By doing this, Shabbat is welcomed and accepted. But what exactly do candles represent in Shabbat? During Shabbat, candles are meant to represent light and peace. It is believed that candles and light are necessary to see the unique qualities that every person has. The desire to achieve peace is even seen in the most commonly used Hebrew word, Shalom. Shalom is used to say “hello” and “goodbye”, but it translates directly to “peace”. That is why on Shabbat, people say “Shabbat Shalom” to one another, a phrase that signifies a wish for peace during Shabbat.
Even if someone does not celebrate Shabbat, the effects of the celebration are felt by everyone. The hostel that I am living in for the semester hosted a large celebration for its guests, which could be seen by the candles that were set up near the entrance. Futhermore, as a part of celebrating Shabbat, the majority of stores close an hour before sunset and only open after Shabbat ends on Saturday. However, because Tel Aviv is a very big city area and quite modern, there are usually some restaurants that are open throughout Shabbat.
