{"id":3467,"date":"2026-10-09T00:04:49","date_gmt":"2026-10-08T16:04:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.baaclottobet.com\/blog\/?p=3467"},"modified":"2026-10-09T00:04:49","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T16:04:49","slug":"what-are-the-rules-for-extinguishing-shabbat-candles-451d-147209","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.baaclottobet.com\/blog\/2026\/10\/09\/what-are-the-rules-for-extinguishing-shabbat-candles-451d-147209\/","title":{"rendered":"What are the rules for extinguishing Shabbat candles?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve ever spent a Friday evening around a table glowing with soft, golden Shabbat candlelight, you know there\u2019s more to that ritual than just setting a pretty scene. As someone who\u2019s spent the last decade running a small, family-owned Shabbat candle supply business, I get more questions about how to properly extinguish Shabbat candles than any other topic I sell\u2014even more than wick trimmers or beeswax vs. paraffin blends. Most people come in thinking it\u2019s as simple as blowing out a flame, but there are actually specific rules that balance Jewish law, safety, and respect for the ritual. Today, I\u2019m breaking down what those rules actually mean, and why as a supplier, I\u2019ve designed my candles to help you follow them easily. Shabbat Candle<\/a><\/p>\n

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First, let\u2019s start with the basics: when Shabbat candles are lit, and when they need to be extinguished. Shabbat begins 18 minutes before sundown on Friday, and ends when three medium-sized stars are visible in the night sky on Saturday night. Extinguishing a Shabbat candle is only allowed once Shabbat is formally over\u2014until then, they must stay burning to honor the commandment to \u201ckeep the Sabbath day holy\u201d (Exodus 20:8) by having a welcoming, lit home for the holiday. That rule is non-negotiable for observant Jews, and it\u2019s one I built into every candle I sell: every batch has a burn time of at least 12 hours, so you never have to worry about a candle going out early while Shabbat is still running. No more rushing to the store for a last-minute replacement\u2014our beeswax and cotton-wicked candles are formulated to burn steady, no dimming, no smoking, until three stars appear.<\/p>\n

Now, the actual act of extinguishing. The Talmud (the central text of Jewish law and tradition) has specific guidelines here, and they\u2019re split into two main camps: Ashkenazi (Jews of Eastern European descent) and Sephardic (Jews of Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Iberian descent) practice, but there\u2019s a lot of overlap when it comes to safety and respect. For most, the preferred method is not blowing out the candle directly. Wait, I know that sounds counterintuitive\u2014we blow out candles every day! But blowing can send hot wax splattering, create a sudden gust that might disturb the rest of your Shabbat candles, and even risk singeing the tablecloth or nearby challah cover. As a supplier, I\u2019ve tested this with my customers: many new families I work with admit they blew out their first Shabbat candles and ended up with wax on their good linen or a wick that wouldn\u2019t relight. That\u2019s why I include a small, stainless steel candle snuffer with every bulk order or starter set\u2014this tool is designed to smother the flame without splashing wax, and it\u2019s the exact method the Talmud recommends to avoid unnecessary mess or damage.<\/p>\n

But what if you don\u2019t have a snuffer, or you\u2019re in a situation where you need to extinguish a candle after Shabbat ends safely? The second acceptable method is using the side of a clean glass or ceramic dish to pinch off the flame at the base of the wick. The key here is that you\u2019re not twisting the wick, which would fray it for next week\u2019s candle lighting. I always include a bonus wick trimmer with small orders to make this easier\u2014trimming wicks to \u00bc inch before lighting each week (a step many people skip, but one that prevents tall, flickering flames that are harder to extinguish) makes pinching the flame way simpler.<\/p>\n

A common question I get is: what if a candle goes out unexpectedly during Shabbat? Is that allowed? Let\u2019s be real\u2014drafts happen, especially if you have a window cracked for fresh air, or a wick that\u2019s too short. If a Shabbat candle is blown out accidentally during Shabbat, most rabbis agree you don\u2019t need to relight it, as long as you lit it properly before Shabbat began. My candles are designed with a tight, flat cotton wick that resists blowing out even in gentle breezes, and we use a higher concentration of natural beeswax, which burns slower and steadier than paraffin. I\u2019ve had customers tell me their old paraffin candles would flicker out by evening in their sunroom, but our beeswax candles stay lit all through the night. That\u2019s the small advantage of working with a supplier who understands the ritual\u2019s needs, not just selling a candle that smells nice.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also a rule about not extinguishing a candle for a trivial reason during Shabbat. For example, if you just don\u2019t like the way the flame looks, you can\u2019t blow it out mid-holiday. But if a candle starts smoking so much it\u2019s making your eyes burn, or it\u2019s dripping wax all over the Shabbat table, most rabbis will allow extinguishing it out of concern for your comfort or the sanctity of the space. That\u2019s where having a snuffer comes in handy\u2014you can address the problem without using your mouth, which is a respectful way to handle any issue that comes up during the meal.<\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s talk about after Shabbat ends\u2014this is when you\u2019ll do the full extinguishing ritual. Once you see three stars, you can either snuff all your candles, or if you\u2019re cooking or cleaning, you can leave one candle burning to make it easier to light the havdalah candle (the candle used to mark the end of Shabbat) the next time. Wait, that\u2019s another tip I share with my regular customers: our Shabbat candles are the perfect size for havdalah because they burn evenly and have a thick enough wick to hold the multi-wick flames needed for the ceremony. I always tell families to keep a few of their used Shabbat candle stubs in a small dish for havdalah\u2014no need to buy a separate candle if you don\u2019t want to, which saves money and reduces waste.<\/p>\n

I know a lot of people new to Shabbat worry about getting the rules right. When I first started my business 8 years ago, I had a customer show me a tin of black, soot-stained candles she\u2019d been using, and she told me she was scared to touch them in case she did something wrong. That\u2019s why I make sure every candle I sell comes with a small card explaining the extinguishing rules in plain English, not just rabbinic jargon. Over the years, I\u2019ve adjusted my product line based on what customers tell me they need: longer burn times, less soot, wicks that don\u2019t fray after multiple uses. Because when you\u2019re running a business that serves a community, you don\u2019t just sell a product\u2014you support a ritual that matters.<\/p>\n

The most important thing to remember about Shabbat candle extinguishing is that it\u2019s not about following rules for rules\u2019 sake\u2014it\u2019s about honoring the rhythm of the week. Shabbat is a time to slow down, to stop doing, and to pause between the workweek and the next. Extinguishing the candles isn\u2019t just putting out a flame; it\u2019s closing that sacred chapter, and preparing to welcome the new week with respect. As a supplier, that\u2019s why I put as much care into the functionality of my candles as I do into their glow: I want your ritual to feel easy, meaningful, and free of unnecessary stress.<\/p>\n

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If you\u2019re a small synagogue planning weekly Shabbat sets, a family looking to upgrade your candle supplies, or someone who wants to stock up for the holiday season, I\u2019d love to chat with you about how my Shabbat candles can fit your needs. We work with everyone from individual families to community organizations, and we can customize orders for any size, whether that\u2019s a 10-candle starter set or bulk supplies for a synagogue of 500 members.<\/p>\n

Beeswax Honeycomb Candle<\/a> References:<\/p>\n