concerning lighting the shabbat candles, where does the blessing come from? i've been trying to find out - nothing.
i found the main reason for kindling the lights is because of shalom bayit!
also found out that the candles were lit without a blessing until the 11th century then they based the blessing as to the hanukkah menorah!
who? really?
i found info concerning the candles, but not the blessings
Rashi Shabbat 25b
An obligation - It is kavod Shabbat, since an important meal is only eaten in a well lit place.
Shulchan Aruch Orech Chaim 263; 3
If a person cannot afford to buy both a candle for Shabbat and wine for kiddush, a candle for Shabbat takes precedence.
Talmud Bavli Shabbat 23b
[If one can only afford either] a Shabbat candle or kiddush, the candle is preferable, because of Shalom Bayit.
Rashi Shabbat 23b
Shalom Bayit ... Because the family are troubled if they sit in the dark.
if you can advise, i would appreciate it
i live where there are other jews but none that i know keep shabbat!
i've opened my doors as i have in the past (in the past for students - 12-16 each shabbat and chag for a number of years they graduated and i moved -- even the university called at times if they need a 'kosher meal!')
people are 'uneasy' with me here, some ask why am i so 'old fashioned' - the only exception is my neighbors who are gentile they usually ask me questions, or want to learn about why i do things or what i am celebrating
my learning these days is solo with the exception of a few friends via skype/email who try to help. for some reason, i seem to question the strangest things
i truly mean it, that i appreciated your answering me with'the facts' - the sources rather the excusing me . . .
again my thanks
-leah
Leah, you have hit on a very interesting Halachic question!
1) There is a source for the blessing earlier than the 11th century. The source is "Seder Rav Amram Gaon," a prayer book written by Rav Amram, who became the Gaon -- the head of the Torah academy in Babylonia -- in the year 846 CE, so this is a 9th century source.
However, the blessing on the Shabbat candles is still a bit unusual because most of the other blessings we say on other Mitzvot are mentioned in the Talmud, which was redacted in approximately 500 CE.
2) There is actually an early opinion mentioned in the Halachah that maintains that one does not say a blessing on the Shabbat candles. This opinion is recorded by Tosfot, printed on the page of the standard editions of the Talmud, in tractate Shabbat, page 25b, paragraph beginning "Chovah." However, Tosfot afterwards cites Rabeinu Tam (1100-1171, a grandson of Rashi) who disagrees firmly with this opinion, and of course the Halachah is that we do recite the blessing.
This does not fit with what you wrote about the blessing being based on the Chanukah candles, but otherwise I think all of your sources were correct.
3) The general rule is that we recite a blessing before performing most of the commandments of the Torah. For example, we recite a blessing every morning before studying Torah.
4) Here is an interesting insight into the idea behind every blessing, given by Rav Chaim of Volozhin, the great disciple of the Vilna Gaon. He explains that the word "Baruch" with which every blessing starts does not mean (as most people assume) that we are praising G-d. Rather, when we say the word "Baruch" we are saying that Hash-m is the source of all blessing and all plenty. The essence of the Almighty is that He, and only He, gives out all of the good things that His creatures ever enjoy. All the happiness in the world has its origin in Hash-m. This is why, before doing any Mitzvah, we declare that all of the plenty and all the happiness in the entire universe is given to us by Hash-m.
Leah, may you have much success in all of your endeavors, and we look forward to your interesting questions.
All the best,
Dovid Bloom
P.S. Are you related to Rav Avraham Teichman, the head of the Yagdil Torah Yeshiva here in Jerusalem?