroel, sholom, al Yisroel, sholom, al Yisroel, sholom.41:29I'm. Okay, we are back, and let me give the numbers again to the studio, 718-683-5858 if you want to call in41:57live. The text number is 347-927-8398. So we got a question over the phone, and42:28I want to bring it up. I think it's a very good question. Let me bring it up to everybody. The question was like this: Somebody who has a custom, according to the Ashkenazim, they have a custom that they light, let's say, six candles, okay? Why? Two for the husband and42:58wife, and43:08then four for the rest of the children, so that altogether they have six candles. The question is, if you forgot to light six, you lit only five. You come Friday night, you're coming to eat your meal, you're making Kiddush, and you look, there's only five. I only lit five. I forgot about one. Is that considered in43:33the same category as a knas, as a punishment, where a person would have to light an extra candle the rest of the weeks, which means, does that woman have to light seven now, even though she normally lights six, she has to light seven? And43:51the answer is no. Like we mentioned, the main knas, which was instituted, was because a woman forgot to light, and there's no light in44:23the house. Over here, besides that there's electricity, over here she lit the candles; she just miscounted. So not everybody would agree. Even the Ashkenazim who are machmir by electricity, we mentioned that some Ashkenazi gedolim hold that even though there's electricity, you still have to light an extra candle. They will also probably agree over here that she just miscounted; she does not have to light an additional one for the weeks to come. Let's move on now to Halacha44:48dalet. Halacha dalet, the Ben Ish Chai talks about lighting candles even though it's not necessary, and this is pertinent to us, like we just mentioned. We have electricity today. We don't need the flame. We don't need the light from the candles. Still, there's an obligation to light. In45:14their days, how'd this happen? So he says like this. Let me give you a little introduction how they used to work once upon a time. Once upon a time. They used, like we said, all the candles, all the lights in45:39the house came from the candles. In46:20the summer, when the nights are very, very late at night, meaning to say it doesn't get dark till about 8:30, 9 o'clock. So what they used to do is, a lot of people, you know, they don't want to wait that long. Even until today, people don't want to eat that late. So what they do is they pray Arvit early by plag hamincha, and then they'd come home and eat. And that time, you don't need any light. There's light coming from the outside. Just like in46:49our days, we don't put on the lights in the house most of the time if we have light coming from the outside. If it's very sunny, if you have a room that's very sunny, you don't put on the light. There's no need for it. You only put on the lights when it gets darker. So in those days, there was no need to put on the light. So that's one example where technically you could eat the Shabbat meal without putting on the light. Technically, we're going to see what the halacha is in a second. The other time is they used to go up to the roof when it's a little hot in the house, even though they're eating when it's very, very dark, but they want to get some fresh air. There was no ACs. Believe it or not, once upon a time they did not have ACs, and they would go up to the roof and they'd have their meal on top of the roof. What was the light? The candles they lit in47:07the house downstairs, but now they have the light of the moon, okay? So now they have enough light from the moon. As little as that is, but that was for them, that was enough. So in these two scenarios, technically you don't need the flames of the candle. What is the halacha? Should you light? And47:35if you do light, should you make a bracha or not? So this will lead us to our halacha. Even though a person is eating and making kiddush on the roof where the light of the moon is shining on his table, im kol zeh, still, madlikin ner Shabbat b'racha. You still have to light with a blessing, because there's an additional reason, says the Ben Ish Chai, for lighting candles. Besides the simple explanation that we've explained until now, and that is that you have to have oneg Shabbat, you have to see what you're eating, and you shouldn't trip on anything. True, that's 100% true. Nobody's taking that away. But there's an additional reason, al pi Kabbalah, that there should be flames are lit.48:00And like we mentioned also, the Arizal explains it's like you're lighting the menorah in the Beit HaMikdash, even though it was light outside or whatever, you still light the48:08menorah. So therefore, you still have to light the lights.48:11Practically speaking nowadays, that's the same thing.48:13Even though we have electricity, and our main light comes from the chandelier and the electricity that we have in our houses, it doesn't make a difference.48:20You still have to light with a candle and a48:24flame, okay? And that's what we mentioned beforehand.48:28Even though according to Chacham Ovadia and others, you could use electricity for a berachah, for even making berachah fulfilling the mitzvah of candles,48:36still a person should not do so48:41lechatchila. Only when a person is stuck and shat ha-dchak, and it's very necessary, that's when a person should rely on lighting the electricity.48:50There's an important point to bring out, though,48:52and that is that some bring down that since the electricity could technically be used as a mitzvah hadlakat nerot,49:04so, and I'm lighting the lights in my dining room. Let's say I'm eating in my dining room, that's where I'm going to make the49:09berachah. How can I make a berachah on the lights if I already lit already?49:12We're going to learn later on that we Sefardim make a blessing on the candles before we light the candles,49:21okay? We have to make a blessing and then light the candles.49:24So how could you make the berachah lighting the candles after you already lit the chandelier, which you can use for the light?49:28Once you lit the chandelier, that little flame that you put on the two candles, even if you have seven or ten, fifteen candles,49:35they don't compare to the light that you have from your chandelier, from the electricity.49:40So therefore, Sefardim bring down, in such a case, the poskim say49:44the preferable thing to do is, wherever the woman is lighting, she should first shut off all electricity.49:52Make a blessing, light the flame candles, and then after she lights her candles,49:58then she should have kavanah also on the electricity in the room,50:01and then she should put on the chandelier and the candles in the house.50:04Okay? Now, I know that's going to conflict with some people's minhagim,50:07especially those who have minhagim like the Ashkenazim who make a bracha afterwards.50:11All that, be'ezrat Hashem, will be explained next week in a very long segment where we're going to speak about50:15this point about accepting Shabbat by candle lighting and making the bracha before or afterwards.50:21That's going to be next week's shiur; it's not this week.50:24But as far as if you're Sefardi, you should do this50:27lechatchilah. In fact, I asked a few poskim. I said, Do you do this in your own house?50:32So he told me, You want to know what the halacha is, or you want to know what I do?50:35I said, According to halacha, yes, that's what you're supposed to do.50:38You're supposed to shut off the lights in the house50:41and then first light the candles and then put on electricity.50:44And I think I told my wife once upon a time,50:46if she does it or not, I don't take any responsibility; I'm in50:48shul, okay? But really, the ladies should know,50:51and, baruch Hashem, for this shiur, a lot of ladies are listening.50:53If there's men listening, you should tell your wives,50:56lechatchilah, she should first shut off the lights in the house,50:59she make a bracha, then put on the candles,51:01and have in mind when she makes the bracha to cover also the electricity,51:04and then afterwards she should put on the electricity in the house.51:07Okay? That's halacha dalet.51:09I believe we have time for one more51:15halacha, halacha hei. We mentioned this a little bit beforehand,51:18but now we'll bring it up and we'll talk about it a little bit more in depth.51:22The Ben Ish Chai quotes over here a halacha in Shulchan Aruch,51:26but before that, actually, we're getting a question over here.51:28Let me just answer the question.51:35Okay,51:36so there's a question, I think last week is the same question:51:39Is there a knas? Does a woman get a knas?51:41Does a woman get a knas for not lighting Shabbat candles?51:50Not because she was negligent on purpose,51:54but she forgot about it.51:55Why would she forget about it?51:57It's not that she forgot; she knew she had to light,51:58but she was so busy preparing for the house on Shabbat.52:01And anybody who has kids knows,52:02at least women know,52:04or if you stayed around long enough,52:06you see that kids, for some52:09reason—actually, the Bechidah says52:12that Erev Shabbat is a very hectic time.52:14The Satan comes and tries to make a big balagan,52:16a big mess in the house,52:17and he makes the kids go wild and everything.52:19So everybody knows52:20that Erev Shabbat is a very hectic time.52:22And she had the candles ready52:23and she wanted to light,52:24but by the time she got the house a little straightened out,52:27by the time she put the challah on the fire,52:29she realized,52:31Oh my gosh, it's candlelighting time.52:32And by the time she came to light,52:34uh-oh, it's already shekiah and she can't light.52:36Does the knas still apply?52:38So if you're Ashkenazi,52:38where you hold of the knas,52:40yes, it applies.52:41Even then it applies.52:42A person, like we mentioned last week,52:44a person has to designate time52:46to make sure to be able to light the candles.52:49As far as accepting Shabbat or not,52:51that's next week's class.52:52But yes, the knas applies52:54even though the woman was busy preparing for Shabbat.52:56Still, there's a special preparation of candles52:59that has to be done.53:00But again, that's if you go with the poskim53:03that hold electricity53:05is not sufficient to save you from the knas.53:09A lot of poskim, even Ashkenazim, like I said,53:11even Ashkenazim hold53:13that if you have electricity in the house,53:17then you don't get the knas.53:18I don't know who you want to follow.53:20I know Rav Nissim Karelitz is53:22machmir. There's a lot of gedolei Ashkenazim that are53:25meikil because there's electricity,53:27so you shouldn't get the knas.53:29But if there would be no other light53:31except for the candles53:32and you miss the candles53:33even because you're preparing for Shabbat,53:34the knas does apply.53:36Let me just read the last halacha very, very quickly.53:41Echad ha'ish v'echad ha'isha chayavim b'ner Shabbat. We mentioned this before.53:43Men and women are obligated in the53:45candle and lighting candles on Shabbat.53:50Ela shehaisha muzheret alav yoter, v'yesh la din kedima ba'alah b'mitzvah zu. The only thing is,53:52women are more commended on this53:54mitzvah, and if there's an argument between the husband and wife53:57who wants to do the53:58mitzvah, and the husband says,53:59I want to light candles.54:00I'm the man.54:01I pay for everything.54:02It's my credit card.54:03And the wife says,54:05Well, we learned that I have to light.54:07My mora told me that I have to light.54:08It doesn't make a difference.54:11The husband cannot argue.54:13The mitzvah is the woman's54:16mitzvah. She has the first rights.54:17She could forgive,54:18and she could say,54:19Listen, you want to light, you could light.54:20She could do that if she wants to,54:21but she has din54:24kedima. She could prefer to light herself over her husband.54:30And if her husband says,54:32No, he's very stubborn,54:32he says, No, I'm going to light.54:34I'm the one. I'm the man.54:35I wear the pants.54:36It doesn't make a difference.54:37She could stop him.54:38She could say54:39she has the right.54:40If they have to ask a rabbi,54:42the rabbi has to rule in favor of the woman.54:43It's the woman's54:45mitzvah. How come?54:46A few reasons are brought down.54:47One, like we mentioned beforehand,54:48since Chavah is the one who ate from54:50Eitz HaDaat and she diminished the light of Adam54:53HaRishon, so it's her job to be54:54metaken. The other reason is,54:56since the preparations of the house54:57are the responsibility of the woman,54:59she has to take care of all the preparations.55:01She cooks the food and everything,55:02so therefore55:02she also has the right to light the candles.55:04So if the husband is stubborn,55:06he says, I want to light the candles,55:07then tell him, Okay, go cook dinner.55:08If he still agrees,55:09maybe it's worth it.55:10Maybe if he wants to clean up the house55:11and change the diapers55:12and cook the55:13cholent and cook all the dinners,55:15then you know what?55:15I think it's worth it55:16to allow him to light the candles.55:17But if it's not going to be done that way,55:19then the husband is the one55:22has to give over the mitzvah to the wife55:24to light the candles on Shabbat.55:26And one last thing is55:27that the55:28minhag—there's a minhag that the55:30yoledet, the woman who gave birth,55:31the first Shabbat after giving birth,55:33the husband lights.55:34But that's once upon a time55:35when55:35it took so long for the woman55:36to recover after birth.55:39Nowadays,55:40that a woman could be back55:41home—she gives birth on Tuesday already,55:43she could be back home on Friday55:44and she's up and running.55:45So in that case,55:47the reason of the minhag doesn't apply,55:49and the woman still wants to light the candles,55:51she could light the candles.55:52And we already come to the end of the show,55:54and we wish everybody Shabbat shalom.55:56Next week55:57we'll be speaking about55:57some very important55:59halachot, and you can—56:00Hear this class again on Tuesday evenings at 10 o'clock, and next week we'll be on here live on Wednesday afternoon here at jrootradio.com and56:0997.5. Till then, Shabbat shalom.