bbat can a h d s l e es h t
As the sun sinks low in the Friday sky, the Earth relaxes. Shabbat is coming—and with her, peace and tranquility. Just as Shabbat is about to begin, we welcome the Shabbat Queen with candles. These candles illuminate the home with a magical glow, creating an aura of Shabbat around the Shabbat table and throughout the entire abode. Our Sages tell us, “A little light dispels much darkness.” When a room is completely dark, one small flame will illuminate the entire space. Each one of our flames that we kindle for Shabbat introduces a little more light and hope into this world. Around the Earth, as each woman and girl ignites match to flame, and flame to candle, the lights combine to create a great sphere of brightness, illuminating the world with the awareness of Shabbat, and the Oneness of Hashem, bringing peace and tranquility to all of creation. Our mothers and grandmothers and great-great-great grandmothers have been lighting Shabbat candles for thousands of years. We are told that even Sarah, Rivkah, Rachel, and Leah, the mothers of the Jewish nation, all lit candles to welcome Shabbat. When we light the Shabbat candles, we are a link in this great tradition of women who brought the light of Shabbat into their homes and made their homes into a place of holiness, warmth, and goodness. The Kohen Gadol, the High Priest of our Holy Temple, the Beit Hamikdash, would kindle the flames of the menorah to bring holiness and light into the world. We do the same with our Shabbat candles in our homes, our mini Beit Hamikdash.
*THERE IS AN ANCIENT JEWISH CUSTOM, REAWAKENED IN MODERN TIMES BY THE LUBAVITCHER REBBE, FOR UNMARRIED GIRLS TO LIGHT THEIR OWN SHABBAT (AND HOLIDAY) CANDLE EVERY WEEK FROM THE TIME THEY ARE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE BASIC CONCEPT OF THE MITZVAH AND RECITE THE BLESSING. FOR THOSE WHO KEEP THIS TRADITION, IT IS CUSTOMARY TO INTRODUCE THIS MITZVAH TO A GIRL BY HER THIRD BIRTHDAY, THE AGE WHEN CHINUCH, FORMAL JEWISH EDUCATION, BEGINS.
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