The Rulings of Rebbetzin Baila

Rebbetzin Baila, the wife of Rav Yehoshua and the daughter of Rav Yisrael Aidels, authored a few novel rulings in halacha. Her son cites them in his introduction to the Derisha on Yoreh Deah, volume two. The two rulings concern how women light candles on Yom Tov and how Yom Tov lighting differs from Shabbos lighting. Some authorities, such as the Mogen Avrohom, ruled against her, but most of the later authorities agreed with her and praised her insight.

It seems that in her time women followed two customs that she took issue with. First, they recited the berocha after lighting the candles, both on Shabbos and on Yom Tov. Second, they lit the Yom Tov candles only after their husbands returned from the evening tefillah, instead of at the start of the holiday.

Rebbetzin Baila held that on Yom Tov the berocha should be said before lighting. Many rabbonim are of the opinion that reciting the berocha over the Shabbos candles means accepting Shabbos, together with its restrictions, so that one may no longer kindle a flame. With no other choice, the berocha on Shabbos is said after lighting. But it is always better to recite a berocha before performing a mitzvah, and on Yom Tov one may light from an existing flame, so the berocha should come first.

As for waiting for the husbands, she held that this should be done only on the second night of Yom Tov in the Diaspora. On Shabbos we prepare everything in advance, so that all is ready when the holy day arrives. In the same way, on Yom Tov the candles should be lit beforehand, ready to greet the sanctity of the day. On the second night in the Diaspora, one may not prepare from one day of Yom Tov for the next, so everything waits until nightfall. Only then is it proper to light later, after the husband returns from shul.