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We are beginning siman 19. The Chayei Adam writes that one does not need to scorch the wick before lighting, but nevertheless, the minhag is to pre-light the wicks by lighting and extinguishing the wick so that the wick has sufficiently drawn the oil. Thus, when it is lit for the mitzvah, it will light immediately. This is a hiddur mitzvah, because the flame will be nicer. This minhag is practiced even with wax or tallow candles. The Chayei Adam is pointing out that this is a minhag, but not a halacha, so if one forgot to do so, it is not a problem.
If one is makpid to always do it, they have to be careful, because it could take on the status of a neder. When one does something for the purpose of hiddur mitzvah, it is a form of a davar tov, and a davar tov which is practiced three times takes on the status of a neder miderabanan and is binding upon the person. One should speak out that they are beginning this practice bli neder. Alternatively, they can perform hattaras nedarim, which includes a hatarah for a davar tov which was begun without saying bli neder.
We will skip siman 20, which discusses using various materials for the wick and a certain type of vessel for the oil.
In siman 21, the Chayei Adam discusses the definition of the act of hadlakah. The Chayei Adam writes that Chazal define the act of hadlakah as lighting the majority of the available or visible wick. If one has a container of oil which is two inches tall, and a wick which is three inches tall, there is an inch of wick which extends above the oil and is available for lighting. A person must light the majority of that one inch. Thus, after a person makes the bracha, and extends their fire source to the wick, they should extend it to the base of the wick, so that when it catches, it will catch the entire wick and not just the top of the wick. We will discuss this concept further, be’ezras Hashem.
Summary
- There is a minhag to pre-light the wicks, but it is not a halacha.
- One should be aware that it may get a status of a neder.
- The definition of hadlakah is lighting the majority of the available wick, so one should try to light from the base of the wick, so that the entire available wick catches on fire and not just the top of the wick.
- One should not continue on to lighting the next wick until the majority of the wick is lit.
