Immediately before the blessing over the wine (
) the woman of the house lights candles. Now, according to Jewish law, she should remember not to strike a match to light them as she is accustomed to doing when she lights the Shabbat candles, but should light the match from an existing flame.
As to exactly what the source of that existing flame should be, the rabbis are not in agreement. The revered eighteenth-century biblical scholar Yossel ben Yossel (Yossel Jr.) argued that the existing flame could simply be from a random candle that was lit moments before the lighting of the ceremonial ones. More recently, Rabbi Joachim Levitats, from his cell in a Tel Aviv prison, passionately maintained that “the flames that deliciously flare after any act of arson (
) will more than suffice” before requesting to be placed in solitary confinement so he could touch himself (
) in a manner “too personal to attempt in the general population.”
While lighting the candles, three prayers are recited. This number—and the rabbis are in total agreement about this—commemorates the number of sit-ups (
) that Moses did prior to the slaves’ departure from the house of bondage.1
The three prayers are followed by the woman of the house extending both arms, waving them in a gathering motion, and drawing them to her body before covering her eyes with her hands. The significance of the hand-waving gesture is to unite Jews around the world who are lighting candles at that time. As for the covering of the eyes, it symbolizes that the woman does not want to make eye contact with any of those other Jews for fear that some of them may want to borrow money.2
The Talmud tells of Eliahu and his three blind sons, whom he led one by one into a darkened room. First was Blind Son #1, whom he asked, “How would you brighten this room?” Whereupon Blind Son #1 answered, “How the hell would I know? I am blind.” So Eliahu smacked him across the face and shouted, “That is not my fault! I begged your mother not to eat the leaves from that foul-smelling plant when she was pregnant with you!”
Eliahu then led Blind Son #2 into the darkened room and asked, “How would you brighten this room?” Whereupon Blind Son #2 answered, “Back off, Dad! I am as blind as one of the bricks we used to make those ugly-ass pyramids!” So Eliahu smacked him across the face and shouted, “I am not to blame! It was your mother who gave you that pet ram who rammed your eyes when you were a toddler!”
Finally, Eliahu led Blind Son #3 into the darkened room and asked, “How would you brighten this room?” Whereupon Blind Son #3 answered, “Please give me two candlesticks and a match that has been lit from an existing flame.” And a jubilant Eliahu exclaimed, “Yes! Yes! Here is that match! Now what will you do?” To which Blind Son #3 replied, “I will light these two candles and insert them into your blessed sphincter if you even think about smacking my brothers again. Now lead me out of here and get me some kosher ice cream.”3