Two flames and one blessing. It is the simplest mitzvah in Judaism and the one that changes a room the fastest. If you have never done it, watch it done once, then follow the six steps below — you will be ready by Friday.
The whole thing, demonstrated — the candles, the match, the hands over the eyes, the blessing. Watch once and the steps below will read like a reminder rather than a lesson.
Put the candlesticks on the table where Shabbat dinner will be, or close enough that their light reaches it. The point of the flames is that they light the meal — that is the whole idea. Many have the custom of dropping a few coins into a tzedakah box first.
A girl lights one candle, from around three years old. A married woman lights two, and many families add one more for each child. If there is no woman in the home, the man of the house lights. Whatever number you begin with is the number you keep for life — so start wherever you are.
Hold the match to each wick until the flame has taken hold of most of the wick standing above the candle. This is the one blessing in Judaism said after the act instead of before — because the moment you say it, Shabbat has begun for you, and striking a match is no longer possible.
Do not blow it out or shake it dead — set it down somewhere safe and let it burn out. For the same reason, the candlesticks, the tray beneath them and the tzedakah box stay exactly where they are until Shabbat ends on Saturday night.
Draw your hands over your eyes so that you do not yet see the light you have made. Say the blessing — it is on the card below, in Hebrew, in English letters, and in English. Then lower your hands and look at the flames as though for the first time.
Hands still at your eyes, this is held to be one of the most auspicious moments of the entire week for a private prayer — for your health, your children, your parents, anyone who needs it. Say it in whatever language you think in. Then open your eyes, and say Good Shabbos.
Print it, or keep this page open on your phone at the table. Nobody is grading the Hebrew — say the line you can say.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אַדֹנָ-י אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל שַׁבָּת קֹדֶשׁ
Bah-rookh ah-tah ah-doh-noi eh-loh-hay-noo meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm ah-sher ki-deh-shah-noo beh-mitz-voh-tahv veh-tzee-vah-noo leh-hahd-lik nehr shehl shah-baht koh-dehsh.
Blessed are You, Lord our G‑d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to kindle the light of the holy Shabbat.
Said after the candles are lit, with your eyes covered.
That is the whole rule. Shabbat itself starts at sunset; the candles go up eighteen minutes earlier so that no one is ever caught striking a match a minute too late. Once the sun has set the window has closed — enjoy Shabbat, and light next week.
Times shown are for Venice, Florida, and update on their own each week.
Yes — and you do not have to work up to it. There is no membership, no level of observance you must reach first, and no wrong way to begin. One candle this Friday counts completely.
It happens, and it is not a catastrophe. The custom is that a woman who missed a lighting adds an extra candle from then on. If you are not sure how that applies to you, call the rabbi — it is a two-minute conversation.
Once the sun has set, Shabbat has begun and the candles are not lit — and no match is struck. Let it go, enjoy Shabbat, and light next week eighteen minutes before sunset.
Real flames are the mitzvah and should be used whenever it is possible. An electric light is used only where an open flame genuinely cannot be — a hospital room, for instance. If that is your situation, call us and we will walk you through it.
You light where you are eating and sleeping. Many hotels do not permit open flames, so ask at the desk before you light — and call us, we help people work this out all the time.
It is the woman's mitzvah. When there is no woman past bat mitzvah in the home, the man of the house lights — same candles, same blessing, same moment.
Still not sure about something? Ask the rabbi — there is no question too basic.
If you do not have Shabbat candles, that is the easiest problem we solve all week. Ask below and pick them up at Chabad, or we will put them in the mail.
Takes a minute. There is nothing to pay and nothing to sign up for.
