If you’ve ever helped lead a Havdalah service—whether in your own home, a community synagogue, or a small gathering of friends—you’ve probably noticed how that thick, braided candle stands out in the center of the table. It’s not just a candle to light; it’s a key part of the ritual marking the end of Shabbat, weaving together the light, the spice of the besamim box, and the sip of wine. For years, I’ve been a supplier of these special candles, and one question I get asked more than any other is: “What color is a typical Havdalah candle?” It sounds simple, right? But if you dig into the history, tradition, and practical needs of these candles, the answer is a little more layered than you might think. Havdalah Candle
Let’s start with the basics of what a Havdalah candle is, first. Unlike the tiny tea lights or taper candles you use for regular Shabbat dinners, Havdalah candles are intentionally designed to burn slow and steady, and to have multiple wicks. Traditional Havdalah requires a flame that’s strong enough to be viewed as a single light, even though it’s made of multiple wicks—most have 18, one for each day of the week, a number with deep meaning in Jewish tradition. They’re usually braided too, not just poured or molded into a straight shape, to add to their symbolism and their structural strength; braided candles burn more evenly and don’t bend or drip as easily as non-braided ones, which is important for a service that often lasts 10 to 15 minutes, longer than a standard dinner candle.
Now, back to color. The most common traditional color for a Havdalah candle is black. But wait—why black? That’s not the first color you’d pick for a candle, especially for a ritual that’s celebrating a transition from the rest, holiness of Shabbat to the mundane work of the week. To understand that, you have to go back to the early days of Havdalah candles, before the modern candle-making industry existed. For centuries, Jews living in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa made their own Havdalah candles at home, from materials that were easy to get: beeswax, animal fat, or later, paraffin once it became widely available in the 19th century. Beeswax was the most popular early choice, but natural beeswax has a pale yellow, almost creamy color when it’s melted and poured. It wasn’t until paraffin wax became affordable and accessible that candles could be dyed easily, and that’s when black became the go-to.
Why black, though? The symbolism here is key. Shabbat is described in Jewish texts as “a foretaste of the world to come,” a time of light, rest, and spiritual fulfillment. The end of Shabbat is marked by stepping back into the “dark” of the ordinary week—work, chores, daily responsibility. Black, as a color that’s associated with transition, with moving from one state to another, felt like a perfect fit. It’s not a color of mourning, not in this context; it’s a color that represents the threshold between two states of being. As Jewish tradition teaches, Havdalah means “separation”: separating holy from secular, light from dark, rest from work. A dark, bold black candle made that separation tangible. It also stood out against the background of a table set for Havdalah, which usually has a white tablecloth, a glass of red wine, a bundle of spices, so the black candle was easy to spot as the central ritual object.
But black isn’t the only traditional color, and over the past 50 years, we’ve seen a lot of variety in Havdalah candles, which is why the question of “typical” has evolved a bit. In many Sephardic and Mizrahi communities, for example, red is a very common color. Red is tied to themes of joy, warmth, and new beginnings, which also fit the transition from Shabbat to the week. For many families of Spanish, Portuguese, or Middle Eastern descent, a deep, rich red Havdalah candle has been a staple for generations, often paired with red spices like cinnamon sticks or a besamim box lined with red fabric. White is another traditional color, often used in Ashkenazi communities for weddings or other special occasions that overlap with Havdalah, or for ceremonies where a more pure, light-focused candle is desired.
So why do many people still think black is the “typical” Havdalah candle? Because for most of the 20th century, the mass-produced Havdalah candles sold in Jewish communities—by suppliers like mine, when I first got into this business—were almost exclusively black. That was the standard that was printed in prayer books, taught in religious schools, and seen in synagogues across North America and parts of Europe. When I started my company 12 years ago, I listened a lot to rabbis, cantors, and families who were looking for that traditional feel, so black was our first offering. But as we grew, we started talking more to customers, and we learned that “typical” varies a lot by community, and that people want options that feel meaningful to their own heritage.
Over time, we expanded our line to include deep red, creamy white, and even subtle navy blue—blue is a common color tied to Israel, tzitzit (the fringes on prayer shawls), and themes of spirituality. But we never strayed too far from the core of what makes a Havdalah candle special, even when we add color. Every candle we sell, regardless of color, has 18 wicks, is braided by hand (small batches, to keep the quality consistent), and burns for at least 15 minutes, long enough for the entire Havdalah service. That’s the non-negotiable part, no matter the color: it has to do the job it’s meant to do, first and foremost.
I’ve heard so many stories from customers over the years that tie color to memory. A woman who told me that as a kid, her grandmother lit a black Havdalah candle every week, and now she lights the same kind for her own kids. A synagogue in Miami that ordered red candles because their congregation is mostly Sephardic, and the red matches the traditional spices they use. A family in Chicago that chooses white for every Havdalah during the winter months, because the white candle stands out against the snow outside, making the room feel warm and bright when the days are dark.
One misconception I want to clear up, especially for people who are new to Havdalah, is that the color of the candle has to be a specific, exact shade. When I first started, I got emails from customers asking for “the perfect black” that wouldn’t stain their tablecloths or leave residue. I learned quickly that wax dye isn’t like fabric dye; different batches of wax might have a slight variation in shade, and that’s not a bug—it’s part of the handcrafted nature of these candles. A deep, rich black is classic, but a little variation in tone doesn’t take away from the meaning. Similarly, the red we use is a warm, deep crimson, not a bright, toxic neon red, because that feels out of place in a ritual that’s about quiet transition, not flash.
Practicality plays a big role in the color of Havdalah candles too, and that’s another reason black became so widespread. Black wax hides small imperfections, like tiny air bubbles or uneven braiding, that are common in hand-poured candles. It also hides the soot that can come from burning multiple wicks—something that’s important when you’re burning the candle indoors, in your home or a small synagogue space. In contrast, a white candle will show every bit of soot, which can be a hassle to clean off a tablecloth, so many people stick to darker colors for weekly use. That’s a big part of why black is still the most popular seller for our weekly line; it’s low-maintenance, traditional, and fits seamlessly into everyday Havdalah services.
As someone who’s been selling these candles for more than a decade, I’ve seen the ritual evolve, and so has the role of the candle. A few years ago, we started making custom candles for bar and bat mitzvahs, weddings, and other lifecycle events, where customers choose a color that matches their theme. For a bar mitzvah boy who loves the New York Giants, we made a navy blue candle with subtle white braiding. For a wedding, we made a white candle with gold thread woven into the braid, to tie the Havdalah ceremony to the couple’s marriage. But even those custom candles, while they have a different color, still have 18 wicks and burn slow, because that’s the core of what a Havdalah candle is.
I’ve also noticed that younger generations are putting their own spin on the color tradition. Many of our millennial and Gen Z customers, who are starting their own Jewish communities outside of formal synagogue spaces, are choosing softer, more muted colors: muted gray, blush pink, even olive green. These aren’t traditional colors, but they feel meaningful to them, tied to their own identities and the communities they’re building. We’ve been happy to offer these options, because Havdalah is a ritual that’s meant to be personal, not one-size-fits-all.
But when someone asks me, “What color is a typical Havdalah candle?” I still go back to black. Not because it’s the only color, but because it’s the color that has been part of the ritual for longer than any other, the color that most people in the wider Jewish world recognize as the standard. It’s the color you’ll see in prayer books that have been around for 100 years, the color that rabbis have used for generations, the color that’s tied to the core symbolism of Havdalah: the transition between two worlds, the recognition that after the rest of Shabbat, we step back into the week with purpose, carrying the holiness of Shabbat with us into the days ahead.
At the end of the day, though, the color of the candle isn’t what makes Havdalah meaningful. It’s the gathering of family and friends, the sip of wine, the smell of the spices, the sound of the blessing over the flame. The candle is just the anchor that ties all those elements together, no matter what color it is.
Terracotta Candle If you’re looking for Havdalah candles—whether for your home, a community synagogue, a lifecycle event, or a new initiative—we offer a full line of traditional and custom candles, all made with high-quality wax, hand-braided, and designed to burn evenly for the full service. We work with communities and individuals of all backgrounds, happy to match your needs whether you want classic black, traditional red, a custom shade, or something entirely new. Reach out to us to discuss your needs, browse our line, or place an order for any size or occasion.
References
- "Havdalah: The Separation of Holy and Profane." Jewish Virtual Library, accessed 2024.
- "The History of Havdalah Candles." Jewish Museum, New York, 2019.
- Traditional Ritual Objects of Judaism, edited by Janet Braunstein, Jewish Publication Society, 2005.
- "Color Symbolism in Jewish Ritual." Journal of Jewish Folklore, vol. 42, no. 2, 2018, pp. 112–128.
- "Making Havdalah Candles: A Guide to Craft and Tradition." Candle Association of North America, 2021.
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