Why a Braided Candle for Havdalah? The Torch Requirement Explained
The problem with grabbing a single wick dinner candle for Havdalah is that it does not actually fulfill the mitzvah. The blessing over fire at the close of Shabbat requires an avukah, a torch, and one lonely wick does not make a torch. This trips up more people than you would think, especially anyone new to running Havdalah in their own home.
Here is why the braid matters, how to do it right, and what to look for when you buy a candle that will actually burn cleanly through the whole ceremony. If you want a broader look at what goes into a well made candle, our full beeswax candle collection is a good reference point for the standards worth caring about.
The Real Requirement: A Torch, Not a Candle
Havdalah marks the transition from Shabbat into the ordinary work week on Saturday night. The ceremony leans on the senses, using wine, sweet spices, and light. The blessing over that light, Borei Me'orei Ha esh, translates to "creator of the lights of fire."
Notice the plural. Lights, not light. Jewish law reads that plural literally, which is why a multi wick flame is required rather than a single point of light. A regular birthday or dinner candle simply does not satisfy the blessing on its own.
That is the whole reason the braided form exists. When you intertwine multiple strands and wicks, then light them at once, the individual flames merge into one bright, robust torch. It reads as an avukah at a glance, and it makes good on the plural wording of the blessing.
Why It Happens: The Braid Solves a Specific Problem
The braid is a practical answer to a legal need. You need several flames close enough to combine, and you need them to stay combined for the length of the blessing. Loose separate candles wobble and drift apart. A braid holds the wicks in fixed proximity so the flames stay married the entire time.
Most braided Havdalah candles run a minimum of 3 wicks, though plenty carry multiple pairs, sometimes up to 10 or 12. Standard ritual candles measure roughly 8 to 12 inches tall, which gives you comfortable clearance above the wine cup and enough burn to get through the words without rushing.
According to the Midrash, humanity first discovered fire by rubbing stones together at the close of the very first Shabbat. Fire became an emblem of survival and divine wisdom at the start of every new week, which is why we bless it specifically on Saturday night.
What the Braiding Actually Symbolizes
Beyond the legal function, the woven form carries real meaning. Individual wicks braided into one flame represent the unity of the Jewish community, separate strands pulling together into something stronger than any single strand alone.
There is a second layer too. The braid stands for the blending of the spiritual and the physical, Shabbat folding into the work week, the sacred handed off to the ordinary. You are literally holding a small picture of that transition while you say the words.
People often ask about the colors. Blue and white or multi colored wax braids are mostly cultural and artistic custom rather than any strict mystical law. Choose the colors you like. The requirement lives in the flame, not the pigment.
The Ingredient Problem Nobody Talks About
Here is where the actual buying decision gets interesting. A Havdalah candle sits close to your face while you say a blessing and then look at your fingernails in its light. You are breathing in whatever it puts off, at close range, in a small huddle of people.
Most cheap ritual candles are paraffin, which is a petroleum byproduct. When paraffin burns it releases compounds like benzene, toluene, and formaldehyde, and it tends to throw black soot. That is a genuine reason to care about what you are lighting, especially in a ceremony built around the senses.
Many candles also carry toxic fragrances loaded with phthalates and parabens, which is exactly the sort of thing that leaves people with headaches and a scratchy throat. One MBur customer put it plainly after switching:
"I love these candles. No headache or feeling nauseous like the Bath & Body candles with all the extra chemicals. In addition, I love the package and how carefully everything was wrapped." — Jason H.
If you have ever felt lightheaded during a long ceremony, the paraffin and the toxic fragrance are the usual suspects. This is a case where being fussy about ingredients genuinely improves the experience.
How to Choose a Clean Braided Candle: A Checklist
You want the torch requirement met and a clean burn. Run any candle through this list before you buy:
- Multiple wicks, braided or bundled. Three at minimum, so the flames merge into a single torch.
- Pure wax, not a blend. Look for 100 percent beeswax, single ingredient, not "beeswax blend" (which is usually mostly paraffin).
- No chemical dyes. Undyed or naturally colored wax burns cleaner.
- Phthalate free, non toxic fragrance, or no added fragrance at all. Havdalah already brings its own scent with the spice box.
- Clean burn, minimal soot. Beeswax burns with far less soot than paraffin, so you are not staining walls or ceilings.
Beeswax is worth calling out on its own. It is a naturally occurring wax, a byproduct of honey production, and it burns longer and cleaner than soy or paraffin thanks to its high melting point. It is also the oldest candle material humans have used, dating back to roughly 5,000 BCE, which feels fitting for a ritual this old.
MBur makes 100 percent beeswax candles by hand in Queens, New York, with wooden wicks and phthalate free fragrance. We do not currently sell a purpose braided Havdalah candle, so if you need the formal avukah shape, buy a dedicated braided ritual candle. But if you are building a set of clean burning candles for your table and the wider week, something like the Room Service candle gives you the same clean burn standard for the days that follow. Browse the full collection to see the range.
Doing It Right: Practical Steps
A few pointers so the ceremony runs smooth and safe:
- Timing. Havdalah happens Saturday night once 3 medium sized stars appear. If you miss it, you can technically make it up until sunset on Tuesday, though without the blessings over the fire and spices.
- Trim the wicks. Roughly a quarter inch, around 5 mm to 1 cm, before lighting. This keeps the flame steady and cuts down on smoke.
- Light all the wicks. The point is a merged torch, so make sure every wick catches before you begin the blessing.
- Extinguish gently. The flame is doused in leftover Kiddush wine at the end. Lower it in carefully, since jabbing a multi wick torch into a shallow cup splatters hot wax and wine.
If anyone at the table has a respiratory condition or heavy scent sensitivity, keep the room ventilated and follow your doctor's guidance. A clean burning candle is less likely to irritate, but common sense still applies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does a Havdalah candle have multiple wicks?
Jewish law requires an avukah, a torch, because the blessing over fire is said in the plural. Multiple wicks produce a single robust flame that distinguishes it from a standard weekday candle. If you are shopping for clean burning options for the rest of the week, our beeswax collection is a good place to start.
What does the braiding symbolize?
The intertwined wicks stand for the unity of the Jewish people and the weaving together of the different parts of life as the new week begins. It is a small physical picture of the spiritual folding into the ordinary.
What if I do not have a braided Havdalah candle?
You can hold two separate candles or two standard Shabbat candles close together so their flames merge into one torch. That satisfies the plural requirement of the blessing. For everyday burning between ceremonies, a clean single candle like the Wine Down candle works beautifully.
Why do people look at their fingernails by the candle's light?
Looking at the reflection of the light off your fingernails demonstrates that you are actively deriving benefit and utility from the candle's illumination. It also carries symbolism about distinguishing light from darkness.
Does the candle need to be beeswax?
No, halacha does not require beeswax. But beeswax burns cleaner than paraffin, without the soot or the compounds a petroleum candle throws off, which matters when the flame sits close to your face during the blessing.
The Takeaway
A braided candle is the traditional and ideal way to meet the torch requirement of Havdalah, its woven wicks producing the single robust flame the blessing calls for while symbolizing unity and the passage from sacred to ordinary. Buy a dedicated multi wick braided candle for the formal avukah, and hold your candles to a clean burning standard so the ceremony smells like spice and beeswax rather than petroleum.
For the clean burning candles you will light the rest of the week, MBur's 100 percent beeswax candles are handmade in Queens and rated highly by customers who switched away from headache inducing paraffin. Browse the full beeswax candle collection to find your everyday pick.
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