candles
Candle Lighting: A Blessing or a Curse to Women?
In the following excerpt from Wendy I. Zierler’s article, “Shedding Feminist Light on the Sabbath Candles,” Zierler explores the possibility that the commandment for women to light the Shabbat evening
Introduction: How to Light the Shabbat Candles
This introductory video provides a step-by-step explanation on how to light the Shabbat evening candles according to Asheknazic tradition, using captions, pictures, and music to capture the magical ambience of lighting the
The History of Lighting the Shabbat Candles
In this excerpt from the article, “Lighting Sabbath Candles,” Avi Lazerson discusses the historical and textual explanations for the commandment of lighting the Shabbat evening candles. He explains how this ritual was
A Woman Before God: Candle Lighting Throughout the Generations
This article discusses the strong feminine aspect of the candle lighting ritual, including how various traditions which have been handed down from generation to generation through family matriarchs have gained halachic
“Shamor” and “Zachor”: Observe and Remember
This blog post by Rabbi Adam Feldman explores the dual language of “shamor” and “zachor” used in the Torah to command the Jewish people to “remember” and “observe” Shabbat. Jewish
HuffPost Blog: “Going Dark” on Shabbat
In this blog post, Ellie Krupnick shares her personal journey of coming to appreciate the refuge from technology and work offered by Shabbat. Although not specifically about the candle lighting ritual,
Candle Lighting Photography Project
In this creative project, artist Helene Fischman presents photographs of women lighting Shabbat candles. Her inspiration comes from both the transformative power of the ritual itself and its significance as an
Sarah’s Light: The Candles that Never Waned
This enlightening article explores the age old connection between Jewish women and Shabbat candles, explaining references to the Matriarch, Sarah, lighting Shabbat candles in the Torah and Midrash. The article delves into
Shabbat Observance in Alaska: Lighting Shabbat Candles Without Sunset
In this article, Rabbi Dov Gartenberg shares his thoughts and halachic insights about Shabbat observance when living in Alaska, where during certain times of the year, the sun does not
Switching On Shabbat: Temples in Time
Referencing Jewish thinkers Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel and Blu Greenberg, this article describes lighting the Shabbat candles as a transformative act that enables us to create temples in time, thus