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במה מדליקין – the Shabbat candle – from what does not make the wicks and oils to kindle [them].

Introduction This chapter deals with candle lighting on Friday eve before Shabbat. Candle lighting is part of the joy that we are commanded to experience on Shabbat. Today, with electric lights in abundance we no longer appreciate the function of a simple candle on Friday eve. In the time of the Mishnah, on most nights people would have gone to sleep at nightfall. It was just too expensive to use up oil for light on normal occasions. On Friday night they lit candles, stayed up late, ate a festive meal and studied Torah. Most of the chapter deals with the technical details of lighting wicks, oils, lamps, etc.

לא בלכש – a kind of wool that is in cedar, whether he scraped the tree and it is called the wooly substance of cedar twigs [used for wicks].

With what may they kindle [the Shabbat light] and with what may they not kindle them?
They may not kindle with cedar fiber, uncarded flax, a raw silk, a desert wick, or seaweed, The list in this section is of material which may not be used for wicks in lighting the Sabbath candles. The reason that we do not light with these types of wicks is that they don’t absorb the oil well, and someone might tilt the lamp on Shabbat to try to get more oil on the wick. Such tilting is prohibited because it is like lighting a fire. Also, since they are not good wicks they might go out, forcing the family to sit in the dark.

בחוסן – flax which is not beaten.

And not with pitch, wax, castor oil, [terumah] oil [which must be] burnt, tail fat, or tallow. Nahum the Mede says: they may kindle with melted tallow. And the sages say: whether melted or not, they may not kindle with it. The same reason that the above-mentioned wicks were prohibited is why most of these types of oil are also prohibited. The exception is terumah oil which must be burned. This refers to terumah oil which has been made impure and therefore has to be burned. It is prohibited to burn unclean sacrifices or terumah on Shabbat and on holidays. The final debate is on whether all types of tallow are prohibited or just tallow that has not been melted.

בכלך – the refuse of silk.

בפתילת האידן – a kind of wool that is [in the willow-branch] between the peeling/husk and the wood.

בפתילת המדבר – the leaves of long grass that grow them and kindle them.

בירוקה שעל פני המים – a kind of wool that grows on the walls of the ship when it is delayed a long time in the water. Until here are the wicks that are forbidden; from here onwards are the oils that are forbidden.

לא בזפת ולא בשעוה – he should not give melted pitch or smelted wax in a candle in the place of oil and kindle it but to a sort of long wick which is made from wax is permitted.

ולא בשמן קיק – oil that comes out from seeds that are within the wool of the vine which is called “cotton.” And there are those who explain (Tractate Shabbat 21a) the oil of Jonah’s Ricinus tree (Kikayon), and it is a grass whose leaves are large and is called in Arabic “Kru’ah” and the oil that comes out from it is the thickest. And those wicks which the Sages stated that we don’t kindle with them, what is the reason? Because the flame nibbles at them (producing sputtering sparks), that is to say - that the flame does not enter into the wick [other than] from around it from the outside. And those wicks that the Sages we should not kindle with them because they are not drawn after the wick and because the candle is not kindled properly lest he tilt the oil onto the candle in which he would be found to be starting a fire. Alternatively, he should not set the candle down and leave. But we hold that the Shabbat candle is obligatory.

ולא בשמן שריפה – oil of Terumah/priest’s due that became defiled. And why do we call it defiled heave-offering deemed to be burned? For since it stands to be burned and is prohibited to be consumed. And we are dealing with a Jewish holy day that occurs on a Friday, for we kindle the candle while it is still daylight, we find that it burns impure oil from Terumah on the Jewish holy day and we hold that we may not kindle holy things on the Jewish holy day, as it is written (Exodus 12:10): “And any of it that is left until morning you shall burn in the fire.” And we explain this Biblical verse as such: And that which is left from it until the first morning until the second morning, stand and burn it for we don’t burn that which is left over on the Jewish holy days. And the same law applies for all other Holy things that require burning.

וחכמים אומרים אחד מבושל ואחד שאינו מבושל אין מדליקין בו – and the first teacher [of the Mishnah] also said and no it tallow – which implies all tallow/fat. But there is a dispute between the Sages and the first teacher [of the Mishnah] as one of them thought that it is permitted to kindle with cooked fat that is mixed with oil and the other forbids it even through a mixture with oil. But it is not clear to the Sages in the Talmud which of the two prohibits and which is the one that permits it, but the Halakha is according to the Sages.

אין מדליקין בשמן שריפה ביו"ט – the reason that the Mishnah above (i.e., Mishnah 1) – it is stated, what is the reason that the Mishnah states – and not with impure oil from Terumah, because we don’t kindle with impure oil from Terumah since we do not kindle Holy Things on Jewish holy days.

Introduction This mishnah continues to discuss oils which may be used for lighting the Shabbat lights.

אין מדליקין בעטרן – refuse of pitch and its smell is extremely bad, but however, it is drawn after the wick more than pitch because it is soft. Therefore, were it not because of the holiness of the Sabbath, they would kindle with it.

They may not kindle [the Shabbat light] with [terumah] oil [which must be] burnt on festivals. This section deals with festivals. Of all of the forbidden oils listed at the end of yesterday’s mishnah, this is the only one prohibited on festivals. The other oils are permitted. They are prohibited on Shabbat because they don’t light well and someone might come to tilt the lamp. Tilting the lamp is prohibited on Shabbat but not on festivals. Hence, on festivals there is no reason to prohibit these types of oils.

שומשמין – such is its name in Arabic, and it is soft, sweet seed and in the Land of Israel there is a lot of it.

Rabbi Ishmael says: they may not light with tar, because of the honor of the Shabbat. Rabbi Ishmael says that tar may not be used because it smells bad. Furthermore, if the smell is really bad the person might extinguish it, which is prohibited on Shabbat.

צנונות – oil that comes out from radish seed.

But the sages permit with all oils: with sesame oil, nut oil, radish oil, fish oil, gourd oil, tar and naphtha. The sages allow the use of any type of oil, even tar and naphta. It seems that the reason that most of the sages were so lenient is to keep the costs down, especially in places where good olive oil is not abundant.

פקועות – a desert gourd.

Rabbi Tarfon says: they don’t light with anything but olive oil. Olive oil is the best type of oil for lighting a lamp. That is why it is customary to use olive oil on Hannukah (despite our modern custom of using wax candles). Rabbi Tarfon demands only the best for Shabbat. In the Talmud the Sages respond by asking Rabbi Tarfon what people in lands outside of Israel who don’t have access to olive oil do.

נפט – it is a kind of pitch and white, and its smell is bad, but the Halakha is according to the Sages that we kindle with all of the oils except from those impure ones that are listed above in our Mishnah and except from the oil of balsamum and white naphtha, for each of these two oils flies and burns, and we are concerned lest he set it aside and leave. But there is another reason to prohibit balsamum oil, a decree lest he be in doubt of it because of its importance, and we hold that a person who puts oil in the candle is liable because of starting a fire and one who is doubt of it is liable because of extinguishing it.

כל היוצא מן העץ אין מדליקין בו – to make of it a wick.

Introduction This mishnah returns to discussing what may be used as wicks for Shabbat lights.

אלא פשתן – which is called a tree, as it is written (Joshua 2:6): “[Now she had taken them up to the roof] and hidden them under some stalks of flax [which she had lying on the roof],” and nevertheless, we kindle with wicks that we make from this. But hemp and vine wool do not come from the tree, but they are kinds of seeds, therefore, we kindle from them. And flax also is a kind of seed and it is not necessary to include it, but because it is called a tree, as it written: “and hidden under some stalks of flax.”

Whatever comes from a tree they may not light [the Shabbat light] except for flax. The only type of material which comes from a tree which may be used as a wick is flax, which is used to make linen. Although we would not consider flax to be a tree, it is called a tree in Joshua 2:6.

אינו מטמא טומאת אהלים – if he made from them a tent and the dead person underneath it is like the rest of the house and does not require sprinkling and immersion, for the tent itself is not susceptible to becoming impure other than the utensils that are underneath it.

And whatever comes from a tree cannot be defiled with tent-uncleanness except linen. There is a connection between what type of material can be used as a Shabbat candle wick and what type of material contracts tent-uncleanness. If a corpse or piece thereof is under a tent and something else is under the tent is well, the corpse transmits its impurity to the other thing under the tent. Any type of material except linen which covers both the corpse and the other thing will carry the impurity but it itself will remain pure. A tent made of linen not only causes the impurity to go from the corpse to the other thing but it itself becomes impure.

אלא פשתן – for the tent itself is impure, as it is written (Numbers 19:18): “and sprinkle on the tent” and we derive “tent,” “tent” from the Tabernacle, as it is written concerning it (Exodus 40:19): “He spread the tent over the Tabernacle,” but there was nothing in the tent of the Tabernacle that comes out from the wood other than flax as it written (Exodus 26:1): “[As for the Tabernacle,] make it of ten strips of cloth; make these of fine twisted linen.”

A wick made of cloth which was twisted but not singed: Rabbi Eliezer says: it is unclean, and one may not light with it; Rabbi Akiva says: it is clean and one may light with it. They would make wicks by twisting cloth and then singing them. Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Akiba debate the status of twisted cloth that has not been singed. According to Rabbi Eliezer it is still considered to be a cloth and hence it can still receive impurities. Since it has not been singed it should not however be used as a wick. Rabbi Akiva holds that since it has been twisted it is no longer considered cloth, but even though it has not been singed one may light with it.

שקפלה – in the manner that the wicks are grown.

הבהבה – on the flame in order that it will be charred and kindle nicely and we are dealing with a cloth that has confined three fingers in length by three fingers in length.

טמאה היא – that is folded is not voided from being considered as cloth since it has not parched.

טהורה היא – that is folded is voided from being considered as cloth and it is as if it does not have three-by-three, and anything that is less than three-by-three is pure from being defiled either by plagues (i.e., suspected leprosy) and defilement through contact with the dead.

אין מדליקין בה – we are dealing with the case of a Jewish holy day that occurs on the Eve of the Sabbath (i.e., Friday) for the prohibition of Muktzeh/that which is not counted upon for use on the Sabbath or Holy Days (i.e., which is prohibited to be handled on these days) and we do not start a fire with shards of utensils that were broken on that day that were [considered as] “born” but we may start a fire with utensils that are appropriate to be carried which everyone has, the individual who is kindling [the fire] must kindle most of what comes out from the wick outside of the candle before he removes his hands. Therefore, the reason of Rabbi Eliezer who said that we don’t kindle it holds that something that is folded does not removed from the notion of a utensil for when I kindle it a bit, since there is three-by-three defined exactly, it is considered a utensil, for less than three-by-three is not a utensil, and when one kindles with one’s hands to complete the majority of what comes out from it, it is found that he is kindling a shard of a utensil that was broken on the Jewish holy day/Yom Tov, and when we say that one may kindle a fire with utensils, specifically it refers that one has not come in contact with it after it has become defective. But Rabbi Akiva states that we kindle with it as he holds that something folded is removed from the status of a utensil for when it is folded from the eve of the Jewish holy day/Yom Tov, it does not grow wicks on the Jewish holy day and hence we find that we don’t have ere shards of a utensil that was broken on the Jewish holy day, and therefore we kindle it. And the Halakha follows Rabbi Akiva.

שפופרת של ביצה – the upper hard shell that the egg is lying within.

Introduction This mishnah teaches that it is forbidden to set up a lamp such that someone might take away some of its oil. Taking away oil is like extinguishing it because it will cause it to go out earlier. Extinguishing, like kindling, is a labor prohibited by the Torah.

בשביל שתהא מנטפת – drop by drop into the candle and the reason is a decree lest he be supplied from it and since he set it aside for the candle, he is liable because of [the prohibition] of extinguishing.

One may not pierce an egg shell, fill it with oil, and place it over the mouth of a lamp, in order that it should drip, and even if it is of clay. And Rabbi Judah permits it. But if the potter connects it beforehand it is permitted, because it is one utensil. This section describes a person who fills an egg shell or piece of clay with oil and pierces a tiny hole in the bottom so that it should drip into the lamp. We should note that he does this before Shabbat; during Shabbat it would clearly be strictly forbidden since this is considered to be the forbidden work of “kindling”. The problem is that since this is a vessel separate from the lamp itself, a person may think that it is permitted to take from it and use the oil. However, the oil is “muktzeh” set aside for the use in the lamp and may not be used for other purposes. It is also considered to be extinguishing the lamp, because by taking oil away he is causing the light to go out early. “Muktzeh” is a broad category which usually means that something may not be used or even touched on Shabbat. We will learn more about muktzeh throughout the tractate. Rabbi Judah is not concerned lest someone take the oil from the external vessel and hence permits this. If the egg shell or external clay vessel was attached to the lamp (before Shabbat) then it is permitted. We are only concerned lest someone take the oil from an external vessel, reasoning that she is not really taking it from the lamp itself. People know that it is forbidden to take oil out of a lamp and hence will not do this.

One may not fill a dish of oil, place it at the side of a lamp, and put the wick end in it in order that it should draw. And Rabbi Judah permits it. In this case a person has a wick which has several ends. She puts the lit end into one lamp and then the other end extends out of the lamp into another vessel so that it can draw more oil. This is prohibited for the same reason as above. Since the other vessel is external, a person might think that it is okay to take oil from it. Again, the problem is that the other oil is muktzeh and by taking it away she is causing the lamp to go out early. As above, Rabbi Judah is not concerned lest she take away from the oil.

מפני עובדי כוכבים – such as the Persians who do not allow the lighting of a candle on the day of their festivals other than in their houses of idolatrous worship.

Introduction Our mishnah introduces an abstract concept called “work which is not needed for its own sake.” This refers to someone who performs a prohibited labor on Shabbat but does not need the results of the labor itself but a side result. The tannaim debate whether someone who does this activity is liable for having transgressed the Shabbat. We shall see an illustration of this in the mishnah. The immediate topic is laws concerning extinguish lamps.

מפני לסטים – that they do not fear that there is there a person who will come upon him.

One who extinguishes the lamp because he is afraid of non-Jews, robbers, or an evil spirit, or so that a sick person may sleep, he is exempt. Extinguishing a fire is forbidden on Shabbat. However, saving a life always takes precedence over the laws of Shabbat. Hence, any of the activities listed in this mishnah are permitted. We should note that the mishnah states “exempt.” Exempt usually means that one who does such a thing is not liable for a penalty, but the activity is still not permitted. This mishnah is an exception exempt means that it is totally permitted. The sick person referred to in this mishnah is someone with a potentially life-threatening disease. It is forbidden to extinguish a lamp for someone who only has a slight headache, or similar non life-threatening illness.

מפני רוח רעה – that comes down upon him and when he doesn’t see [it], it is pleasant for him. But Maimonides explains [the words] רוח רעה as a kind of the illnesses that come upon those with black bile that they cannot rest other than when they sit in the dark and when hiding their faces from people.

If [he does so because] he wants to spare the lamp, the oil, or the wick, he is liable. Rabbi Yose exempts in all cases, except for the wick, because he makes charcoal. According to the first opinion, if a person puts out a lamp not because she wants it to be dark, but because she wants to save the material used in the lamp she is still liable. This is “a work not needed for its own sake.” According to this opinion a person who does this type of work is liable. Rabbi Yose holds that one who performs “a work not needed for its own sake” is generally exempt. The exemption is one who puts out a lamp because she wants to singe the wick. Singing the wick makes it into a type of charcoal and therefore this is no longer “work not needed for its own sake” but rather work for its own sake and hence she would be liable.

ואם בשביל החולה שיישן פטור – this illness is when there is danger involved for if one extinguishes a flame for a sick person who is not in danger, he is liable [for a sin-offering] for what reason this Tanna/teacher holds that labor that is not necessary for its own sake, one is liable for it; and similarly because of idolaters and because of robbers and because of an evil spirit where there is danger, but according to the law, where it teaches that it is permitted – but because it (i.e., the Mishnah) was required to teach at its conclusion that it is prohibited, the first part of the Mishnah taught that one is exempt.

כחס על הפתילה חייב – and even though he does not need it for the body of the extinguishing but rather for the needs of something else, that he should not kindle the wick or that he should not split the candle, he is liable for that is labor that is not necessary for its own sake, and one is liable for it.

פוטר בכולן חוץ מן הפתילה – for you do not have something extinguished that is needed for itself, but rather the extinguishing of coals and the extinguishing of the singeing of the wick that makes the extinguishing process to take hold of the fire rapidly when one wants to kindle it. But the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Yosi.

שהוא עושה פחם – that he intends to make it now with the extinguished – which is coals which will be singed to light well.

בשעת לידתן – at the time of danger which is designated for retribution.

Introduction This mishnah provides a quite strongly worded exhortation to women to be scrupulous in the observation of three mitzvoth with which they are strongly associated: lighting Shabbat candles, separating hallah (a percentage of dough which has to be taken from all bread) and niddah menstrual purity. The mishnah says that women die in childbirth for not observing these mitzvoth correctly. I should add a personal note. Loss of life is always difficult, and a woman’s death while giving birth is probably one of the most difficult losses a husband and his and her family could experience. Thankfully, the number of women who die in childbirth is drastically lower in the modern western world than it was in the past. In the time of the Mishnah, it would have been fairly common. The rabbis were struggling to understand why so many women died while giving birth. This must have been especially difficult for them since having children was on of their most important values. While we may have difficulties with their answer, and I don’t think that we should go around saying that people die for non-observance of commandments, we nevertheless can appreciate the difficult theological problem with which the rabbis were trying to cope. Finally, lest you think that the rabbis “had it out for women” the Talmud discusses at great length all types of travails that afflict the world and why they come to the world. The idea that people are punished for sins is normative biblical theology, with no special connection to women.

Regarding Challah and lighting Shabbat candles. because these are among the needs of a household, and she is found at home, and therefore she is bound to them.

For three sins women die in childbirth: because they are not observant of [the laws of] niddah, hallah, and the kindling of the [Shabbat] lights. A midrash connects this mishnah with the sin of Eve. Eve caused Adam’s blood to be spilled (by bringing death into the world), therefore she is commanded in the laws of niddah. By sinning she extinguished the light of the world and therefore she is commanded in lighting the Shabbat candles. She lost the “hallah” of the world by causing the death of Adam, who was the “hallah” of the Garden of Eden; therefore she is commanded in the laws of hallah.

צריך אדם לומר בתוך ביתו – and he needs to say them in a gentle way (Tractate Shabbat 34a) in order that he will accept it from him.

Introduction The final mishnah of this chapter discusses what last minute preparations should be double-checked right before Shabbat begins. The mishnah then proceeds to discuss what things may be done during twilight, a time which the rabbis were unsure whether to consider night or not.

עם חשיכה – which is near darkness and there is yet time during the day to tithe or to make an Eruv but not a lot of time prior to darkness.

A person must say three things in his house on the eve of Shabbat just before night: Have you separated tithes? Have you prepared the ‘eruv? Kindle the [Shabbat] lamp. There are three things a person should check before Shabbat begins. The first is that his food has been tithed. Tithes may not be separated on Shabbat and therefore food which has not been tithed will not be able to be eaten on Shabbat. He should also ask if the “eruv” has been set up. There are two types of eruvin (the plural of eruv): one which allows a person to go further out of the city than he would otherwise be allowed to go and one which allows a person to carry things in places where it would normally be prohibited. The tractate which follows Shabbat is tractate Eruvin so we will reserve in-depth discussion of these issues until later. Setting up both types of eruvin is an important part of Shabbat preparation. When all other preparations have been made, he tells his wife to light the Shabbat candles.

עשרתם – for the Sabbath meal, for even for an incidental meal of the Sabbath establishes for tithing.

If it is doubtful, whether it is night or not, they do not tithe that which is certainly [untithed], they do not immerse utensils, and they do not kindle the lights. The mishnah now begins to discuss what things may be done during twilight, the period after sunset before it is completely dark. It is forbidden to tithe produce which we know has not been tithed. Tithes are part of a forbidden labor called “completing” something’s preparation (metaken). Similarly, immersing an impure vessel in a mikveh is considered completing its preparation and is forbidden. Finally, if the candles have not yet been lit, they do not light them. All three of these activities are prohibited by the Torah (deoraita) and hence cannot be done even during twilight.

ערבתם – the joining of borders and courtyards and for these two it belongs to mention them in the form of a question, lest they have already been made, but with a candle, it does not belong to mention “have you kindled the candle” for this is a matter that is apparent to the eye – either that I should light or that I should not light.

But they can tithe doubtfully tithed produce, and they can set up an eruv, and they can store hot food. However, the following three activities are permitted. It is permitted to tithe doubtfully tithed produce (demai) because according to Torah law he doesn’t even need to separate tithes from demai in the first place. Since the entire obligation is only a rabbinic stringency, the rabbis allowed it to be done during twilight, although not on Shabbat. One can still set up an eruv. Finally, it is permitted to cover hot food with something that will maintain the food’s warmth. On Shabbat it is forbidden to do so lest by doing so she cooks, an activity which is prohibited. This last clause also functions as a transition to the next chapter which is devoted to the important prohibition of cooking on Shabbat.

ספק חשיכה – from the beginning of the setting of the sun, all the time that one star alone appears, it is definitely daylight and all the while that two medium-sized stars appear, it is doubtfully dark and it is called twilight and we place upon it the stringencies of the daytime and the stringencies of the nighttime, and when three medium-sized stars appear, it is definitely dark for all matters.

אין מעשרין את הודאי – this is a valid preparation but because of rabbinic decrees designed to enhance the character of the Shabbat as a day of rest/Shevut, this Tanna/teacher holds that they made a decree designed to enhance the character of the Sabbath as a day of rest even at twilight.

ואין מטבילין את הכלים – to elevate them from their ritual impurity for it is like repairing a utensil which has the rabbinic decree designed to enhance the character of the Sabbath as a day of rest.

ואין מדליקין את הנרות - all the more so since it is a doubtful Biblical commandment and this, and you don’t have to mention that, is taught. But my teachers explained that one does not kindle the candles nor does one tell a heathen to kindle [them].

אבל מעשרין את הדמאי – and it is not similar to repairing for most ignoramuses/Amei HaAretz tithe.

ומערבין – for the joining of courtyards is a mere stringency but not the joining of Sabbath boundaries that have support from Biblical verses.

וטומנין את החמין – concerning something that does not add vapor, for if it were something that added vapor, even while it is still daylight, it is prohibited, and the reason is that we cover up hot foods at twilight with something that does not add vapor for they (i.e., the Sages) did not prohibit covering up hot foods on the Sabbath itself with something that does not add vapor as a decree lest one finds a pot that has cooled off and its growing hot in fire and it is found to be cooking on the Sabbath and at twilight, one cannot make a decree on this for mere pots at twilight boil and one cannot suspect lest it cooled off and became hot. Therefore, we cover hot foods at twilight even though we do not cover hot foods on the Sabbath.