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<DIV>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. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>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? </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>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."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>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?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial FAMILY="SANSSERIF"
PTSIZE="10"><BR><STRONG>--Toby Katz<BR>=============</STRONG><BR>Romney -- good
values, good family, good
hair<BR><BR><BR>-------------------------------------------------------------------</FONT></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>