Shabbat candles

A pair of antique brass Shabbat candlesticks from Germany. The candles are used to welcome the holy day of Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest, which begins at sunset on Friday and ends after sunset on Saturday. Traditionally, the woman of the house lights the candles as she covers her eyes with her hands and recites a blessing. The candles symbolise the two commandments which are to remember and to observe the Shabbat, given to Moses, on Mount Sinai as described in the Torah (the Hebrew Bible).