Halachot and Customs
The wording of the blessing over lighting Shabbat candles
Question
Hello,
I am a 29-year-old woman living alone, and I have started keeping Shabbat again as much as possible. The only thing I am still missing and have not yet managed to stop is using the computer. My computer is on all week and is never turned off. What I do is listen to lectures on Hidabroot, and sometimes watch a funny entertainment program such as a movie or a show like X Factor or Kokhav Nolad. Of course not all of Shabbat, only part of it, because my home is a single room, so I pray a little and study Torah, and the rest of the day I watch because it passes the time pleasantly and is like company since I am alone. My two questions are:
1. What is the blessing when Shabbat begins for lighting a candle?
"ברוך אתה א-דוני א-להינו מלך העולם אשר קדשנו במצוותיו וציוונו להדליק נר של שבת קודש".
Is that enough, and then light a candle?
2. When Shabbat ends? When lighting the Havdalah candle, what is the blessing? Because it says there is a difference between what a woman must recite and what a man must recite. So as a woman, what should I do and how should I recite the blessing?
Thank you in advance
Answer
Hello,
1. The correct wording for the blessing over lighting Shabbat candles is:
"ברוך אתה ה' אלוקינו מלך העולם, אשר קדשנו במצוותיו וציוונו להדליק נר של שבת"
(Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, siman 263, seif 5; Mishnah Berurah, seif katan 22; and Chazon Ovadia Shabbat, part 1, page 176. And see there in the note, s.v. "however").
2. Over the fire that is lit for Havdalah, one should recite:
"ברוך אתה ה' אלוקינו מלך העולם בורא מאורי האש"
(Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, siman 298, seif 1), and this wording applies equally to a man and to a woman.
With blessing,
Hillel Meirs
The mitzvah of Shabbat is a sacred and precious mitzvah, and at times a challenging one. Still, the greater the difficulty, the greater the reward. It is recommended to prepare for Shabbat in a way that one will not need to desecrate it. By purchasing captivating books in the spirit of Judaism, Shabbat pamphlets of interest, and even newspapers and magazines (of course, without concern for licentiousness, slander and gossip, and immodest pictures), one can spend Shabbat in an enjoyable way. It is highly recommended to go to a nearby synagogue and participate in the uplifting Shabbat prayers and hear the special Torah reading for that Shabbat. One should also pray, increase the recitation of Tehillim, and fill Shabbat with holiness. Much success!
