QUESTION: The Mishnah (Shabbos 34a) states that there are three things one must say to their household right before Shabbos: Issartem – did you separate the appropriate tithes for the foods that will be served on Shabbos? Eiravtem – did you make an eiruv to allow carrying on Shabbos? Hadliku es ha’ner – light candles. However, the Rambam (Shabbos 5:3) only mentions the third statement, that a husband should instruct his wife to light the candles. Why did the Rambam omit the first two statements?

ANSWER: Rabbi Genack (Gan Shoshanim 1:10) explains that the purpose of the first two statements is to remind the family to perform the necessary preparations for Shabbos. It is not a mitzvah per se to make these statements, but rather a practical suggestion. If one did not tithe or make an eiruv before Shabbos, they will be unable to do so on Shabbos. However, there is a mitzvah to instruct one’s wife to light Shabbos candles. A wife is lighting candles on behalf of her husband as well. She is acting as his agent in the performance of this mitzvah. Therefore, a husband should specifically appoint her to do the mitzvah on his behalf. According to the Rambam, there is a mitzvah to specify to one’s wife that she should light candles. Rabbi Genack explained further that although the Talmud writes that one must make these statements in a calm voice, the Rambam omits this. This is because speaking calmly is not a specific requirement of the mitzvah of lighting candles. Elsewhere, the Rambam (Ishus 15:19) writes that all of one’s dealing with one’s household must be spoken in a calm voice.

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.