Siman 264

In the time of the sages of the Shas, they did not light like our candles of tallow and of wax; rather, they would light with oils, and they would make wicks and place them into the oils, just as we light today with our kerosene. And the sages said that there are wicks with which one may not light, because the light flickers in them, for its light is not upright and steady in one place, but rather is extinguished and jumps, (Rashi 21a) or because the flame does not enter inside the wick but rather surrounds it from the outside, (ibid.) and the flame jumps. Similarly, there are oils with which one may not light, because they are not drawn after the wick, and he may come to tilt it. (ibid.) And regarding wicks in which the light flickers—we fear that he will adjust the wick on Shabbat. (Bach)

And so the sages taught in the Mishnah (20b): With what may one light and with what may one not light: One may not light with lachish—which is a type of cedar that has something like cotton between the wood and the bark (Tur); nor with chosen—which is flax that has not been combed and contains waste; nor with kelach—which is the waste of silk (ibid.); nor with the wick of idan—which is a type of willow that has something like cotton between the bark and the wood (ibid.); nor with the wick of the desert—which is a type of long grass, and the down within it is fit for lighting (ibid.); nor with the greenery upon the surface of the water—which is the green that grows around a ship when it remains standing in one place upon the surface of the water (ibid.). And these are all the invalid wicks, and likewise one may not make wicks from wool or from hair (Gemara). And it appears that from all types of wool, whether from sheep or from camels or goats—one may not light. And according to the opinion of Rashi, even with hemp, which is called kanaplya, and with cotton, which is called bawool, one may not light. Our teacher Tam disagreed with him, for these wicks are very good, and the practice followed our teacher Tam (Tur). Thus far the invalidity of wicks.

And from here onward are the invalid oils: not with pitch and not with wax, meaning to melt wax and place a wick inside it as one does with oil—is forbidden, but our wax candles are good for lighting. (Tosafot ibid.) And not with kiki oil, and there are three interpretations of this in the Gemara, see there, and the Rambam in the Commentary on the Mishnah wrote: oily seeds of a plant, and the oil is very thick, and the Tur wrote: oil made from cotton seeds, and both interpretations are in the Gemara there. And there is another interpretation in the Gemara, that there is a type of bird and its name is kiki, and they place its fat in the lamp and it burns, see there, and they did not mention this because it is not common at all. (Derisha) And not with oil for burning, and this is oil of terumah that became impure and is forbidden for eating and stands only for burning. And there are two resolutions in the Gemara (23b): one, that it deals with every Erev Shabbat, and the prohibition is even though it is a fine oil and is drawn after the wick, nevertheless because it is a mitzvah to burn it—we fear perhaps he will tilt it so that it will be consumed quickly. And the second, that it deals with Erev Shabbat on which a Yom Tov falls, and the prohibition is because one does not burn consecrated items on Yom Tov. And from the Rambam it is clear that he held accordingly, for regarding Shabbat he did not mention this at all, and regarding Yom Tov in chapter 3 he mentioned this regarding challah that became impure, see there, and automatically the same law applies to terumah as they are all one.

And not with the fat of the tail, and not with tallow when they light with it as with oil, but our candles of tallow are very good. And not with itran, which is the refuse of tar; at first it flows thick and is not drawn after the wick, and afterwards it flows clear. And even though it is drawn after the wick, nevertheless, because its smell is bad, we fear lest he leave it and go out, and it is an obligation to eat on Shabbat in the place of the lamp (Gemara 25b). And regarding that which we light with our naphtha which they call "gas," because even though it does not have a good smell, nevertheless it is also not called a bad smell. Furthermore, when it is closed in a candlestick and they place a glass vessel over it in the manner of our "lamps," it does not smell at all, and even in the houses of ministers they light it. And one should not ask regarding the primary reason of "lest he leave it and go out," for behold, many are accustomed to eating in the courtyard. And it can be said that the lamps were commanded for delight and not for distress, and if he enjoys himself in the courtyard more because of the air or because of the flies that are in the house, it is obvious that it is permitted to eat in the courtyard (Bach in the name of Hagahot Maimoniot), but however, in any case, there should not be distress from the lamps themselves. And likewise, they do not light with balsam, which is the resin that drips from trees called kataf, and the reason is because it has a very good smell and the fragrance spreads, and we fear lest he take from it (Gemara ibid.). And it was taught in the Tosefta: "One who puts oil into a lamp is liable on account of kindling, and one who takes from it is liable on account of extinguishing" (Rashi). And there is in the Gemara another reason regarding balsam, because it is volatile and clings to the walls of the house and sets the house on fire, and we fear that he will be anxious for his property and come to extinguish it (Tosafot ibid.). And from here one should learn not to block the oven with wood for this reason, and many times they come to the desecration of Shabbat on account of this (Magen Avraham, subsection 9). And among us, they block the oven because the oven is large and the coals are raked and very far from the cover, and there is no concern in this.

Our sages, of blessed memory, said there that the nature of these poor oils is such that if one places any amount of good oil into them, they are drawn after the wick. Despite this, even in such a case, the sages forbade it, for if you permit it with a mixture of good oil, he will come to light it even without a mixture, and will come to tilt it. This is not like a decree upon a decree, because it is nearly certain that he will come to tilt it; furthermore, it is all a single decree, for at the time they decreed not to light with them, they decreed regarding all manners, whether they are by themselves or by means of a mixture. (Taz, subsection 4) And the primary explanation is like the first answer, for so wrote our teachers, the authors of the Tosafot. (23b, starting with the words "Gezera," and this is his wording: For when it is not melted, he will certainly tilt, because it is not drawn, etc. See there.)

One may light with fish oil, but with fish entrails that have melted—one may not light even though it is drawn after the wick, but we decree melted on account of not melted, and that which is not melted is not drawn after the wick. And similarly, cooked and melted tallow, even though it is also drawn after the wick—nevertheless the sages forbade it, for we decree on account of tallow that is not melted which is not drawn. However, if one placed a little good oil into fish entrails that have melted or into melted tallow—one may light with them, and we do not decree on account of not having placed oil in them and on account of not being melted, for this is a complete decree upon a decree and we do not decree. (Gemara ibid.) But in the previous law it is not a decree upon a decree, for the reasons we explained in the previous section. And furthermore, here there would be three decrees as is understood, and we do not decree to such an extent. (And the Ran required regarding melted tallow that it be so from the beginning of its exit from the animal, see there, but from all the poskim it does not imply so, and this is the intent of the Magen Avraham in subsection 11, see there.)

And such is the law regarding invalid wicks: if one wrapped a substance that may be used for lighting over a substance that may not be used for lighting, even though the light does not flicker now—nevertheless, one may not light with it, because we decree lest he come to light with the substance that may not be used for lighting alone, just as they decreed regarding oils. However, this is only if the intention was that both should burn, but if his intention was not for the burning of both, but rather because it was thin he added inside it to thicken it—it is permitted even though both are burning, for here it is not relevant to fear that he will light with it alone, since his intention was not at all to light with it. And from Rashi there it is implied that in the case where he intended to thicken it, he does not wrap them together, for he does not do so for the sake of the thickness but rather so that the fit wick will not sink into the oil, he places the invalid one below and supports the fit one upon it. And there are those who wish to say that according to Rashi, in the case of the burning of both it is forbidden in all manners, (see Beit Yosef and Taz subsection 2) and in my humble opinion it appears that Rashi would also agree with the Rif who permits, but rather he explains a different intention in the Gemara, see there. (And the wording of the Beit Yosef in section 2 who wrote: "And if he intended to harden... so that it will not slide down" see there, he opened with the wording of the Rif and concluded with the wording of Rashi, see Tur and Beit Yosef and examine carefully.)

For the reason that has been explained, it is permitted to wrap a substance with which one may light around papyrus or straw in order to place the wick in a glass vessel, for he does not intend for their ignition. Similarly, it is permitted to place a grain of salt or a bean-grist upon the mouth of the lamp on Erev Shabbat so that it will burn well on Shabbat, as this is a remedy so that it burns well, and there is no concern in this. Other wicks, besides those we have enumerated, are permitted to be lit, and it appears that cotton is the best of them all, for its light is clear and it is drawn well after the wick. Similarly, all oils besides those we have enumerated are permitted for lighting, but olive oil is the choice fulfillment of the mitzvah. Other oils take precedence over wax, and wax over tallow (Magen Avraham, subsection 12). However, among us, where the tallow is refined, it is better than a wax candle, as we see with our senses. It has already been explained that that which we prohibited regarding wax and tallow refers to lighting them as oil, but if one wrapped wax or tallow around the wick like our candles, one may light with them; and similarly with pitch. If one wrapped a disqualified oil and a disqualified wick together, it is forbidden to light with it (ibid., subsection 13). And oil, even though it is drawn very well after the wick, nevertheless the dregs of oil are not drawn and are forbidden for lighting for Shabbat (ibid., subsection 7).

All those disqualified for lighting, whether disqualified wicks or disqualified oils—are forbidden both for the lamps on the table for eating and for other lamps in the house, for they are all made for light and to benefit from their presence for uses. And if one lit with forbidden materials—it is forbidden to use their light even for a use that does not require scrutiny, for we apprehend the possibility of tilting, (ibid. subsection 1) and even if another is with him it is forbidden. (Eliyah Rabbah subsection 3) And it is not similar to what was written in siman 275 regarding the matter that it is forbidden to study by the light of the lamp lest one tilt it, where two people are permitted, for it is different there because the apprehension is that for a matter requiring scrutiny there is a concern of forgetting the Sabbath due to the scrutiny, and when there are two, the second will remind him. But here, where the apprehension is that because the lamp does not burn well he will forget and tilt—there is a concern even with two that they will forget due to the lack of light. And it is not similar to scrutiny, for it is remote that two people would be very preoccupied with scrutiny and forget that today is the Sabbath.

But our teacher, the Rema, wrote in section 1, that there are those who say that if there is one candle of the permitted types—it is permitted to use the light of the others, and similarly, a matter that is possible without a candle—it is permitted to do even near the other candles, and for the need of Shabbat one should be lenient post facto. Thus far his words. And there is one who explained that this is the explanation: that if there is a permitted candle—it is permitted to use near the forbidden ones even when they are standing in another room, for since there is one valid candle—he will remember and will not tilt even in other places. And a matter that is possible without a candle, such as drawing wine from the cellar and the like—it is always permitted even without a valid candle, and one should be lenient for the need of Shabbat. And when the invalid one stands near the valid one—it is permitted in any case to use near them, even if there is not such a great need of Shabbat. (Magen Avraham)

And the Levush omitted this entirely, and in truth these are great leniencies, and there are difficulties against this from the sugya of the Shas, and from most of the poskim it does not appear so. And also it is not a logical reasoning at all that when there is a valid lamp he will also remember regarding the invalid ones, and also that which he wrote "even near the other lamps" is entirely redundant, for we are dealing with the other lamps. Therefore it appears to me that this is its explanation: that when there is a valid lamp standing in a room that has invalid lamps—it is permitted to use their light, for he will not come to tilt because he has a beautiful light from the valid one, but in another room—it is forbidden. And afterwards he says that a matter that is possible without a lamp—it is permitted to do even when there is no valid lamp at all, and so it appears in my humble opinion that one should instruct, and not to be overly lenient. (And so it appears from the words of the Eliyah Rabbah, subsection 3)

One who lights the lamp must light the majority of the part of the wick that emerges from the lamp, for if not so, it is close to being extinguished. And so too with a lamp of wax or of tallow, one must light the majority of the wick that is upon the head of the candle. However, there is no need to singe the wick, for we do not hold like the one who maintains that singeing is required, as even without this it will burn well. However, the Bahag ruled that one may not light with rags, meaning linen garments that have worn out, nor with a wick that is not charred. And it must be said that he maintains that although we hold that singeing is not required—this refers to complete singeing, meaning to light it well and extinguish it so that it becomes close to ash, for afterward it is good to light it. But a bit of charring is required, for if not so, it will not burn well. Therefore, one may not light with rags, for with them it is impossible to singe because they are old. (See Beit Yosef and you will understand what forced me to this, and examine it well.) And the women are accustomed to light the wick and extinguish it, so that it will be charred and the light will take hold in it well. And one may not light on the table with an old lamp of earthenware, (Magen Avraham at the end of subsection 16) because it is repulsive. And if it is coated like "palyova" or made of glass—it is not repulsive and it is permitted to light with it.

A Yom Tov that falls on the eve of Shabbat—one may not kindle with a piece of cloth that is exactly three by three, because anything that is three fingers by three fingers is considered a vessel regarding the laws of tumah, and once one kindles a small part of it, it becomes a broken vessel, and one may not kindle with broken vessels on Yom Tov, as has been written in siman 501. However, if one twisted it on the eve of Yom Tov and made it into a wick, it has already been nullified from being a vessel and it is permitted to kindle with it. (Gemara 28b)