Q: Over the past year we have had a series of three kitchen fires. The first time was when my wife put a potholder accidentally over a yahrtzeit candle, the second time was at Pesach when the inside of the oven caught fire, and the third time was this Erev Shabbat when the inside of the oven caught fire again. I do not know if we should be looking for a message from God in these events or what that message would be.
A: The three basic mitzvot for the woman are: Shabbat candles which correspond to chesed (loving-kindness), kosher kitchen, which corresponds to gevurah (might) and family purity, which corresponds to tiferet (beauty). Fire is from gevurah, so it would be advisable to be even more meticulous with kashrut in your home. The rectification for this is Shabbat candles, which should be lit in an atmosphere of great love between the two of you, and toward your entire family.
Photo by Олег Жилко on Unsplash
