Laws of Rosh Hashana: Candle Lighting

Candle Lighting (הדלקת נרות)

Women have taken it upon themselves to light the candles for Yom Tov and Shabbat. On Shabbat this takes place 18 minutes before Shekiah[1]. After Shekiah, it’s already Shabbat and one is thus not alloed to light candles anymore. On Yom Tov however, since one can light from a pre-existing flame, should one light before Shekiah or can one wait until it is night-time and the family is ready to make Kiddush?

There are differing opinions. Some say, it's good to light the candles early, like when it is Shabbat, because one is then doing something nice in preparation for Yom Tov. Others say it is perfectly acceptable to light candles later on when Yom Tov has already started.

Rosh Hashana is always two days. Since one is not allowed to prepare for the Second day on the First day of Yom Tov, one has to wait until night-time (Tzeit Hakochavim, literally ‘when the stars appear’) of the Second day to light candles. Preparations for the Second day that don’t constitute Melacha[2], e.g. setting the table, can be done 30 minutes after Shekiah of the First day.

The blessing when lighting the candles is “asher kideshanu bemitzvotav ve’tzivanu lehadlik ner shel yom tov”[3]. Traditionally, we say a blessing and then perform the mitzvah. On Shabbat however, women light the candles first and then say the blessing[4]. This is because once the blessing is said, the woman has accepted Shabbat upon herself and can no longer strike a match and light candles. Therefore, she lights the candles, closes her eyes, and then says the blessing without having benefited from the candles before having said the blessing.

The question is, if on Yom Tov she is allowed to light candles from a pre-existing flame, then can she not say the blessing and then light the candles?

The Magen Avraham states that one should light Yom Tov candles the same way as Shabbat candles as this creates less confusion, even though one could technically reverse the order and say the blessing first and then light the candles.

Some modern Poskim[5] say that since our well-lit homes don’t require the light of the candles anymore, we should fulfil the mitzvah of lighting candles properly but first turning off the electric lighting in the room, then switching it on again and lighting the candles and then saying the blessing over all the lights that have just been created to light up the room.

Many women have the Minhag[6] to say Shehecheyanu when lighting the candles. This is not obligatory[7] as they will hear Shehecheyanu during Kiddush. Of course anyone who has this Minhag can happily continue to do this.

Notes

[1] Sunset
[2] Actions prohibited on Shabbat
[3] Shulchan Aruch
[4] Or HaChaim
[5] Halachic authorities
[6] Custom
[7] Mishna Brura