[Avodah] LED "tealights" for Shabbos candles

[T613K at aol.com]

My husband has a Judaica store in Hollywood (FL not CA) and his suppliers  
send him catalogues of items to order.  In the latest catalogue, one  
supplier is offering an item that looks like a pair of tealights, but instead of  
being candles or even an electric light bulb, these are battery-powered LED  
lights for Shabbos licht.  They have the advantage of giving off no  heat.  
The idea is that they could be used by a patient in a hospital or  anywhere 
that open flames would not be feasible.  
 
My husband wants to know whether you really could use these LED lights as  
Shabbos candles, and could you make a bracha "lehadlik ner shel Shabbos" 
over  them?  An LED light is not a ner -- or is it?  
 
Maybe the same objection can be made to electric lights that have  been 
used in lieu of candles.  Our local Bikur Cholim  lends hospital patients brass 
Shabbos candlesticks with fake electric  "flames."
 
So, is an electric lightbulb a "ner"?  Is an LED light a "ner"?   Can  you 
use them for Shabbos candles, and can you make a bracha over  them?
 

--Toby Katz
=============
Romney -- good  values, good family, good  hair


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