Candle lighting times and information for Shabbat. Purim Sameach!

Welcome to our Shabbat and holiday candle-lighting section where you will find candle-lighting times, blessings, instructions, practices, traditions, greetings and expressions.

shabbat candles 6

Shabbat candle lighting times

In loving memory of my mother Rachel bat Shimon z"l who passed to her eternal rest on January 23rd, 2021 - Shevat 10, 5781

"One man's candle is light for many" - Talmud on Shabbat

	Friday 26.02.21 Lighting	Saturday 27.02.21 Ending
Jerusalem	4.55	6.12
Tel Aviv-Yafo, Netanya & Raanana	5.14	6.14
Haifa & Modi'in	5.05	6.12
Beer Sheva	5.17	6.14
Eilat	5.08	6.14
Parshat Hashavua TETZAVEH International candle lighting times
	Friday Lighting	Saturday Ending
New York City, USA	5.26	6.26
Toronto, Canada	5.45	6.47
London, United Kingdom	5.18	6.27
Johannesburg, RSA	6.23	7.15
Perth, Australia	6.37	7.31
Paris, France	6.12	7.18

Candle lighting times sourced from Chabad

The Jewish tradition of lighting candles

According to Jewish traditions, our Matriarch Sarah. the wife of Abraham, would light the candles in her home, on the eve of the Shabbat. The candles miraculously burned all week, from one Friday to the next.

Abraham was known for his hospitality and so the light of Sarah's candles lit their home and welcomed the guests that visited them throughout the week.

When Sarah died, her Shabbat candles were extinguished. Years later, Isaac, the son of Sarah and Abraham, noticed that the Shabbat candles of his prospective wife, Rebecca, also burned for an entire week, from one Shabbat to another. When he saw this he understood that Rebecca was Sarah's righteous successor, and so he married her.

Why do we light candles?

Our Sages implemented the lighting of Shabbat and holiday candles for several reasons.

Peace in the Home: Shabbat and holidays are intended to be peaceful. We light our home so that we should not stumble in the darkness, something which would create an un-peaceful effect.

Honoring the Day: We add light in the home to honor the Shabbat Queen.

Pleasure: To fully enjoy the Shabbat delicacies, we must be able to see our food

Lighting Up

Before they are married, women and girls light one candle. After they are married, women light at least two candles. Some add an additional candle for each child: e.g., a woman with four children lights six candles.

If no woman (i.e. over the age of bat mitzvah) is present in the home, a man should light the candles.