5787/2026
Candle Lighting in a Lit House
Rav Moshe Feinstein, Rav Yaakov Kaminetzky, and Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik
“Shraga B’Tihara Mai Mehani,” a candle during the day is useless, remarks the Gemara (Pesachim 4a). Therefore, many Gedolim, including Rav Moshe Feinstein, Rav Yaakov Kaminetzky (both cited in the Radiance of Shabbos, p. 20 in the first edition), and Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik (cited by Rav Hershel Schachter, in his Nefesh HaRav, p. 156) felt that one must extinguish the electric lights before lighting Shabbat candles. Moreover, this is what these great Rabbanim’s Rebbetzins practiced at home.
The easiest way to satisfy this opinion is to turn off the electric lights before candle lighting, turn them back on, and then light Shabbat candles, keeping in mind that the Bracha also covers the electric lights she just turned back on. Alternatively, she lights after the electric lights are extinguished, and then another family member turns on the electricity.
Rav Soloveitchik proves the necessity of this practice from the Rama’s (Orach Chaim 263:4) ruling that if a candle was already lit, one must extinguish it and relight it to fulfill the Mitzva. The Rama follows Rabbeinu Tam (cited in Tosafot, Shabbat 25b s.v. Chovah), who disagrees with Rabbeinu Meshulam about this question. Rabbeinu Meshulam believes that the Mitzva is for Shabbat candles to be lit, whereas Rabbeinu Tam believes the Mitzva is to light Ner Shabbat.
Rav Soloveitchik infers from the Rama not saying to light an additional light instead of extinguishing the lit one. One could respond that the Rama presents one option, not to the exclusion of the other.
Common Custom
However, the common custom is to light Shabbat candles even when the house is fully lit by electricity, endorsed by Rav Ovadia Yosef (Teshuvot Yabia Omer 2 Orach Chaim 16:14). Yalkut Yosef (Shabbat 1:141) records that this was the practice in the Yosef home.
Rav Ovadia supports this practice, noting the Maharil’s ruling that the more light one adds, the greater the enjoyment (see Shulchan Aruch and Rama, Orach 263:8 and Mishna Brura 263:35).
However, the Shulchan Aruch does not permit reciting a Bracha once candles are lit, a ruling Rav Ovadia vigorously supports (Teshuvot Yechave Da’at 2:32). Thus, it seems incongruous that the Yalkut Yosef (Orach Chaim 263:8) wholeheartedly endorses the practice of not turning off the electricity before lighting Nerot Shabbat.
The best explanation seems to be that of Rav Moshe Shternbuch (Teshuvot V’hanhagot 1:272). He writes that today Shabbat candles do not serve the function of Shalom Bayit as they did in the Gemara’s time - Shabbat 23b with Rashi s.v. Sh’lom Beito notes that we light Shabbat candles to avoid people sitting uncomfortably in the dark.
Rather, Rav Shternbuch explains, their primary purpose today is of Kevod Shabbat (as the Rambam articulates in Hilchot Shabbat 30:5). We light Shabbat candles not for illumination, but to honor and make Shabbat special. Shabbat candles are an iconic symbol of Shabbat, for they serve no purpose other than to create the special Shabbat ambience and feeling. Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (cited in Shemirat Shabbat Kehilchatah 43:34, footnote 171) suggests a similar approach, although he expresses some hesitation about this point.
Thus, even Sephardic women recite a Bracha when lighting candles when electric lights fully illuminate the house, since Shabbat candles qualitatively differ from ordinary light. However, once Shabbat candles are lit, Sephardic women do not make a Bracha on more Shabbat candles in the same area.
Yom Tov Sheini
Yom Tov Sheini lighting and Motza’ei Shabbat first-day Yom Tov lighting clinches this point, when extinguishing the electricity before candle lighting is not an option (unless one sets a timer to turn off when one expects to light Yom Tov candles). Rav Hershel Schachter believes that one is forbidden to light Yom Tov candles in these circumstances, since there is no need for the extra light. Halachah forbids lighting on Yom Tov unless there is a need (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 518:1).
However, the widespread custom is to light on Yom Tov Sheini and the first night of Yom Tov that falls out on Motza’ei Shabbat. This practice demonstrates the acceptance of the approach that Shabbat candle lighting adds a qualitative dimension of Kevod Shabbat and Yom Tov, warranting a Bracha and permissible Melachash on Yom Tov.
Conclusion
Pesachim 66a stunningly states that even if the Jewish people are not prophets, we are the children of prophets (Im Lo Nevi’im Heim, Bnei Nevi’im Heim). This maxim applies in full force today, no less than in the Gemara’s time. The widespread practice among observant Jews across all sectors of lighting Shabbat and Yom Tov candles with a Bracha, even in a house fully illuminated by electricity, is a perfect application of this principle. Thus, despite the cogency of first turning off the electric lights and the leading Gedolim who followed this practice, Rav Moshe Shternbuch and Rav Ovadia Yosef recognize the great wisdom of the path beaten by us Bnei Nevi’im.
An additional interesting point is that the Gedolim we reported regarding the practice of first extinguishing the electricity before lighting Shabbat candles are those of the second half of the twentieth century. The lack of such reports about the Gedolim of the first half of the twentieth century, such as Rav Chaim Ozer Gordzinsky and the Kaf HaChaim, indicates that these Gedolim did not espouse turning off the electricity before lighting Nerot Shabbat.