Rabbi Re'em Cohen from Shabbat Bi-Shabbato Vayechi 5773 Trans. by R' Moshe Goldberg
Question: How should a guest in a hotel or a public facility light Shabbat candles?
Answer:
The Reasons for Lighting Shabbat Candles
The first thing that is necessary is to define the limits of the mitzva of lighting candles on Shabbat. Rav and Rava feel that there is an obligation to light the candles (Shabbat 25b), and all the later rabbis accept this ruling (Rambam, Hilchot Shabbat 5:1; and others).
Three reasons have been given for lighting Shabbat candles:
(1) Peace in the home: This is the approach of Rabbi Abahu in the Talmud. Rashi notes, "If there is no lamp, there is no peace, since one who moves around in the dark will bump into things." In the interests of peace in the home, Rava rules that a Shabbat candle takes precedence over Chanukah lamps (Shabbat 23b). The Rambam accepts this ruling (Hilchot Chanukah 4:14).
(2) Rashi explains that the obligation is because of the need to show respect for Shabbat. "A meal is not significant unless there is as much light as during the day." This also appears in the Rambam, Hilchot Shabbat 30:5.
(3) Based on the requirement of having a joyous Shabbat. This appears in Midrash Tanchuma 58:1 and also in the Rambam, Hilchot Shabbat 5:1.
Where to Light the Candles
If the reason for the candles is peace in the home and bright light, the obligation will be to have light in all the occupied areas of the home. But if the reason is to be joyous or to show respect for Shabbat, it would seem that the main obligation for lighting is where the Shabbat meal takes place. This is indeed what the RAMA rules (263:10) – that the main place where candles should be lit is on the table.
It is reasonable to assume that the three reasons should not be viewed as completely separate factors, and that would explain why the Rambam brings all three reasons in different contexts (although it is not clear why he mentions peace in the home only as part of the laws of Chanukah). The "Mordechai" rules with respect to Shabbat that men who are studying outside their homes should light in their own rooms (294, quoted by the Beit Yosef and the Shulchan Aruch). This implies that candle lighting should not be confined only to the area where food is eaten.
Can all the Guests Light together in the Place where they Eat?
One common solution to this dilemma is that the guests light candles in the dining room. In his responsa, the Maharil discusses women who light Shabbat candles in a synagogue, and he notes that this is similar to a case where several families eat in one place and each one lights for itself. He tries to justify this practice because it is important to have a large source of light:
"The more light is added the greater is the peace in the home, and the most happiness occurs when each and every corner of the room is well lit. This corresponds to the holidays when the candles are lit in the synagogue even though they do not have any real effect because of other strong light."
The Beit Yosef quotes these words of the Maharil, including his approval of the existing custom. But the author hesitates about the halacha in the Shulchan Aruch: "It is best to be wary of reciting an unnecessary blessing and to have only one woman to recite the blessing." The RAMA disagrees and accepts the ruling of the Maharil. Most of the Sephardi rabbis accept the approach of the Shulchan Aruch but some follow the opinion of the Maharil (Yafeh Lalev 263:10; Gedolot Elisha 18; Kaf Hachaim 56, in the name of various rabbis, noting that in the face of an existing custom it is not right to be lenient with respect to reciting a blessing; Shemesh Umagen 2:38, who writes that this is the custom in Morocco). On the other hand, some Ashkenazi rabbis do not allow the recital of the blessing (Olat Shabbat, SHELAH).
Electric Lights
Since in places where people stay as guests lighting in individual rooms might be a safety problem, it is relevant to ask if electric lights can be used instead of wax candles.
Many rabbis permit reciting a blessing after lighting incandescent bulbs, since the hot filament serves the purpose of a wick, and the electricity can be considered the equivalent of the oil that serves as fuel. For example, this is what is written in Beit Yitzchak (Yoreh Dei'ah 120). This principle is also the basis for the ruling by many rabbis that lighting an electric bulb is a violation of the Torah prohibition of lighting a fire on Shabbat. These include Responsa Achiezer (3:60) and the Chazon Ish (50:9). It has also been reported that Rabbi Chaim of Brisk and Rabbi Chaim Ozer recited the Havdalah at the end of Shabbat using electric lights, in order to show that electric lights are indeed considered a flame.
Based on this reasoning, it is clear that one can fulfill the obligation of lighting Shabbat candles with an electric light. This is indeed the ruling given by Responsa Har Tzvi (Orach Chaim 143) and Rabbi Ovadia Yosef (Yechaveh Dei'ah 5:24). (With respect to fluorescent and LED lights, one must wonder if the discussion above about a wick is an important aspect of the halacha, such that it might be possible to use these lights as Shabbat candles too. On the other hand, since incandescent bulbs are available one should avoid lighting with a bulb that may involve a very novel approach.)
Summary in Practice
In view of the above discussion, there is no doubt that the best place to light in guest facilities is in the bedroom. However, there are two problems with this: (1) The lights must be on when the guests return to the room; and (2) In most public places, such as hotels, it is prohibited to light a flame in the rooms because of safety considerations. Lighting in a collective dining room is problematic because of the opinion of the Shulchan Aruch quoted above – that only one person should recite the blessing – and also because lighting candles in a place that is well lit by electric lights does not add substantially to the joy of Shabbat, and it is not certain that a blessing can be recited even according to the Maharil and the RAMA.
Therefore, in my humble opinion, the best alternative is to bring an electric lamp with incandescent bulbs, and to connect it to a timer such that it will be on when the guests return to the room, so that they can recite the blessing. In my humble opinion, every self-respecting hotel should provide an electric lamp with a timer for all the guests.
