| One of the most well known Jewish practices related | | | | obligation rests upon the man of the house according |
| to the observance of Shabbat (the Sabbath) is the | | | | to the Code of Jewish Law known as the Shulchan |
| lighting of oil lamps or candles before its | | | | Aruch. |
| commencement. | | | | The bracha (blessing) said at the lighting of the |
| One of the most well known Jewish customs | | | | Sabbath candles is: "Blessed art Thou O L-rd. who |
| connected with the observance of Shabbat (the | | | | hast sanctified us with Thy commandments and |
| Sabbath) is the lighting of lamps or candles before | | | | commanded us to kindle the lights of the Sabbath. In |
| sunset on Friday night. The practice is often thought to | | | | some Jewish communities women also recite a prayer |
| have been initiated by the Pharisees, a Jewish sect in | | | | for the health and prosperity of their families. |
| the late Second Temple period. The practice is ancient | | | | The lighting of the Sabbath lamp was considered an |
| and according to the first century Jewish historian | | | | obligation which had to be discharged before dark set |
| Josephus, its popularity had even spread among | | | | in. Some rabbis demanded that at least two lamps or |
| non-Jewsish communities. | | | | candles should be lighted. The reason for this lies in the |
| Today, the lighting of a special lamp or candles on the | | | | desire to to express the commandment to "zachor" |
| eve of the Sabbath is regarded as a religious duty. | | | | (remember) the Sabbath as found in Exodus 20. The |
| The early Tannaim (the first generation of rabbis of | | | | other commandment, "shamor" (observe) is found in |
| the Mishnaic and Talmudic period) viewed it as a | | | | the book of Deuteronomy. |
| well-known practice so much so that their discussions | | | | The Sabbath meal should only be eaten where the |
| often dealt with the minor details connected with it, sch | | | | lamp or candles are burning. Explicit directions are |
| as the kind of wick or oil to be allowed as opposed to | | | | given concerning the material for the wick, the kind of |
| its origin. While the Hebrew Bible does not explicity | | | | oil that is kosher, the manner of lighting the lamp, and to |
| direct the lighting of Sabbath lights, it does prohibit the | | | | what extent one can derived benefit from the light of |
| kindling of lights on the Sabbath. The inference | | | | the Sabbath lamp or candles for reading and other |
| therefore is to provide light before the onset of the | | | | purposes. |
| Sabbath. | | | | Later rabbis questioned whether lighting the candles or |
| Other rabbis held differing views as to whether the | | | | a lamp marked the beginning of the Sabbath rest, or |
| lighting of the Sabbath lamp was an obligation or a | | | | whether Sabbath did not set in until after the prayers |
| mitzvah (commandment). While it was and is | | | | had been recited and 2iddush performed. Others |
| considered obligatory for men and women, it is | | | | contended that the recitation of Psalm 92 (the Song |
| especially incumbent upon the woman of the house. If | | | | for the Sabbath Day) initiated the Sabbath. |
| no woman lives in the house or she is unavailable, the | | | | |