Shabbos Illuminated: Learning Hilchot Shabbat with Rav Shlomo Katz

If you're staying at someone else’s home or a hotel, do you still light Shabbos candles? And if you do… should you make a bracha? Rav Shlomo Katz explores the halachic layers of being an ore’ach—a guest—and whether lighting in someone else’s space fulfills the mitzvah of hadlakat nerot.Drawing from Peninei Halakha, the Shulchan Aruch, the Rema, and the Mishnah Berurah, we unpack minhagim across Ashkenaz and Sephardic communities, modern safety concerns, and the deeper purpose of the mitzvah itself: the light, the place, and the benefit.

Can Shabbos candles be electric? What about fluorescent bulbs or LED lights?Rav Shlomo Katz dives into the halachic and spiritual criteria for fulfilling the mitzvah of Hadlakat Nerot. What qualifies as a kosher Shabbos light, and why?

There’s a beautiful dance at candle-lighting time, but who leads first: the flame or the blessing?Rav Shlomo Katz explores the two primary minhagim surrounding the order of lighting Shabbos candles and reciting the bracha.Why do some light first and others bless first? What’s the deeper reasoning behind each approach? And how does this moment which is seemingly so small, open the gates to the holiness of Shabbos?

Is one candle enough, or should you light one for every member of your household?Rav Shlomo Katz explores the halachic foundations and evolving customs behind Shabbos candle lighting. From the Mishnah in Bameh Madlikin to the teachings of Peninei Halakha, we look at how oil, wicks, and even Shalom Bayis all play a part in the flame.We also unpack the minhagim of lighting two candles, adding for children, and what happens if a woman forgets to light entirely. A warm and practical journey into the light that welcomes the Shechinah each week.

Why is the mitzvah of lighting Shabbat candles traditionally given to women, and where should the candles be lit?Rav Shlomo Katz learns from Peninei Halakha the deeper reason behind women’s role in lighting Shabbos candles, and the practical halachos that come with it.

Where did the mitzvah of lighting Shabbos candles come from?Rav Shlomo Katz learns from Peninei Halakha about the origins and halachic purpose of this cherished obligation.More than just a tradition, lighting candles brings shalom bayit, oneg, and kavod Shabbat into the home, transforming the atmosphere and marking the sacred transition from weekday into holiness.

What happens if you accept Shabbos early, but haven’t davened Mincha yet? Can you still pray a weekday Mincha after taking on Tosefet Shabbos? Rav Shlomo Katz walks us through the dance between Torah law and rabbinic law, intention and obligation, personal timing and communal practice. From the flickering candles of Friday afternoon to the timing of davening and the spirit of Shabbos in the home, we explore what it means to usher in kedusha with clarity and joy without losing the mitzvah of Mincha along the way.

What is the proper way to acknowledge Tosefet Shabbat and actually make it real?Rav Shlomo Katz learns from Peninei Halakha how taking in Shabbos early isn’t just about lighting candles or watching the clock. It’s about intention, declaration, and honoring the power of your own word.Because when you say, “It’s Shabbos now,” it becomes Shabbos. And that moment of commitment has weight in halacha, and in Heaven.

Is adding onto Shabbos a luxury or an obligation?Rav Shlomo Katz learns from Peninei Halakha about the mitzvah of Tosefes Shabbos—extending the boundaries of holiness by welcoming Shabbos in early and saying goodbye a little later.We explore the halachic sources behind this practice and uncover its deeper meaning: how a few extra minutes can transform not just your Friday night, but your whole relationship with kedusha in time.

The moment Shabbos begins isn’t as simple as sunset. Rav Shlomo Katz learns from Peninei Halakha about the halachic weight of twilight—bein hashmashot—and how it shapes the way we welcome in the holy day.We explore how this in-between time carries deep significance, both legally and spiritually. Because knowing when Shabbos begins helps us know how to begin Shabbos.

When it comes to Shabbos clocks, going on cruises, & even watering your garden, the world of Halacha provides for us a beautiful way of honoring Shabbos.

Rav Shlomo Katz learns from Peninei Halakha about the do’s and don’ts of Erev Shabbat: what we should avoid in the final hours before candle lighting, and what we’re meant to embrace.Because how we transition into Shabbos sets the tone for everything that follows. When approached with intention, even the busiest Erev Shabbat becomes part of the holiness of the day itself.

Rav Shlomo Katz continues learning Peninei Halakha and covers the halachot and practical guidelines around last-minute preparations for Shabbos—what’s permitted, what to be careful with, and how to enter Shabbos with presence, even when time is short.

How far should you go to honor Shabbos? IRav Shlomo Katz explores the halachic and emotional tension between wanting to give Shabbos everything and being honest about our financial reality. Drawing from Peninei Halakha, the Rambam, and the words of Chazal, we learn when borrowing for Oneg Shabbos is a mitzvah, and when it crosses the line into false piety.This episode also opens the door to a deeper understanding of kavod Shabbos: clothing, cleanliness, and the quiet revolution of doing your laundry on Thursday, because sometimes the holiest preparations are the most practical.

If Shabbos is a taste of Gan Eden, why does Friday afternoon so often feel like Gehinom? Rav Shlomo Katz explores how proper preparation is not just helpful, it’s halacha. Drawing from Peninei Halakha, we learn how getting ready for Shabbos is part of keeping Shabbos itself, and how small shifts during the week can bring peace, presence, and joy into Erev Shabbat.

Why do our Sages consider Shabbos to be a taste of the World to Come? Because on Shabbos, the soul finally gets to speak. In this episode, Rav Shlomo Katz learns through Peninei Halakha to uncover how Shabbos gives voice to the neshama—a day when we pause the noise, the chase, and the pressure, and make space for what’s eternal.Shabbos is about revealing who you really are, and living one day a week as if the redemption has already arrived.

Shabbos doesn’t start on Friday night. It starts on Sunday.Rav Shlomo Katz learns through Peninei Halakha to show how the mitzvah of “Zachor et Yom HaShabbat”—remembering Shabbos—actually applies to every day of the week. Whether it’s how we speak, plan, shop, or prepare, each day draws meaning from the Shabbos it leads to.With insights from the Ramban, the Zohar, and more, we uncover how living with Shabbos consciousness transforms not just the seventh day, but all seven.

Do I keep Shabbos or am I just making sure that I don't mechalel Shabbos?