FridayLight
August 20th, 2007I was telling a friend about lighting the Shabbat candles and she asked me how long you keep the candles lit. I couldn’t answer her! If you are going to services, of course, you put the candles out when you leave your home, but, what if you are staying home? How long do you keep the Shabbat candles lit?
Mazel Tov in taking on this Mitzvah.
To answer your question, one should NOT put out the Shabbat candles once they are lit. They should burn out on their own. If you are going to services, or a meal in someone else’s home, you should light and leave the candles lit. If you are nervous about this, you can always use tea lights. (This is what I do if I happen to light at home, but am eating at someone else’s house) There are a lot of pretty tea light holders, and if you have them on a metal tray or plate, they should be pretty safe.
Once again, when you light your candles, DO NOT put them out.
All the best to you and your family.
By the way, I noticed the website says that you start with one light — as far as I know, though, the minimum for lighting is two candles (for each woman who is lighting the candles). One of them stands for “Šamor” — “keep” or “observe” — and the other for “Zaxor” (that’s a Greek “chi”…) — “remember”: the 10 Commandments appear twice in the Tora, the first time (in Exodus) saying “Zaxor et Yom Haššabbat leqadsho” — “remember the Sabbath to sanctify it”, the second time (in Deuteronomy) saying “Šhamor” instead…
And about leaving the candles lit for how long: according to Jewish law, by as much as it is forbidden start fire on Shabbat, it is forbidden to put it out. Hence, as Channa said, Shabbat candles should not be put out after they’re lit.
That’s my practice as well. For safety, my canlesticks are on a large ceramic tile. If I leave the house or go to bed, I use a large metal rimmed cookie sheet.
Hi - if I am going to go out, than I light my candles - tealights - in the sink for safety.