Discussion on Festival Candle Lighting

Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu

Melech haolam, asher kidshanu

b'mitzvotav, v'tsivanu l'hadlik

ner shel Yom

Tov. Amen.

Together, ladies, in English. Blessed art thou, O

Lord, our God, King of the universe, who

sanctifies us by His commandments and commands

us to kindle the festival lights.

Now, I think it is appropriate that it is the woman rather than the man

who lights the candles and so brings light to the festival

table. Because in the same way, it was not through a man, was

it? But rather through a woman and the will of God

that the light of the world came into the world.

As the prophet Isaiah declared, "Behold, a virgin shall

conceive and bear a son and you will call his name

Emmanuel, a light to lighten the nations, the

Gentiles, and the glory-