What Is the Name of the Plaited Candle That Marks the End of Shabbat?

Introduction: The Symbolism of Light in Jewish Tradition

Light has long held a central place in Jewish tradition, symbolizing divine presence, wisdom, and spiritual enlightenment. From the ner tamid, the eternal light that hangs above the Ark in synagogues, to the flickering flames of Shabbat candles lit at the onset and conclusion of the Sabbath, lighting rituals are deeply woven into the fabric of Jewish religious life. One of the most visually and spiritually significant of these rituals involves a plaited candle used to mark the end of Shabbat. But what is this candle called, and why is it braided? This article explores the name, history, purpose, and symbolism of the braided candle used during Havdalah—the ceremony that separates the sacred time of Shabbat from the rest of the week.

Understanding Havdalah: The Ceremony That Ends Shabbat

Havdalah, derived from the Hebrew word “havdil”, meaning “to separate,” is a Jewish ceremony that formally concludes the Sabbath. It typically takes place at nightfall on Saturday, once three stars are visible in the sky, signaling the transition from Shabbat to the new week. The ritual is rich in sensory experiences: wine, fragrant spices (besamim), a flame, and blessings that invoke distinctions between holy and mundane, light and darkness, and Israel and the nations.

The Havdalah ceremony involves several key components:

• A cup of wine (or grape juice)
• A multi-wicked candle or a braided candle
• Spices (usually cloves or a special spice box)
• Blessings recited over each element

Among these components, the plaited candle plays a vital role. It is lit specifically for Havdalah and used symbolically to distinguish between light and darkness, a core theme of the separation ritual.

The Name of the Plaited Candle: What Is It Called?

The name of the plaited candle used in Havdalah is simply the Havdalah candle. While it doesn’t have a unique Hebrew name besides this functional designation, its physical form—typically braided with multiple wicks—makes it instantly recognizable. Unlike a regular candle or even the two candles lit at the beginning of Shabbat, the Havdalah candle is often intricately plaited with **three, four, or more wicks**, sometimes using thick cotton strands or special wax configurations to ensure a bright, stable flame.

The Hebrew term used in prayers and rituals refers to the candle with multiple flames, reflecting its distinctive design. The blessing recited over the candle specifically mentions “the lighting of the lamp (or fire)!” (Hebrew: “…ha’mavdil bein kodesh le’chol” and “…borei m’orei ha’eish,”—who creates the lights of the fire). The plural “lights” references the multiple wicks of the candle, emphasizing that its flame is not singular, but composite.

Design and Structure of the Havdalah Candle

The design of the Havdalah candle is both practical and symbolic. While some may use a standard multi-wicked candle, many choose or create a **braided Havdalah candle**, often made from wax-coated cotton wicks twisted together in a plait. This braided structure ensures that the candle produces a bright flame with several visible sources of fire, fulfilling the halachic (Jewish legal) requirement of having multiple lights.

Why Is It Braided?

The **braid** of the Havdalah candle holds both visual and theological significance:

• Symbol of unity: The intertwining strands represent community cohesion, the merging of diverse elements into one sacred act.
• Multiple lights in one flame: The braided candle produces several distinct wicks that burn together, symbolizing the many sources of light and creativity that will now re-enter the world after the Sabbath rest.
• Aesthetic and ritual value: The elaborate look of the braid enhances the sanctity and dignity of the Havdalah ceremony, making it a centerpiece of the ritual.

Braided Havdalah candles are often made with varying thicknesses and lengths to ensure that each wick burns steadily. Some are sold pre-braided in Jewish specialty stores or online, while others are custom-made at home using wax-soaked wicks or preformed braids.

Typical Features of a Havdalah Candle

The Role of the Candle in the Havdalah Blessing

The Havdalah candle is not merely decorative—it plays a critical functional role in the ceremony. After wine is blessed and sipped, and before concluding with the blessing over spices, the **blessing over fire** (“Baruch… borei m’orei ha’eish”) is recited. At this moment, participants often look at their hands, illuminated by the light of the multi-wicked candle.

Why look at the hands? This custom, which dates back to Talmudic times, serves several purposes:

1. To appreciate the return of creative work: During Shabbat, Jews refrain from acts of creation, including lighting a fire. The first permitted use of fire after Shabbat is the Havdalah candle, and by seeing light again, participants acknowledge the return of productive engagement with the world.
2. To recognize the gift of fire: The blessing celebrates human knowledge and divine wisdom that enabled fire, a transformative tool in human history.
3. To mark sensory transition: The vision of light symbolizes the shift from the spiritual calm of Shabbat to the illuminated, active realm of the weekday.

Some traditions have the head of the household or the person leading Havdalah **hold the candle high** while others cup their hands toward the flame, gazing at the shadows and light on their palms. The candle’s design—with multiple wicks—ensures a strong enough light to clearly see the lines of the hands, fulfilling a traditional criterion in Jewish law.

Symbolic Meanings Behind the Braided Candle

The Havdalah candle is rich in layered meanings, far beyond its basic function. Each element of its design and use offers insight into Jewish thought, values, and theology.

1. Unity and Interconnectedness

The braided structure exemplifies how separate strands come together to create something more resilient and beautiful. This reflects the Jewish value of kehillah (community), where individual strengths are woven into a collective identity. The Havdalah candle, in its plaited form, becomes a metaphor for how family and community must remain interconnected even as the week brings them back into individual pursuits.

2. The Light of the Soul

In Jewish mystical tradition, particularly in Kabbalah, fire is associated with the divine spark within each person. The multiple wicks of the candle may symbolize the many souls or divine sparks that are reunited into the world after the spiritual respite of Shabbat. Lighting the Havdalah candle is thus not only an act of separation but of re-energizing and rekindling.

3. Transition and Continuity

The candle embodies the dual themes of ending and beginning. Shabbat ends, but its spiritual influence is meant to illuminate the coming week. The braided candle, burning brightly in what could be a moment of spiritual descent, instead becomes a bridge between states of being: sacred and ordinary, rest and work, unity and activity.

Historical Development of the Havdalah Candle

The origins of the Havdalah ritual can be traced back to the Mishnaic period** (circa 200 CE). The Talmud (Tractate Berakhot) discusses the requirement to recite a blessing over fire after Shabbat ends, citing the tradition that fire was first created by Adam on the first Saturday night after his creation.

Jewish sages recorded in the Avot de-Rabbi Natan and other rabbinic texts explain that God gave Adam the knowledge to strike two stones together to create fire after sunset on the eve of the first Shabbat. This moment marked the beginning of human creativity outside of divine miracles, and thus the blessing over fire became a way to commemorate human ingenuity.

Over centuries, the practice evolved. While early customs may have used a simple lamp or torch, the use of a multi-wicked candle became widespread in the **medieval period**, especially in Ashkenazi communities of Europe. The braided candle may have developed as a more durable and aesthetically suitable option, allowing households to prepare in advance and use a single, stable light source. Over time, the braided candle became iconic, especially in regions like Germany, Poland, and later in American Jewish communities.

Variations Across Jewish Communities

Jewish communities around the world have adapted the Havdalah candle to reflect local customs, materials, and traditions. These variations often highlight cultural diversity while maintaining the core religious function.

Ashkenazi Tradition

In Eastern European Ashkenazi communities, the braided Havdalah candle with 3–6 wicks has long been standard. Often made from wax-coated cotton, these candles are sometimes decorated with colored dyes or inscribed with Hebrew blessings. Many families keep a special Havdalah set—including candle, spice box, and Kiddush cup—passed down through generations.

Sephardic and Mizrahi Practices

In Sephardic and Middle Eastern Jewish communities, the use of a multi-wicked lamp or a menorah-style oil lamp** may be preferred over a braided wax candle. However, due to globalization, many Sephardic families now incorporate the braided candle into their rituals, particularly outside of Israel or in cosmopolitan areas.

Modern and Eco-Friendly Versions

In recent years, eco-conscious Jewish families have adopted sustainable versions of the Havdalah candle. These include:

• Beeswax braided candles: Natural, biodegradable, and traditionally associated with purity
• Reusable wicks with olive oil: A nod to ancient Temple practices
• LED “candles”: Used in circumstances where real fire is unsafe, though not halachically valid for the blessing

Despite innovations, the traditional plaited wax candle remains the most widely used for the actual blessing, as Jewish law requires a **flame with visible light and combustion.**

How to Light the Havdalah Candle: A Step-by-Step Guide

Lighting the Havdalah candle is a spiritual moment that requires both reverence and awareness. Below is a traditional sequence of steps:

1. Preparation

Gather all components: the braided Havdalah candle, a cup of wine or grape juice, a spice box with fragrant spices (besamim), and a Havdalah prayer book (or printed text).

2. Timing

Wait until nightfall, usually 25–45 minutes after sunset, depending on community custom. The appearance of three stars in the sky is a traditional indicator that Shabbat has ended.

3. Light the Candle

Light the braided candle first. Traditionally, the candle is lit by the same person who will recite the blessings. The flame is often held over the Kiddush cup to cast a glow before the wine blessing is recited.

4. Recite the Blessings

Blessings are recited in the following order (abbreviated):

• Blessing over wine: “Baruch… borei p’ri hagafen”
• Blessing over spices: “Baruch… borei minei v’samim”
• Blessing over fire: “Baruch… borei m’orei ha’eish”
• Final Havdalah blessing: “Baruch… ha’mavdil bein kodesh le’chol”

5. Concluding the Ceremony

After the blessings, participants may dip their fingers into the wine and touch it to their eyes, pockets, or doorposts as a symbolic gesture of carrying Shabbat’s sanctity into the week. The candle is then extinguished, often by dipping it into the leftover wine.

Buying and Making a Havdalah Candle

For those looking to incorporate a meaningful Havdalah experience into their home ritual, choices abound. Whether purchasing or crafting a candle, attention to quality and symbolism enhances the experience.

Where to Buy

Havdalah candles are widely available in:

• Jewish bookstores and gift shops
• Online retailers (Amazon, Judaica web stores)
• Synagogue gift shops during Shabbat or holiday events

Popular brands offer pre-braided candles with durable wicks and elegant packaging, often including spice boxes and matching Kiddush cups.

How to Make a DIY Braided Havdalah Candle

Creating your own Havdalah candle is a meaningful family or educational activity. Here’s how:

1. Obtain three to six wax-coated cotton wicks (available at craft or candle supply stores).
2. Cut them to equal lengths (6–8 inches).
3. Braid the wicks tightly, like a hair braid, and secure the end with a wax seal or tape.
4. Optionally, dip the braid into melted wax to thicken and stabilize it.
5. Allow to dry and store in a cool place until use.

This hands-on process can be shared with children, teaching them about ritual, symbolism, and Jewish continuity.

Conclusion: The Enduring Light of Havdalah

The plaited candle that marks the end of Shabbat is far more than a ceremonial tool—it is a symbol of transition, unity, and divine light. Known simply as the Havdalah candle, its braided wicks carry deep spiritual messages about the interweaving of human effort and divine grace, the continuity of tradition, and the daily renewal of purpose.

Whether crafted by hand, purchased from a sacred store, or inherited as a family heirloom, lighting the braided Havdalah candle is a moment of reflection and anticipation. As the flames rise, illuminating hands and faces, Jews around the world affirm the beauty of separation—not as an ending, but as a preparation for the coming week. In this light, we find both closure and inspiration, guided by ancient rituals that remain vibrant and meaningful today.

What is the name of the plaited candle used to mark the end of Shabbat?

The plaited candle used to mark the end of Shabbat is called a Havdalah candle. This unique candle is typically made with multiple wicks or is braided from several strands of wax, forming a twisted or plaited appearance. The most common version features at least three braided wicks, although candles with four or more are also used. The braiding symbolizes unity and the intertwining of light, reflecting the cohesion of the Jewish people and the merging of the holy day with the ordinary weekdays that follow.

The Havdalah candle is specifically designed for the Havdalah ceremony, which officially separates Shabbat from the coming week. This ritual takes place at nightfall on Saturday, after nightfall confirms the end of the Sabbath. The candle must produce a single flame from multiple wicks, fulfilling a halachic (Jewish legal) requirement for a “composite” light. Its distinctive look not only serves a practical purpose but also adds symbolic depth, representing the transition from sacred rest to active engagement in the world.

Why is the Havdalah candle plaited or braided?

The plaited or braided design of the Havdalah candle serves both a functional and symbolic purpose in Jewish tradition. According to Jewish law, the candle used in the Havdalah ceremony must produce a flame that combines multiple light sources into one visible flame. A braided candle with several wicks burning together meets this requirement, ensuring that the lighting is considered a “torch” rather than several separate flames. This allows the blessing over light to be recited correctly during the ceremony.

Symbolically, the braided structure represents the unity and interconnection of different aspects of life and spirituality. Just as the strands are woven together to form a stronger whole, the braided candle reflects the integration of the sanctity of Shabbat into the routine of the week ahead. The act of lighting this intricate candle underscores the idea that spiritual light should not fade with the end of Shabbat but instead be carried forward into daily actions, binding holiness with the mundane.

When is the Havdalah candle lit?

The Havdalah candle is lit at the conclusion of Shabbat, typically on Saturday night after nightfall. This timing is crucial because Shabbat officially ends when three stars are visible in the sky or according to established local times determined by Jewish calendars. The candle lighting occurs during the Havdalah ceremony, which includes blessings over wine, spices, and the light of the fire. Lighting the candle after dark ensures that the act falls outside the permitted Shabbat boundaries, respecting the prohibition of kindling fire on the Sabbath.

While most communities perform Havdalah on Saturday night, there are exceptions. For example, if a major holiday begins immediately after Shabbat, Havdalah may be delayed or incorporated into the holiday observances. Additionally, in some customs, if a fast day follows Shabbat, the candle is still lit, but the wine is omitted. The ritual timing emphasizes intentionality and the conscious transition from the sacred time of Shabbat to the regular workweek.

What role does the Havdalah candle play in the Havdalah ceremony?

The Havdalah candle plays a central role in the Havdalah ceremony by providing the fire over which a specific blessing is recited. After reciting blessings over wine and spices, the person leading the ceremony lights the candle and then recites the blessing “Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei m’orei ha-eish,” which means “Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who creates the lights of fire.” This acknowledges the divine gift of fire and human creativity, both of which are prohibited on Shabbat but welcomed as essential for weekday life.

Beyond the blessing, participants often use the light of the candle to look at their fingernails, a custom rooted in Talmudic tradition. The glow is sufficiently bright to reflect off the nails, demonstrating that the fire produces useful light. In some communities, people also gaze at the shadows cast by the flame, emphasizing the moment’s significance. This interactive use of the candle engages the senses and marks the spiritual shift from the restfulness of Shabbat to the active responsibilities of the week.

Can any candle be used for Havdalah, or must it be plaited?

While ideally a plaited or multi-wicked candle should be used, Jewish law allows for alternatives when a proper Havdalah candle is unavailable. The core halachic requirement is that the flame must combine at least two wicks into a single, usable light. A candle with dual wicks or even two separate candles held close enough to merge their flames can technically suffice. However, the traditional braided candle is preferred because it naturally fulfills this requirement and carries the symbolic meaning associated with its design.

Many Jewish households keep a special braided Havdalah candle on hand to preserve the ritual’s integrity and enhance its emotional resonance. These candles are often made with beeswax or paraffin and include twisted strands, creating an elegant visual centerpiece for the ceremony. Using the correct candle is seen as a way of honoring the mitzvah (commandment) and enriching the experience. When substitutes are necessary, care is taken to ensure the flame meets Jewish legal standards, preserving both tradition and authenticity.

What do the multiple wicks of the Havdalah candle symbolize?

The multiple wicks of the Havdalah candle carry rich symbolic meaning in Jewish thought. One interpretation is that they represent the multiple sources of light and wisdom that should guide individuals during the week. Just as several wicks unite to form one strong flame, diverse elements of life—spiritual, intellectual, and emotional—should work together harmoniously. This symbolizes the idea that holiness is not isolated to Shabbat but can and should be integrated into everyday actions through intention and awareness.

Another symbolic interpretation connects the three or more wicks to the different categories of separation acknowledged during the Havdalah service: between sacred and ordinary, light and darkness, and Israel and other nations. The intertwined wicks thus embody the distinctions that the ceremony honors, while also showing how these differences coexist under divine order. The fusion of the flames visually reinforces the blessing’s theme of discernment, reminding participants to maintain sacred boundaries while fostering unity in purpose and light.

Are there variations in Havdalah candle design across different Jewish communities?

Yes, there are notable variations in Havdalah candle design among different Jewish communities, reflecting diverse customs and artistic expressions. In Ashkenazi traditions, the candle is often braided from three or four separate wax strands, sometimes dyed in vibrant colors. Sephardic and Mizrahi communities may favor candles with clustered wicks or use oil lamps with multiple spouts instead of wax candles. Some families even make their own candles using twisting techniques passed down through generations, adding a personalized touch to the ritual.

Modern interpretations have introduced decorative elements such as metallic threads, scented wax, and artistic molds shaped like Torah scrolls or Jewish symbols. While these variations enhance aesthetic appeal, they do not compromise the essential function of producing a composite flame. Regardless of style, the primary goal remains the same: to facilitate the proper blessing and symbolize the transition from Shabbat to the week. These diverse designs illustrate the adaptability of Jewish traditions while maintaining their core spiritual significance.