Candle lighting has always been a special and auspicious time, one of meditation and quiet prayer. The Jewish woman or girl stands before the kindled flames with eyes covered as she recites the blessing. The reason that the blessing must be said after, rather than before, lighting the candles is that if the blessing were to be recited first it would seem as if the woman has already "inaugurated Shabbos." In that case she would not be permitted to light the candles, since kindling of the lights on the Shabbos is forbidden.

At this moment, when the family is gathered together, she has traditionally offered a silent or verbal prayer on behalf of her husband and children. In generations past, personal prayers in Yiddish called "techinos" were commonly said by Jewish women before doing a mitzvah and on special occasions. Candlesticks, candle sticks, shabat candlesticks.