Living Torah Archives

The Midrash relates the miracles that G-d would perform for Sarah and Rebecca. A beautiful story highlighting the greatness of our matriarchs, it holds a poignant lesson for us today and the special role of a woman to bring G-d’s light into the home.

“It would be good for her to begin lighting candles. Yes, even before her marriage.” (Collage)

A girl spoke in a non-religious school in Israel about the Mitzvah of Shabbos candles. She taught them the blessings, and gave them candles and candlesticks to take home.

Although your wedding will take place after Shabbos, you should nevertheless begin lighting one candle this Friday. Then next Friday you can light two candles, for you and for your new husband.

Yehudah Clapman recalls arranging a private audience with the Rebbe for his cousins. After asking the girls in the family to light their own Shabbos candle, the Rebbe offered them a special gift to help them get started. When they tried to thank the Rebbe as they left, it was the Rebbe who thanked them instead.

“Lighting Shabbos candles causes one’s mazel to shine. Every girl, even before marriage, should light Shabbos candles, and should give charity beforehand.”

The Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of righteous memory, encourages Jewish women and girls to light Shabbat candles.

A miraculous account of the power of the Shabbos lights (1957).

The Shabbos candle lighting campaign has yielded far-reaching results. One example from the many reports we received: A little girl, five or six years old, attended a non-religious school in Israel. One day, an older girl spoke to her class about the Mitzvah of Shabbos candles. She taught them the blessings, and gave them candles and candlesticks to take home.

There are three fundamental mitzvot entrusted to every Jewish woman. Separating challah “from the first of your dough” shows that before benefiting from anything in this world, we “set aside an offering for G‑d.” By knowing that the beginning of everything is for G‑d, the entire home becomes a dwelling place for Him.