Two Candles For Shabbat....

I want to introduce, or remind you of what I feel is one of the most meaningful and spiritually enriching activities of Jewish life. It is the lighting of candles to usher in Shabbat. I'm sure you are wondering how this simple ritual can be of such spiritual impact. Isn't it just for atmosphere and symbolism? In truth, it is way more than that. So let's take a look.

First, let me say that the lighting of Shabbat candles does help to set the mood and create an atmosphere of tranquility and peace for the seventh day celebration. It separates the mundane activities of the weekdays from the rest and contemplation of Shabbat. Many of us believe this to be the extant of the ritual. But like I said, there is more.

It is traditional to light two candles to welcome in Shabbat, but not necessary. A single candle and flame will suffice. So why two? It comes down to two basic reasons. One is practicality. In a traditional Shabbat celebration, there is no electricity used and so it's a matter of providing enough light to get through the evening activities. The other is a symbolic reminder of the two reasons the Torah states we sanctify the seventh day for. In Exodus, we are told to remember the seventh day, as God ceased from his work and rested on the seventh day and made it holy. We've discussed previously how the Hebrew word used for rest signifies spiritual renewal and not just physical rest. In Deuteronomy, we are told to observe a day of rest, as the Lord freed us from bondage in Egypt and made us a holy nation at Sinai. So the two candles represent the two reasons given for remember and observe seventh day rest of Shabbat.

But on a more spiritual level, the candles are more than just symbolic. The are actually meditative devices that one can contemplate to renew your soul and feel the Divine Presence around you. Zoharic literature (Tikkunay ha-Zohar 21.50a) teaches that in contemplating the flame of the Shabbat candles one should study it's basic colors of white, red, yellow, black and blue allowing them to fill one's entire mind. You should see and feel their heat and intensity on an intimate level.

It is easy to understand the colors of white, red and yellow, as they are the physical colors of a flame. Even the black can be seen as the darkness that surrounds the flame. But what about the blue? It is said to surround the blackness. So it can't be a physical part of the flame itself. The Zohar (3.33a) provides us a clue. The blue is the Divine Presence...the Shabbat Queen, or Bride that we welcome at sunset on Friday. It is the aura of her holy presence.

I first read of this Shabbat contemplation in "Jewish Meditation" by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan. To me, the meaningfulness this meditative practice added to a simple Shabbat ritual was amazing. He suggests focusing on the white, red and yellow colors of the flame letting them fill your entire mind. One then shifts their attention to the blackness surrounding the flame, again focusing and absorbing it into the depths of one's being (he suggests placing the candle in a completely dark room and far enough away from the wall to prevent its being lit by the flame). After a while, one will see the aura of blue surrounding the blackness and will feel the Shekinah, or Divine Presence permeate their being. This is a moment of intimate spiritual connection and should be absorbed and felt in your heart of hearts. One becomes the dwelling place for the Divine Presence.

This meditative practice with the Shabbat candles reminds me of a passage I read years ago in a book about Hawaii's Kahuna priests about a man who was taught by an Indian mystic to contemplate the flame and become one with it. It was claimed that this eventually lead to the ability to handle hot objects without harm and to walk on a bed of coals. Again, we see the connection between Eastern Religion and Jewish mystical practice that implies an underlying spiritual truth.

I hope you find this ritual as inspiring as I have and that it compliments your Shabbat observance and lends to deeper spiritual insights and renewal. As indicated by the title of this blog, my hope is to inspire you with a deeper, more meaningful Jewish practice that fills any lingering spiritual void in our lives and helps each of us to find and raise those hidden, divine sparks back to oneness with the Divine Presence.

Until next time....

Shmuel