Asking a Non-Jew to Light Shabbos Candles for You

If a woman forgot to light candles and only remembered after shkiah, should she ask a non-Jew to light for her and say the bracha? Can she make the bracha on electric lights?

The Gemara [1] states that one may not light Shabbos candles too early; this is understood by the Rishonim to mean that one cannot lightנרות שבת prior to plag hamincha. Tosfos [2] cites Rabbeinu Tam that if one had a lit candle in his home that was not kindled for Shabbos, one must extinguish the flame and light the candle לכבוד שבת. While Tosfos does mention a dissenting view that the act of lighting is not important so long as there is light in the home, [3] the Rema [4] assumes the view of Rabbeinu Tam that the candles must be litלכבוד שבת . Traditionally, this mitzvah is fulfilled with oil or candles, [5], however most poskim believe that, when necessary, one can fulfill the mitzvah with electric lights as well. [6]

The Mishnah [7] states that during בין השמשות one may not kindle a flame. Even so, the Beis Yosef [8] cites some Rishonim who allow one to ask a non-Jew to light a flame during בין השמשות. The Shulchan Aruch [9] codifies this opinion and allows for one to ask a non-Jew to light a candle duringבין השמשות when it done for the purpose of a mitzvah, as Chazal did not prohibitאמירה לנכרי during בין השמשות in such an instance. The Shulchan Aruch [10] reiterates this psak and the Mishnah Berurah [11] is clear that the mitzvah is not limited to;נרות שבת ; it includes lights in any room of the home when necessary, as this too is עונג שבת. The simple reading of the Shulchan Aruch is that once it isודאי לילה after the period ofבין השמשות, one may no longer ask a non-Jew to light a candle. [12].

The Magen Avraham [13] discusses a situation where a woman is unable to lightנרות שבת . He presents an opinion that allows her to ask a non-Jew to light after dark, and she may recite the bracha. The Magen Avraham questions this view, for the accepted view is to prohibitאמירה לנכרי לצורך מצוה at this late hour. The Magen Avraham concludes that in aבדיעבד situation one may rely on this view to ask a non-Jew to light one candle on Shabbos, but this is not the accepted view. R’ Akiva Eiger [14] notes that the Magen Avraham only allows one single candle to be lit by a non-Jew after dark to illuminate the home and not the standard twoנרות שבת .

In a situation where one realizes duringבין השמשות that they have not lit candles, R’ Akiva Eiger writes that one may actually ask a non-Jew to light the twoנרות שבת – one forזכור and one forשמור . However, the Shulchan Aruch HaRav [15] writes that a woman may ask a non-Jew to light only one candle לכבוד שבת. Yet, he writes that even if there are other sources of light in the home, even so lightingנרות שבת is deemed aצורך מצוה in the eyes of women and thus it is permissible to ask a non-Jew to light one candle. He also assumes that a bracha can be said after the non-Jew lights the candle. However, the Mishnah Berurah [16] writes that a bracha cannot be said when the mitzvah is “done” by a non-Jew. [17] R’ Tzvi Pesach Frank [18] has a novel suggestion for one who forgot to light, i.e., that they can use something like a Kosher Shabbos Lamp. He argues that one need not turn on the light, but merely covering the light and then exposing the light should be sufficient to fulfill the mitzvah of “lighting” candles. R’ Shlomo Zalman rejected this option as this is in no way considered “lighting” candles [19].

Based on the above, it emerges that when a woman realizes duringבין השמשות that she did not light candles, she may ask a non-Jew to light two candles but a bracha should not be said. This is the psak of the Shemiras Shabbos. [20] However, my father believes that one should not ask a non-Jew to light candles. He contends that, being that the purpose ofנרות שבת is to ensure that there is light in the home, so long as the house is well lit one doesn’t really “need” the candlelight, and therefore one should not ask a non-Jew to light candles. Moreover, assuming that someone in the home turned on an electric light after plag hamincha for Shabbos use – including a kitchen or bathroom light – that light itself isלכבוד שבת and there is no real need to light the candles for the purpose ofנרות שבת . Therefore, one may not ask a non-Jew to do so. In summation, it is debatable if a woman may ask a non-Jew to light candles during בין השמשות. If she does, she certainly should not recite a bracha, and there is no possibility to say a bracha on an existing electric light.

[1] Shabbos 23b

[2] 25b d.h. Chovah

[3] See Mordechai 294

[4] 263:4

[5] see Mishnah Berurah 264:23

[6] see Shemiras Shabbos K’Hichasa 43:4

[7] Shabbos 34a

[8] 261:1

[9] 261:1

[10] 342:1

[11] 342:7

[12] There is however one opinion that always allows forאמירה לנכרי לצורך מצוה . See Rema 276:2 citing the Baal HaIttur that this would allow one to ask a non-Jew to perform aמלאכה on Shabbos for the purpose of a mitzvah.

[13] 263:11

[14] 261:1

[15] 263:11

[16] 263:21

[17] See Orchos Shabbos volume 4, chapter 33, footnote 123.

[18] Teshuvos Har Tzvi 1:141

[19] See Shemiras Shabbos 43, footnote 22.

[20] 43:14 footnote 82