#36: Machshavah

There is a widespread custom for women to add special tefillot and supplications to Hashem after lighting candles before Shabbat, particularly about the spiritual well-being of their children. Rabbeinu Bechaye (Shemot 19:3) already mentions this idea, writing that since lighting Shabbat candles is a mitzvah incumbent primarily upon women, the time of lighting is an auspicious one for women to daven.

One of the grandchildren of Zalman Aran, secular education minister in the government of Prime Minister David Ben Gurion, was asked how he returned to Judaism and became observant. He responded:

“My grandmother was not observant… but she was very careful about one thing: Every Friday night, she would light Shabbat candles… and pray the following tefillah: May it be Your will that my grandchildren follow the path of… Ben Gurion. This continued until one day… Zalman Aran told his household that Prime Minister David Ben Gurion met with the Chazon Ish. Ben Gurion was exceptional in his lavish praise for the personality for the Rav [the Chazon Ish] and his depth of insight.

The next Friday night, Mrs. Aran lit Shabbat candles, and then said in her prayer: Master of the world, if Ben Gurion admired Rav Karelitz so much, please give me the merit of having grandchildren who follow the path of Rav Karelitz. This prayer my grandmother continued to pray every Friday night, even though she did not observe Shabbat. And now you can see the fruits of her prayer. Many of her descendants, including me, have merited to return to the tradition of our forefathers to study Torah and observe mitzvot!” (from Umatok Ha’ohr by R. Shlomo Levenstein)

As the Gemara (Berachot 32b) states, no tefillah recited will never return empty-handed; it will always have some effect or impact, even if not until many years later. May the tefillot that we recite on behalf of our family and children after lighting candles have the same impact that the tefilla of Mrs. Aran did for her grandchildren.

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Dedicated by Fran Broder as a zechus for the hostages to be released safely to their families and may everlasting peace come to Eretz Yisrael in the merit of learning Hilchos Shabbos.