From the Rav’s Desk: May one use a lighter to light Shabbos candles?

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  1. Question: [Thursday, 3rd Iyar 5781]

May my wife use a lighter to light the Shabbos candles or is this a problem being that she will end up extinguishing it after the lighting, prior to the blessing?

Answer:

A lighter should not be used by women to light the Shabbos candles, and rather a match or other item should be used which can be put down while still lit and not need to be extinguished.

Explanation: It is debated amongst the Poskim as to whether there is a prohibition for women to perform Melacha between the Shabbos candle lighting and the recital of the blessing, and practically we conclude for women to be stringent.

                                                                             

Sources: See Admur 263:7; Michaber 263:10; Piskeiy Teshuvos 263:31; Chesed Lealafim 263:6; Ben Ish Chaiy Noach 2:8; Toras Shabbos; Kaf Hachaim 263:62 “Immediately after lighting throw the match on the floor and then say the blessing”; Ketzos Hashulchan 74:14 footnote 14; Beir Moshe 8:63; Kinyan Torah 2:49; Bris Olam 20; Kitzur Dinei Hadlakas Neiros 4:5; Koveitz Mibeis Halevi 11:36 in name of Rav Wozner See here for the full details of this matter https://shulchanaruchharav.com/halacha/extinguishing-the-match-after-lighting-candles-before-saying-the-blessing/

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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