I live in Melbourne Australia. I am 64. No-one here has ever heard of this thing which my mother and maternal grandmother did. My maternal grandmother told me that her mother-in-law told her to do it. My mother and grandmother were German, but the mother-in-law (ie my great grandmother) was a Caro maybe sfardi originally. They lit candles for seder on a 5 candle candelabra. 4 surrounding one in the centre. They were accustomed to place 5 candles into the candelabra, light 4 of them at official candle-lighting time, but leave one candle (not the one in the centre) unlit. Just before the youngest says mah nishtana the matriarch lights the one unlit candle off of one of the the lit candles without a bracha. When it was shabbat, of course, all candles were lit in advance, and the ceremony was not performed.

Shalom, I had not heard of it, but I did a bit of research. There is several references to a similar minhag, in Chassidish sources. They call it "Mah Nishtanah Licht". http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=30483&st=&pgnum=127 It is based on some pieces in Zohar, Avudraham, and Maharil. That's all I know, Jonathan On Sat, May 7, 2016 at 2:06 PM, <[email protected]> wrote: > Dear Rabbi Jonathan Ziring, > > A question has been posted for you on YUTorah by Ralph Zwier. > > Ralph Zwier asked this question treated as [public] message. > Please click here to reply publicly > <[email protected]?subject=YUTORAH%20%2D%20Have%20you%20heard%20of%20this%20custom%3F%20%7C%7Cbd1663fc-ce55-498e-a5e0-f1e9b130f020> > (your response will be visible on the website, and your email address will > remain invisible) or click here to reply privately > <[email protected]?subject=YUTORAH%20%2D%20Have%20you%20heard%20of%20this%20custom%3F%20> > (your message will be sent directly to the questioner, and your email > address will be visible to that person only). > > Shiur Title: The Customs of the Seder (3) > <http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/855635/rabbi-jonathan-ziring/the-customs-of-the-seder-3-/> > Subject: Have you heard of this custom? > Question: I live in Melbourne Australia. I am 64. No-one here has ever > heard of this thing which my mother and maternal grandmother did. My > maternal grandmother told me that her mother-in-law told her to do it. My > mother and grandmother were German, but the mother-in-law (ie my great > grandmother) was a Caro maybe sfardi originally. They lit candles for seder > on a 5 candle candelabra. 4 surrounding one in the centre. They were > accustomed to place 5 candles into the candelabra, light 4 of them at > official candle-lighting time, but leave one candle (not the one in the > centre) unlit. Just before the youngest says mah nishtana the matriarch > lights the one unlit candle off of one of the the lit candles without a > bracha. When it was shabbat, of course, all candles were lit in advance, > and the ceremony was not performed. > -- Jonathan Ziring Sgan Rosh Kollel YU Torah miTzion Beit Midrash Zichron Dov (www.torontotorah.com) Rabbinic Assistant Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto Congregation ("The BAYT") <http://www.torontotorah.com/flyers/mailflyer.jpg>

Shalom, I had not heard of it, but I did a bit of research. There is several references to a similar minhag, in Chassidish sources. They call it "Mah Nishtanah Licht". http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=30483&st=&pgnum=127 It is based on some pieces in Zohar, Avudraham, and Maharil. That's all I know, Jonathan On Sat, May 7, 2016 at 2:06 PM, <[email protected]> wrote: > Dear Rabbi Jonathan Ziring, > > A question has been posted for you on YUTorah by Ralph Zwier. > > Ralph Zwier asked this question treated as [public] message. > Please click here to reply publicly > <[email protected]?subject=YUTORAH%20%2D%20Have%20you%20heard%20of%20this%20custom%3F%20%7C%7Cbd1663fc-ce55-498e-a5e0-f1e9b130f020> > (your response will be visible on the website, and your email address will > remain invisible) or click here to reply privately > <[email protected]?subject=YUTORAH%20%2D%20Have%20you%20heard%20of%20this%20custom%3F%20> > (your message will be sent directly to the questioner, and your email > address will be visible to that person only). > > Shiur Title: The Customs of the Seder (3) > <http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/855635/rabbi-jonathan-ziring/the-customs-of-the-seder-3-/> > Subject: Have you heard of this custom? > Question: I live in Melbourne Australia. I am 64. No-one here has ever > heard of this thing which my mother and maternal grandmother did. My > maternal grandmother told me that her mother-in-law told her to do it. My > mother and grandmother were German, but the mother-in-law (ie my great > grandmother) was a Caro maybe sfardi originally. They lit candles for seder > on a 5 candle candelabra. 4 surrounding one in the centre. They were > accustomed to place 5 candles into the candelabra, light 4 of them at > official candle-lighting time, but leave one candle (not the one in the > centre) unlit. Just before the youngest says mah nishtana the matriarch > lights the one unlit candle off of one of the the lit candles without a > bracha. When it was shabbat, of course, all candles were lit in advance, > and the ceremony was not performed. > -- Jonathan Ziring Sgan Rosh Kollel YU Torah miTzion Beit Midrash Zichron Dov (www.torontotorah.com) Rabbinic Assistant Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto Congregation ("The BAYT") <http://www.torontotorah.com/flyers/mailflyer.jpg>