HALACHOS OF HADLOKAS NEIROS SHEL SHABBOS; SHABBOS CANDLES
1) We mentioned earlier that even though the Mitzvah of lighting candles is traditionally performed by women, still the man of the house should set up the candles in order to take part in the Mitzvah. (See Mishna Berura Siman 263:12)
I found an interesting Remez, allusion, to this minhag based on the words of the Mishna (Shabbos Perek 2 Mishna 6) , from HaRav Akiva Eiger Zatzal in his commentary to Mishnayos, Tosefos Rav Akiva Eiger, as follows:
The Mishna says that three things cause women to die during childbirth, "Al She'ainan Zehiros B'Nidah, U'Bchallah, U'B'Hadlokas HaNer, due to them not being scrupulous with [Halachos of] Nidah, [removing of] Challah and lighting the Shabbos candles"
Why does the Mishna not simply say "B'Nidah, U'Bchallah, U'BNer" as is the method used to refer to the other two (without any descriptive action preceding the word Nidah or Challah), but rather says "B'Hadlokas HaNer, with the lighting of the candle"
HaRav Akiva answers that from the wording of the Mishna you see that only the lighting of the candles is incumbent on the woman, whereas the setting up of the candles is not her concern and is the man's part of the Mitzvah.
2) If by having the man light the candles in preparation for the woman's lighting later on it will cause the candles to not light as nicely, as is common with the candles on the market nowadays that burn more beautifully the first time they are lit, some say that he should indeed not pre-light them and instead prepare them in other ways, i.e. set up the candelabra, insert the candles or oil etc. (Ruling of the Chazon Ish Zatzal quoted in Sefer Dinim V'Hanhagos 9:1)
QUESTION & ANSWER CORNER
Reader Submitted Questions of interest on topics related to Halachos we covered, as well as other interesting topic and Answers.
These Q&A are taken from the Q & A pages on the Halacha For Today website.
Although the answers I give to questions are taken directly from the Sifrei HaPoskim, and aren't my own, they are still for study purposes only, NOT for Psak Halacha.
Questions can be emailed to HalachaForToday@Gmail.com
Reader's Question:
Is eating chicken and milk D'rabanan?
Answer:
The Biblical prohibition of Basar B'Chalav applies only to animal meat and not to Chicken, which is a prohibition added by the Chachamim. (see Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah Siman 87:3)
*********************
CHIZUK CORNER
This section is dedicated L'Ilui Nishmos the Telzer Rosh Yeshiva, HaRav Chaim Yaakov Stein Zatzal and the Mir Rosh Yeshiva, HaRav Noson Tzvi Finkel Zatzal. May we all strive to follow in their ways and may they both be Melitzei Yosher for all of Klal Yisroel.
We will B'Ezras Hashem post here each day a short inspirational thought to help us all improve our lives and grow in our service of our Father in heaven, HaKadosh Baruch Hu.
IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING MEANINGFUL FOR THIS SECTION, PLEASE EMAIL IT TO HalachaForToday@Gmail.com
THANK YOU AND תזכו למצות!
זכר צדיקים וקדושים לברכה
Question:
Why is suffering recommended and praised by the Torah?
Answer by Rabbeinu HaRav Avigdor Miller Zatzal:
The answer is, it's not recommended, certainly not; nobody is urged to afflict himself. But suffering is praised, because it's one of the gifts of Hashem. The purpose of suffering is to make a man pay attention to something that he neglected, and I'll give one example, an extreme example that fits all cases.
When a man suffers from a headache, he thinks, "How good it was yesterday when I didn't have a headache!" That's what he's supposed to think. And he is supposed to think of all the yesterdays, there were a thousand yesterdays when he had no headache. "Why did I neglect to be happy and be grateful to Hashem for it?" So the headache makes you aware of what you once had. Isn't that a very great benefit?
If a man went through an operation Chas Veshalom; let's say they did something serious to him. And now for the rest of his days he looks back to the glorious days when he had full use of his body. Now he looks back and sees what he once enjoyed. It's a very big thing to look back and understand what Hashem once gave him. Of course if it's only temporary, and he can regain his full health, then he is able to live more happily afterwards as a result.
So when people suffer, one of the most important functions is to let them know how good it was before the suffering came upon them.
Important Numbers
