| Shabbat Candles at a Shiva? |
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| Written by Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Romain | |
| Tuesday, 18 December 2007 | |
 Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Romain, Chairman of the Assembly of Rabbis and Rabbi of Maidenhead Synagogue is a respected writer and broadcaster, frequently asked to comment on news issues on radio and television. In this fortnightly feature he addresses your concerns, giving responses to modern issues and queries.This week's question: I have noticed that people often light the Shabbat candlesticks before a Shiva takes place. Why is this done?
This is a relatively new development, which is not obligatory, and there are many shivas at which this does not take place. It is based on the kabbalistic idea of light and life being akin to each other. Moreover, a flickering candle can be a powerful symbol of our souls, making its distinctive contribution, but also liable to be extinguished and disappear.
This concept entered into Hasidic circles, and they had the tradition of having two lights burning at all services during the first year of mourning (two because of kabbalistic notions of the five spheres of life, of which two are the most important, although some Hasidim light five candles). This then became imitated by non-Hasidic groups. It has nothing to do with Shabbat itself; it is usually that nowadays these are the only candlesticks people tend to have in the house and so they are used. Trackback(0)
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