Shabbat Candles: The Meaning, Tradition and Beauty of Lighting Shabbat Candles
Every Friday evening, as the week begins to slow down and the Jewish Sabbath approaches, a simple ritual takes place in Jewish homes around the world: lighting Shabbat candles.
Two candles are placed on the Shabbat table, a flame is kindled, and for a brief moment the atmosphere of the home changes. The busy week gives way to Shabbat—a time for family, rest, prayer, connection and tradition.
For many people, lighting Shabbat candles is one of the most familiar Jewish traditions. Yet behind those two small flames is a beautiful story filled with symbolism, history and meaning.
In this guide, we will explore why we light Shabbat candles, who lights them, when and how to light them, what blessing is recited, why two candles are traditionally used, and how Shabbat candle holders became such an important part of the Jewish home.
What Are Shabbat Candles?
Shabbat candles are traditionally lit before sunset on Friday afternoon, welcoming the arrival of Shabbat.
The candles are usually placed on a table or another prominent location in the home. Alongside the candles, many families prepare a beautiful Shabbat table with a challah cover, Kiddush cup, dishes and other Judaica.
The light itself creates a warm and peaceful atmosphere, but the ritual has a deeper purpose as well. Shabbat candles are associated with peace in the home, honor of Shabbat and the enjoyment of the Sabbath.
For generations, Jewish families have passed this tradition from parents to children, making Shabbat candle lighting one of the most recognizable rituals of Jewish life.
Why Do We Light Shabbat Candles?
There are several ideas behind the tradition of lighting Shabbat candles.
1. To bring light and peace into the home
One of the central ideas associated with Shabbat candles is Shalom Bayit, meaning peace and harmony in the home.
Before electricity, having light in the home after sunset was especially important. Imagine sitting down for a special Friday night meal in complete darkness. The candles provided practical illumination, allowing the family to eat, talk and enjoy the Shabbat meal together.
Over time, the physical light became deeply connected with the spiritual idea of creating a peaceful and welcoming home for Shabbat.
2. To honor Shabbat
Shabbat is considered a special day, and Jewish tradition places importance on preparing for it and making it beautiful.
Lighting candles is part of that preparation.
Just as a family may prepare a special meal, set the table with beautiful dishes and put on nicer clothing for Shabbat, lighting candles helps create a distinct transition from the ordinary week into the holiness of Shabbat.
3. To enjoy Shabbat
The candles also contribute to Oneg Shabbat, the enjoyment and delight of Shabbat.
The warm glow of candlelight around the Friday night table creates an atmosphere that is different from an ordinary weekday evening. It is a small physical detail that can have a powerful emotional effect.
For many families, the moment the candles are lit marks the beginning of the most peaceful part of the week.
Why Are Two Shabbat Candles Lit?
One of the most common questions is:
Why do we light two Shabbat candles?
The traditional explanation connects the two candles with the two expressions used in the Torah concerning Shabbat:
"Remember" and "Observe" the Sabbath.
The two candles therefore symbolize these two aspects of Shabbat.
Some families also see the two flames as representing the husband and wife, the two sides of a family, or the balance between the spiritual and physical dimensions of Shabbat.
There is no need for the two candles to look exactly the same, although many people choose a matching pair of Shabbat candlesticks because they create a beautiful and balanced appearance on the Shabbat table.
Who Lights Shabbat Candles?
Traditionally, the responsibility for lighting Shabbat candles is associated particularly with the woman of the household.
In many Jewish homes, the mother or wife lights the candles before Shabbat.
However, the tradition is not limited to women in every circumstance. A person who is responsible for the household and the Shabbat preparations can light the candles, and there are situations in which a man lights them as well.
Children can also participate in the ritual in age-appropriate ways. Many families give children their own small Shabbat candles or allow them to watch and learn as their parents light.
This makes candle lighting an especially meaningful tradition to pass from one generation to the next.
When Do You Light Shabbat Candles?
Shabbat candles are generally lit before sunset on Friday afternoon.
The exact time changes throughout the year depending on the location and the season.
This is important: Shabbat candle-lighting time is not the same everywhere.
A family in Jerusalem, New York, Paris or London will have a different candle-lighting time because sunset occurs at different times in different places.
Many Jewish calendars and synagogue communities publish the local candle-lighting time each week.
It is best to check the candle-lighting time for your specific location rather than relying on a fixed time.
How Do You Light Shabbat Candles?
The ritual itself is beautifully simple.
Step 1: Prepare the candles
Place the Shabbat candles securely in your Shabbat candle holders.
Make sure the candle holders are placed somewhere safe and stable, away from curtains, paper, children and anything that could catch fire.
Step 2: Light the candles
Light the candles before the beginning of Shabbat, according to the local candle-lighting time.
Step 3: Cover your eyes
After lighting, the person traditionally covers her eyes with her hands.
This is one of the distinctive features of the ritual.
Step 4: Recite the blessing
With the eyes covered, the traditional blessing is recited:
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech HaOlam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu l'hadlik ner shel Shabbat.
In Hebrew:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל שַׁבָּת.
The English meaning is approximately:
"Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to kindle the light of Shabbat."
After the blessing, the hands are moved away and the candles are viewed.
For many people, this is a quiet and personal moment to pause, reflect and welcome Shabbat.
Why Do We Cover Our Eyes?
Covering the eyes after lighting has an interesting connection to the blessing.
One traditional explanation is that the blessing is recited after the candles have been lit, even though blessings are normally said before performing a mitzvah.
Covering the eyes allows the person lighting the candles to avoid benefiting from the candlelight until after the blessing has been recited.
There is also something beautiful about the symbolism.
For a moment, the outside world disappears. The person closes her eyes, says the blessing and then opens them to see the candles glowing.
It creates a natural pause between the hectic week and Shabbat.
Can You Make a Personal Prayer After Lighting?
Yes.
Although the traditional blessing is the formal part of the candle-lighting ritual, many women have a custom of spending a few moments in personal prayer after lighting the candles.
This can be an especially meaningful time to pray for:
- Health and well-being
- Children and family
- Peace in the home
- Success
- Happiness
- Finding a partner
- Protection
- Personal spiritual growth
There is no requirement that a personal prayer follow a particular formula.
Some people simply speak quietly from the heart.
This is one reason Shabbat candle lighting can become much more than a weekly ritual—it can become a deeply personal moment.
What Makes Shabbat Candlesticks Special?
The candles are important, but so are the objects that hold them.
Shabbat candlesticks have become an important form of Judaica and are often kept in the home for many years.
Some are simple and modern. Others are decorated with traditional Jewish motifs, intricate engraving, filigree, silver or gold-plated finishes.
A beautiful pair of candlesticks can become part of a family's history.
A child may grow up seeing the same candlesticks on the table every Friday night. Years later, those same candlesticks may become part of their own home.
In this way, a pair of Shabbat candle holders can become more than decoration—they can become a family heirloom.
Shabbat Candles as a Jewish Gift
Because Shabbat candles are used every week, a beautiful pair of Jewish candlesticks can make a meaningful gift.
They are often given for occasions such as:
- Jewish weddings
- Housewarming celebrations
- Bat Mitzvahs
- Jewish holidays
- Anniversaries
- Birthdays
- Engagements
Unlike a gift that is used once and put away, Shabbat candlesticks can become part of someone's weekly family tradition.
Every Friday evening, the recipient can see and use the gift again.
That gives the present a special connection to Jewish life and family tradition.
Creating a Beautiful Shabbat Table
The candle lighting is often the visual centerpiece of the Friday night table.
A beautiful table does not have to be complicated.
A pair of elegant Shabbat candlesticks, a clean tablecloth, challah, wine or grape juice and a few simple decorations can create a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
The goal isn't necessarily to create a perfect table for photographs.
The real beauty comes from what happens around it: family members sitting together, talking, singing, sharing a meal and taking a break from the routine of the week.
The candles simply help create the atmosphere in which those moments can happen.
The Meaning Behind the Flame
Perhaps the most beautiful thing about Shabbat candles is that their meaning can change from person to person.
For one person, the candles represent Jewish tradition.
For another, they represent family.
For someone else, they may be a reminder of parents and grandparents who lit candles before them.
And for many people, they represent peace—a few quiet moments at the end of a busy week.
The flame itself is small, but its meaning can be enormous.
For thousands of years, Jewish families have welcomed Shabbat with light. Today, despite all the changes in modern life, that simple tradition continues.
Bring the Tradition Into Your Home
Whether you are lighting Shabbat candles for the first time or have been doing so for many years, the ritual offers a beautiful opportunity to slow down, gather with family and connect with Jewish tradition.
A beautiful pair of Shabbat candlesticks can become part of that tradition—something you use every Friday night and perhaps one day pass on to the next generation.
Explore our collection of elegant Shabbat candlesticks and Jewish Judaica, and find a beautiful pair to make your Shabbat table even more special.