Mivtza Neiros Shabbos Kodesh

The Mivtza Neiros Shabbos Kodesh (Neshek) is one of the ten mivtzaim (campaigns) initiated by the Rebbe in 1974.

As part of this campaign, Chabad chassidim work to encourage women and girls from age 3 and up to light Shabbos candles every Friday. Naturally, this campaign is primarily carried out by Chabad women and girls.

Historical Background

In ancient times, it was customary in several chassidic courts and other places for women to begin lighting candles from a young age. This was practiced in the courts of Belz, Bobov, Ger, Vizhnitz, and even in Lithuania in the Volozhin court with Rabbi Chaim of Brisk and others.

Background of the Campaign

After a report in the Chabad newsletter about the activities of Chabad women in Afula distributing Neshek kits, the Rebbe initiated the campaign, noting that it had already begun in one location.

Launch of the Campaign

The campaign officially began with a sicha delivered by the Rebbe to chassidim on 24 Elul 5734 (1974), where he spoke about and encouraged every Jewish woman and girl to strive to fulfill the mitzvah of lighting Shabbos and Yom Tov candles. Additionally, girls should begin lighting Shabbos candles from the age of chinuch (education).

Following the Rebbe's words, women go out every Friday to shopping centers, hospitals, and schools to distribute Shabbos candles to Jewish women and girls. Simultaneously, the Rebbe requires them to maintain traditional Jewish tznius (modesty) standards.

The Rebbe also instructed that all details of this campaign apply to Yom Tov candle lighting as well.

Over the years, the distribution of kits has expanded significantly. In Eretz Hakodesh, a special department within the Nshei Ubnos Chabad organization manages the distribution of branded and subsidized kits to facilitate following this directive. They also conduct encouragement campaigns for high school and seminary girls to distribute the kits. In 2019 alone, over 1,200,000 kits were distributed through the organization in Israel (in addition to privately distributed kits and those distributed by other Chabad organizations).

The Rebbe's Words Regarding the Campaign

The Rebbe explains that the essence of Shabbos candles is explained in the Zohar Hakadosh and other sources - to add light, both spiritual and physical, as a tikkun for "Chava extinguishing the light of the world." Therefore, although in previous generations it was customary for daughters to fulfill their obligation through their mother's candle lighting, today, with darkness pervading the world, there is a need to increase both spiritual and physical light by ensuring every girl lights Shabbos candles and makes the bracha with Shem U'Malchus.

The Rebbe's Mivtzoim
The Ten Mivtzoim (illustration)
The Ten Mivtzoim
Tefillin · Torah · Mezuzah · Tzedakah · Bayis Molei Seforim · NeSHeK · Kashrus · Taharas Hamishpacha · Chinuch · Ahavas Yisroel
Various Mivtzoim
Mesibos Shabbos · Shofar · Lulav · Chanukah · Purim · Matzah · והשיב לב אבות על בנים · Lag BaOmer · Aseres Hadibros · Ois B'sefer Torah · Hakhel · Moshiach · Yom Huledes · HaKolas Kehilos · Printing the Tanya ·
V – T

Practical Guidelines from the Rebbe

It is understood that when explaining to a girl the powers she receives from Hashem to add light and bring the Shechina's presence into the home, she too will be happy with this zechus.

To succeed in this, there is a known minhag to give tzedakah before lighting candles. It is proper to educate girls in this minhag too, both to train them in this good custom and to help them feel the pain of another Yid who isn't doing well. However, when encouraging giving tzedakah coins before lighting, one must emphasize that it's forbidden for a woman to move the tzedakah box after lighting.

The mitzvah should be done with simcha and good heart, as mentioned in the Zohar Hakadosh regarding this mitzvah - it should be done "with joy of heart and desire."

Order of Lighting

The Rebbe noted that the minhag is for the daughter to light before the mother, and younger daughters before older ones, so the mother and older sister can supervise the younger daughter's lighting to ensure it's done properly.

Special Guidance

To a woman who wrote to the Rebbe (in 1957) worried about her Shabbos candles falling and extinguishing, the Rebbe wrote that this was a sign that her husband needed to increase his learning of Chassidus, the light of Torah, and an increase in spiritual light would cause the home to become illuminated in all ways.

This mivtza is one of three connected to Jewish women, whose roshei teivos spell "ChaNaH": Challah - kashrus of food and drink, Niddah - family purity, and Hadlokas HaNer - lighting Shabbos and Yom Tov candles.

Age to Begin Lighting

It is customary for girls to begin lighting once they understand the meaning of candle lighting. The first time they light should be on the first possible Yom Tov, so they can include the beginning of candle lighting in their Shehecheyanu bracha for the holiday.

When Rav Chaim Shalom Segal entered yechidus with his wife and eldest daughter, the Rebbe inquired about the child's age. When told she was one and a half years old, the Rebbe said she should start lighting in about half a year. When the parents responded that they had already begun lighting with her after the Rebbe announced the Neshek campaign, the Rebbe expressed satisfaction.

Candlesticks

Rav Yaakov Landau testified that the minhag of Chabad chassidim was not to use square-based candlesticks but specifically round-based ones, since the square-based ones originated in Christian churches. In practice, we don't see that Anash are particular about this.

At the beginning of the campaign, the activists dealt with the need to remind girls weekly to light the candles before Shabbos. As a solution, they proposed distributing simple candlesticks to every woman who commits to lighting Shabbos candles, so the candlestick itself would serve as a reminder. For this purpose, the campaign managers submitted five different candlestick samples to the Rebbe, and the Rebbe instructed to combine several of them.

Before the farbrengen marking 12 Tammuz 5735, less than a year after the Rebbe announced the campaign, the Rebbe requested a sample candlestick be brought to the farbrengen. The chassidim arranged to bring one of the gold-plated candlesticks, which was engraved with a special dedication along with its campaign number - 245,001.

Prayer at Time of Lighting

It is customary among Jewish women to pray after lighting the candles, with their faces covered by their hands.

This custom applies only to Shabbos candle lighting, not Yom Tov candle lighting.

In some Jewish communities, there was a custom to pray with a special text and say a techina before and after lighting candles. The Frierdiker Rebbe even praised this custom, but when the Rebbe was asked about it, he responded: "I have not heard either for or against it, and I have not seen in the Rebbe's house any special prayer for candle lighting, therefore in my opinion one should not get involved in this."

Campaign Initiatives

Immediately after the Rebbe announced the campaign, chassidim in various cities throughout Eretz Yisroel and worldwide began going out every Erev Shabbos with decorated vehicles and loudspeakers announcing candle lighting times. For example, in Lod, Rav Moshe Bronpman and Rav Shimon Dadon have continued this consistently for over 40 years, in Migdal HaEmek - Rav Moshe Bardugu, and other chassidim.

The distribution of kits has grown, with the Merkaz Hafatzah Mamash creating special packaging for Shabbos candle distribution.

Prayer During Candle Lighting

Among Jewish women, it is customary to pray after lighting the Shabbos candles, while covering their faces with their hands.

This custom applies only to Shabbos candle lighting and not to Yom Tov candle lighting.

In some Jewish communities, there was a custom to recite a special prayer text before and after lighting the candles. The Frierdiker Rebbe praised this custom, but when the Rebbe was asked about it, he responded: "I have not heard either for or against it, and I have not seen in the Rebbe's house any special prayer for candle lighting, therefore in my opinion one should not get involved with this."

Further Reading

• Neros Shabbos Kodesh - Kisvei Yad Kodesh, in the section "MiBeis HaMalchus," Kfar Chabad Weekly 1900, page 16
• Hadlokas Neros Shabbos, by Rabbi Meir Ashkenazi in the "Halacha Im Taam" section, Hiskaashrus Weekly, Parshas Lech Lecha 5783
• What is a Shabbos Candle Made Of?, Shoneh Halachos Issue 622, Parshas Chayei Sarah 5783 • Location of Shabbos Candles, Issue 623 Parshas Toldos
• "All the Candles Should Unite into One Great Torch and Great Fire that will Burn Away the Remnants of the Boundaries of Golus," in the Chayei Rebbi section, Kfar Chabad Weekly 2078, page 52