Chapter 75:3
Lighting the Shabbos Candles
3. The best way to fulfill the mitzvah of lighting Shabbos candles is to
use olive oil (1); sunflower oil, which is the most common cooking oil in
the region, is acceptable. There are, however, other oils that are not
acceptable (2).
Similarly, one should be careful in the choice of wicks, using either
cotton, [spun] flax, or hemp, since there are other substances that are not
acceptable (3).
In these countries (4), it is customary to use tallow (animal fat) candles
(5), which is acceptable. It is, however, forbidden to place tallow in a
dish and place a wick inside it (6).
[When lighting an oil lamp,] one should hold the flame next to the wick
until the major portion that protrudes from the oil catches fire. This
procedure should also be followed when lighting tallow candles.
FOOTNOTES:
(1) The Mishna Berura (264:23) states that the reason olive oil was
preferred is because it is drawn up the wick better than all other oils; he
raises the possibility that since some modern substances light just as well
as olive oil, and sometimes even better, there may be no reason to choose
olive oil over anything else. However, the Midrash Tanchuma (B'Ha'aloscha)
states:"...we find that G-d desires olive oil more than all other oils..."
(because He chose it as the oil which must be used in the golden Menorah in
the Beis Hamikdash (Temple) ).
(2) They are unacceptable either because they are not drawn up the wick
properly, creating a sputtering, unstable flame, which one might come to
adjust on Shabbos. Some are unacceptable because they have a bad odor,
which is not only a degradation of Shabbos, but also makes it difficult to
eat near the candles.
(3) Any wick that causes sputtering is not acceptable, because one may come
to adjust the flame on Shabbos, thereby violating the prohibition against
igniting a fire on Shabbos.
(4) The author, Rabbi Shlomo Ganzfried, lived in Ungvar, Hungry.
(5) The Tallow doesn't have to be kosher, but it should be made of fat
that comes from kosher animals.
(6) Using Tallow like one would use oil is forbidden because, in that form,
it is not drawn well into the wick.
