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Bread from the Earth: Food Justice Ceremony
This ceremony, meant to be performed before the blessing over the bread, encourages people to contemplate the source of their food, the process it went through to get onto the
Lighting Candles: A Spiritual Cure-all
In this thought-provoking article, psychologist, Dr. Miriam Biber, explores the unique spiritual power of lighting the Shabbat candles through personal anecdotes and biblical, Talmudic and Chassidic sources. Described as a prototype for all of
Shabbat Candles FAQ
This article contains clear and detailed answers, according to an Orthodox Jewish perspective, to a number of frequently asked questions about lighting Shabbat candles on Friday night, including who, when,
Shabbat Candle Lighting with Masculine and Feminine God-Language
This post presents the blessing for lighting the Shabbat candles on Friday night, both in its traditional format (i.e. with masculine God-language) and using feminine God-language, an option that reflects
Young Girl Lights Her First Shabbat Candle
In this sweet seven-minute home video a young girl receives a silver Shabbat candlestick in a package in the mail from her grandparents just prior to her third birthday. According to the Hasidic
Shabbat Candles Across History
The following video offers a wordless demonstration of women lighting the Shabbat candles from Canaan (the biblical reference for Ancient Israel) 2200 BCE to the present day. Created by Rabbi
Bella Chagall’s “Burning Lights:” A Recollection
In this excerpt from the book “Burning Lights: A Unique Double Portrait of Russia,” Bella Chagall describes a detailed accounting from her childhood of what the Shabbat candle lighting ceremony
How to Light Shabbat Candles: Bringing Light to your Family
This video, by Rabbi Janet Ross Marder, describes how to light the Shabbat evening candles, with a focus on bringing light and peace to your home and family. Rabbi Marder
“Blessed is the Match”: A Poem by Hannah Senesh
The following poem, “Blessed is the Match” by Hannah Senesh, describes the human soul as analogous to a match that is desperate to spread its light to other flames. Although not
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel Quotes on Shabbat Candles
These poetic quotes from Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel describe the moment when Shabbat arrives, bringing with it an atmosphere of light, peace, rest, joy, and renewal. Heschel points to the creative and