Yom Kippur: The Havdalla Candle

What happens if you make havdala on motzei yom kippur but lit the candle from a match and not from the 24hour candle?

Shalom!

Thank you for your question.

As you correctly note, when reciting Havdalla after Yom Kippur one is required to use a “ner sheshavas”, which means “a light that rested.” This is a candle that has been lit and burning from before Yom Kippur. The common “yartzeit candles” can used for this purpose, (of course, if it was used as a Neshama candle it may not be used for this purpose as well).

The reason we must use a ner sheshavas at the Havdalla following Yom Kippur and not simply strike a match and light a fire as we do at the conclusion of Shabbat each week is because the reason for fire at the conclusion of Yom Kippur is different than the reason for fire at the conclusion of Shabbat. The reason we use fire at the conclusion of Shabbat is to recall that on the first Saturday night following creation, G-d showed Adam how to make a fire from two stones. In commemoration of this event, we recite the blessing on a fire that was just lit, just like Adam did,

However, the reason we use a fire at Havdalla at the end of Yom Kippur is to acknowledge the fact that, unlike other Holidays one is not allowed to make any use of fire on Yom Kippur. Indeed, on other holidays a yartzeit type candle is lit and the flame can be used throughout the holiday as a starter fire for cooking and the like. On Yom Kippur, this is forbidden, of course. So to recall that on Yom Kippur fire must rest during the holiday, while after Yom Kippur fire becomes permitted again, a blessing is recited on a ner sheshavas.

As a general rule, one who does not have a ner sheshavas is disqualified from reciting the blessing on a fire at the conclusion of Yom Kippur even when Yom Kippur coincides with Shabbat we are stringent. One should consider asking a neighbor to light a flame from their ner sheshavas so one can recite the blessing on fire.

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