QUESTION: There was a power outage on Erev Shabbos. My house is drawing electricity from a generator, and the generator can only produce enough electricity for either the lights or air conditioners. I know that it is a mitzvah to light Shabbos candles to promote sholom bayis. Since I will light Shabbos candles, should I therefore use the electricity to operate my air conditioner?

ANSWER: Assuming the lack of additional light and the discomfort due to the lack of air conditioning are equal, the essential question is whether having additional light in the house from electric bulbs is more important than comfort. Rav Zylberstein (Chashukei Chemed, Shabbos 251) writes that it is a mitzvah to have additional light in the house. He demonstrates this from the fact that even if many women light Shabbos candles in one location, the Rema (263:8) writes that they all may recite a bracha. Although the Mechaber questions whether a bracha should be recited, but all agree that providing additional light is an enhancement of the mitzvah. Operating the electric lights from the generator will fulfill this mitzvah enhancement, and therefore it would seem that lights would take precedence over an air conditioner. However, if it is very hot and one will be in discomfort, the air conditioner can be run instead of the electric lights, since the obligatory mitzvah is fulfilled with Shabbos candles and other candles lit throughout the house. Poskim allow one to ask a non-Jew to turn on an air conditioner when it is very hot (see Minchas Yitzchak 3:23). From this we see that halacha recognizes discomfort as a significant factor.

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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.