Shulchan Arukh Orach Chayim · Siman 279

Shulchan Arukh Orach Chayim 279 — English translation

Translation: Sefaria Community Translation. Section numbers match the Hebrew text above.

1. 1The Laws Governing Carrying a Lamp on Shabbat. Containing 7 paragraphs: It is forbidden to move a candle that was lit that Shabbos even after it has gone out. The leftover oil in a candle that was lit on that Shabbos is forbidden to move or use that Shabbos as well.
2. 2The candle, which was mentioned as being forbidden to move, is forbidden even when it is needed or its place, and although there is an authority that permitted it, his opinion is not accepted. Rema: Some say that one who is finicky and the lamp disgusts him is permitted to remove it, for it is in his eyes as a night pan. One who is stringent does not lose out. (Mordechai, beginning of Beitzah) .
3. 3It is still forbidden to carry a candle by placing some bread that is permitted to be moved on the lamp while it is still day [on Friday]. There are those who permit to carry it on Shabbat via carrying bread and one should not rely on this.
4. 4If while it was still day [on Friday], the person stipulated that he may move this lamp on Shabbos after it burns out, he is permitted to move it after it burns out. Rema: There are those who say that this stipulation is of no avail, and this is our custom in these countries. The law of the stipulation is found below Siman 638. (Hagahos Ashiri; the R"iy; Kol Bo). It is customary to have a lamp carried by non-Jews and there is no issur of telling a non-Jew (to do something forbidden on the Shabbat), and the custom is such that it is as if he stipulated such from the beginning, and this is permissible as explained above.
5. 5A lamp that was lit on Shabbat for a woman in childbirth or a person who is dangerously ill, and the woman gave birth and the person got better, it is permitted to carry it if it is extinguished. This is the law as well for one who lights on Shabbat accidentally and it is extinguished - it is permitted to carry it.
6. 6A lamp that was not kindled on a given Shabbos – even if it is made of earthenware and thus became repulsive after it had been kindled once and even if it was kindled with kerosene, in which instance it is foul-smelling – is permitted to be moved on Shabbos for a permitted purpose or for the sake of its place. It is not considered as muktzeh because it is repulsive.
7. 7A lamp – whether large or small – that is assembled from different component parts is forbidden to be moved. We are concerned that it might fall and break into its component parts, and that the person will reassemble it and tighten the parts together (causing him to be liable for performing the forbidden labor of building). Even if a lamp is not assembled from different component parts, but it has grooves around it and thus resembles one assembled from different component parts, it is forbidden to move it.

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