Light Memorial Candles

Every year it is jewish custom the minhag to light a special candle that burns for 24 hours called a yahrzeit candle.

Light memorial candles.

Throughout the world lighting candles is a sacred ritual. The candle is lit on the yahrzeit date of that person s death as well as on certain holidays and during the initial mourning period immediately following a death. The candle burns for about 25 hours and it allowed to burn itself out. Whenever candles are left burning please be sure to take safety precautions such as placing the candle on a foil lined metal baking tray in a place where it is not likely to be knocked.

We light a candle for many purposes. The candle is lit because there s an idea in jewish tradition that a person s soul and essence are like a candle in the world proverbs 20 27. Keeping a light burning in remembrance signifies that the memory still lives on and burns bright. Memorial candle the ritual of lighting a candle in remembrance the ritual of lighting a candle to pay tribute to a life passed has long been a part of our culture.

To illuminate darkness dedicate prayers solidify intentions offer blessings evoke spirit and or to nourish grateful living. The verse states for the lights honor the l rd 8 when we light a candle to honor g d in the merit of the departed g d promises to forgive and. A yahrzeit which is yiddish for a year s time is the anniversary of the death of a loved one. The memorial candle is lit just before the start of the yahrzeit or holiday at sundown.

September 27 2020 jns on the eve of yom kippur 5781 israel s president reuven rivlin called on jewish communities around the world to light an additional memorial candle in memory of the more than 1 400 israeli victims of covid 19. It s nice to take a moment when lighting the candle to think about the unique light the person being remembered brought into the world and to bring that into the heart as an intention for the. President reuven rivlin called on all israelis and jews across the globe on sunday to light an additional memorial candle on yom kippur in memory of those who died due to the coronavirus. With regard to the custom of lighting a memorial candle before yom kippur rabbi asher ben yechiel 1250 1327 explains that we light a candle to atone for the souls of the departed.