{"id":4694,"date":"2026-09-15T08:51:58","date_gmt":"2026-09-15T12:51:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/utj.org\/viewpoints\/?p=4694"},"modified":"2026-09-15T08:52:00","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T12:52:00","slug":"havdalah-candles-and-multiple-wicks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/utj.org\/viewpoints\/2026\/09\/havdalah-candles-and-multiple-wicks\/","title":{"rendered":"Havdalah Candles and Multiple Wicks"},"content":{"rendered":"

AI usage note: I drafted the below and then uploaded it to Claude AI for some comments. I integrated some of Claude\u2019s comments.<\/em><\/p>\n

9\/15\/26<\/p>\n

After some discussion of how to pull off using multiple wicks when making Havdalah on Saturday night that is Yom Tov, I took a quick look at the topic of multiple wicks.\u00a0 Here are some quick items I found of interest.\u00a0 This has not been thoroughly researched. Mostly, I read Rambam and commentaries thereon (including R. Kapach) and Shulhan Arukh and commentaries thereon.\u00a0 I looked quickly at the Talmudic pieces referenced, but without diving into the commentaries thereon.<\/p>\n

The key to the idea of wanting multiple wicks seems to be the understanding of the term avukah<\/em>, which is identified as the\/a preferred flame for the blessing on a flame at Pesahim 103b<\/a>.\u00a0 Some commentaries, e.g. Maggid Mishnah on Mishneh Torah Shabbat 29:26 s.v.<\/a> \u05d5\u05d0\u05d1\u05d5\u05e7\u05d4 \u05dc\u05d4\u05d1\u05d3\u05dc\u05d4 \u05de\u05e6\u05d5\u05d4 \u05d5\u05db\u05d5<\/a> understand the term to refer to a bundle of wood that provides a lot of light.\u00a0 Maran R. Yosef Karo (Beth Yoseph Orah Hayyim 298 s.v. <\/a>\u05de\u05e6\u05d5\u05d4 \u05de\u05df \u05d4\u05de\u05d5\u05d1\u05d7\u05e8<\/a>) quotes Maggid Misnhah and adds a reference to Sefer Agudah<\/a> saying that a multiple-wick candle is also a preferred option.\u00a0 R. Moshe Isserles (Orah Hayyim 298:2<\/a>) says that a candle with two wicks is called avukah<\/em>.\u00a0 Magen Avraham (Orah Hayyim 298:4<\/a>) says that two wax candles braided together are considered an avukah<\/em> (cf. Aruh Hashulhan Orah Hayyim 298:5-6<\/a>, emphasizing the practical ease with wax candles can be combined and sating that the benefit is that they create more light).<\/p>\n

In his commentary on Mishneh Torah, R. Yoseph Kappach (I paste the texts of his comments below) argues that a single wax candle qualifies as the \u201cpreferred\u201d flame and states that is the practice in his community.\u00a0 In the Mishnah (Berakhot 8:5 found in the Babylonian Talmud at Berakhot 51b<\/a>) Beth Hillel and Beth Shamai debate what the proper blessing is on the flame, with Beth Shamai using the singular term \u05de\u05d0\u05d5\u05e8 and Beth Hillel using the plural term \u05de\u05d0\u05d5\u05e8\u05d9.\u00a0 In his comment 59 on Mishneh Torah Shabbat 29:24<\/a> R. Kapach argues that although Beth Hillel uses a plural term, Beth Hillel and Beth Shamai agree that a single candle is used.\u00a0 R. Kapach notes that the reason for the plural language is explained by R. Yosef at BT 52b as indicating that Beth Hillel argues that a single flame contains multiple lights\/flames.\u00a0 R. Kapach, similar to Rashi s.v. \u05d4\u05e8\u05d1\u05d4 \u05de\u05d0\u05d5\u05e8\u05d5\u05ea<\/a>, explains that this refers to the multiple colors of a single flame.\u00a0 R. Kapach notes that there is no need for multiple candles to justify the use of the word \u05de\u05d0\u05d5\u05e8\u05d9.<\/p>\n

In comment 68 on Mishneh Torah Shabbat 29:26<\/a>, R. Kapach addresses the definition of avukah<\/em>.\u00a0 He asks if avukah<\/em> is a bundle of wood as suggested by the Maggid Mishneh referenced above, why the flame of a furnace, which according to R. Kapach is just a very large gathering of wood, is a less-preferred flame for the blessing.\u00a0 The rule regarding a furnace is found at BT Berakhot 53a<\/a> and codified by Rambam at Mishneh Torah Shabbat 29:26<\/a>.\u00a0 R. Kapach (comment 65) understands Rambam as saying that a furnace is a less preferred but valid flame for use for the blessing (i.e. may be used \u05d1\u05d3\u05d9\u05e2\u05d1\u05d3 but not \u05dc\u05db\u05ea\u05d7\u05d9\u05dc\u05d4), whereas many read the Talmud and Rambam to be saying that a furnace may not be used when it was recently lit (\u05d1\u05ea\u05d7\u05dc\u05d4) but may be used after it has burned for a while (\u05dc\u05d1\u05e1\u05d5\u05e3).\u00a0 There are some variant texts of the Talmud that contribute to these possible understandings.\u00a0 R. Kapach argues that avukah<\/em> as used in the Talmud regarding the blessing on a flame refers simply to a flame coming out of wood or bark. \u00a0He then notes that Rabbi Tanchum ben Joseph HaYerushalmi<\/a> in his dictionary on the Mishneh Torah defines avukah<\/em> as \u201c\u05d3\u05d5\u05e0\u05d2 \u05d4\u05de\u05d5\u05ea\u05da \u05d4\u05e2\u05e9\u05d5\u05d9 \u05e2\u05dc \u05e4\u05ea\u05d9\u05dc\u05d5\u05ea \u05d5\u05e0\u05d3\u05dc\u05e7\u05d9\u05df melted wax that is made onto wicks and lit.\u201d R. Kapach says that the preference is for a wax candle.\u00a0 He concludes that multiple candles are not necessary and it doesn\u2019t matter whether the candles are braided or not, while he says the custom is to use a single candle.\u00a0 However, back in his comment 59 discussed above he writes that there is a reason to avoid a three-wicked candle.\u00a0 He does not specify the reason.\u00a0 Perhaps he still has some concern that such a candle might be akin to the less-preferred furnace or perhaps he simply prefers keeping the custom he knows which is to use a single wax candle, though that would not explain what seems to be an objection particularly to a three-wick candle.<\/p>\n

Although R. Kapach\u2019s arguments are interesting and I think relatively convincing, one could argue that the fact that Beth Hillel\u2019s use of the plural term \u05de\u05d0\u05d5\u05e8\u05d9 does not specifically call for multiple wicks, there might be other reasons to prefer multiple wicks (e.g. for the increased light provided by such a flame).\u00a0 Interestingly, the Talmudic sources do not explicitly provide any reason to prefer the light of an avukah<\/em>.\u00a0 In addition, R. Kapach\u2019s argument that a preference for a bundle of wood (or multiple wicks) is inconsistent with a lack of preference for a furnace is not particularly convincing because it is not at all clear why a furnace is not preferred or whether that lack of preference is only when it was just recently lit.\u00a0 In any event, there is also scant evidence to support a preference for multiple wicks and it is also clear that even if there is a preference for multiple wicks one would still be permitted to say the blessing on the flame of a single-wick candle.\u00a0 Therefore, it seems to me that if a multi-wick candle is easily available one might as well use one, but if there is any particular challenge involved with using a multi-wick candle (for example on Yom Tov) there is no need to engage in a great effort to use multiple flames.<\/p>\n

As a side note of interest, R. Kapach in his comment 59 on Mishneh Torah Shabbat 29:26<\/a>, where he notes that a single flame has many colors and thus justifies the use of the word \u05de\u05d0\u05d5\u05e8\u05d9, notes that this is an argument against the use of electric light for Havdalah \u201c\u05db\u05dc \u05e9\u05db\u05df \u05dc\u05e9\u05d0\u05e8 \u05d8\u05e2\u05de\u05d9\u05dd \u05d2\u05d3\u05d5\u05dc\u05d9\u05dd \u05d5\u05e0\u05db\u05d1\u05d3\u05d9\u05dd in addition to the other great and honored reasons\u201d against the use of electric light for the blessing on a flame.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

R. Kapach Texts<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Re the blessing on the flame:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Re: the use of the flame of a furnace for the blessing:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Re: the term avukah:<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

AI usage note: I drafted the below and then uploaded it to Claude AI for some comments. I integrated some of Claude\u2019s comments. 9\/15\/26 After some discussion of how to pull off using multiple wicks when making Havdalah on Saturday night that is Yom Tov, I took a quick look at the topic of multiple Continue Reading »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":4698,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[82,142],"tags":[],"coauthors":[89],"class_list":["post-4694","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-halakhah","category-shabbat"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t