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Question
Can I light my Shabbos candles with a butane lighter and can I shut off the lighter before I make the Shabbos blessing? Someone told me that once I light the candles I am bringing in the Shabbos and cannot blow out a match or put out a lighter.
Answer
My wife uses a butane lighter too!
Shabbat begins after the candles are blessed, not after the candles are lit. Thus, there is no problem with shutting the lighter between lighting and blessing the candles.
In fact, if you have some major reason to light earlier than the indicated time and the candles will last sufficiently long after sunset, you can light, make the blessing, make a mental reservation that Shabbat will begin later - at sunset, and then do what you must, e.g. tend to a child's needs.
It is true that once Shabbat does begin that one does
not extinguish a flame. But remember that we are lighting candles 18 minutes before
sunset and Shabbat does not technically begin until sunset.
Best
Wishes,
Rabbi Barry Dov Lerner
Foundation
for Family Education (FFFE)
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