Candle Lighting Times for Sukkot Holiday Announced
The times for lighting candles to mark the beginning of the Sukkot holiday on September 25, 2026, have been released. In Jerusalem, candles will be lit at 5:56 PM and extinguished at 7:06 PM. Tel Aviv's candle lighting is scheduled for 6:11 PM, with the holiday ending at 7:08 PM. In Haifa, candles will be lit at 6:04 PM and extinguished at 7:08 PM. Beer Sheva's candle lighting is at 6:16 PM, ending at 7:08 PM, and Eilat's is at 6:15 PM, ending at 7:07 PM.
Two blessings are recited before lighting the holiday candles. The first is, "Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to light the holiday candle." The second blessing is, "Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has given us life, sustained us, and allowed us to reach this season."
The article also explains why Sukkot is celebrated in the autumn, after Yom Kippur, rather than in the spring after Passover, despite the sukkahs (booths) commemorating the Exodus from Egypt. Firstly, building a sukkah in the spring might be perceived as an attempt to escape the heat, whereas in the autumn, as the weather cools, moving into a sukkah clearly demonstrates it is done solely to fulfill a commandment. Secondly, the commandment requires conscious awareness. In a state of sin, a person loses their reason. Only after complete repentance and forgiveness on Yom Kippur does one regain the ability to consciously fulfill divine precepts.
