Why a Level 4 dedicated to the Alter Rebbe? The Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe is not a commentary on the Mechaber — it is an autonomous and complete Shulchan Aruch, written by the Alter Rebbe. Its singularity: it combines halachah + ta'amei ha'mitzvos + inner dimension within a single work, and pasken with a unique Talmudic rigor.
For Chabad, the Alter Rebbe is הפוסק האחרון. This page gathers, for siman ר"ע, the full text of the Rav, his originality, and the divrei haRebbe that illuminate the subject.
שלחן ערוך הרב — סימן ר"ע
The full text of the Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe (שולחן ערוך הרב)
סימן ר"ע — לוֹמַר מִשְׁנַת בַּמֶּה מַדְלִיקִין — וּבוֹ ב סְעִיפִים
Source: Kehot edition, as reproduced on Sefaria. 2 se'ifim + 0 entries of Kuntress Acharon (קונטרס אחרון).
סעיף א לוֹמַר מִשְׁנַת בַּמֶּה מַדְלִיקִין וּבוֹ ב' סְעִיפִים: נוֹהֲגִים לוֹמַר פֶּרֶק "בַּמֶּה מַדְלִיקִין", לְפִי…
לוֹמַר מִשְׁנַת בַּמֶּה מַדְלִיקִין וּבוֹ ב' סְעִיפִים:
נוֹהֲגִים לוֹמַר פֶּרֶק "בַּמֶּה מַדְלִיקִין", לְפִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ דִּין הַדְלָקָה וְהַג' דְּבָרִים שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לוֹמַר עִם חֲשֵׁכָה.
וְהַסְּפָרַדִּים אוֹמְרִים אוֹתוֹ קֹדֶם תְּפִלַּת עַרְבִית, כְּדֵי שֶׁעַל יְדֵי קְרִיאַת פֶּרֶק זֶה יִזְכּוֹר הַג' דְּבָרִים שֶׁצָּרִיךְ אָדָם לוֹמַר וְיַזְהִיר עֲלֵיהֶם, וְגַם כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּדְעוּ "בַּמֶּה מַדְלִיקִין וּבַמֶּה אֵין מַדְלִיקִין", וְיִזָּהֲרוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן, אֲבָל אַחַר תְּפִלַּת עַרְבִית — מַה תּוֹעֶלֶת שֶׁיִּזְכּוֹר? הֲלֹא אֵין בְּיָדוֹ לְתַקֵּן מֵעַתָּה.
אֲבָל בִּמְדִינוֹת אֵלּוּ אֵין חוֹשְׁשִׁים לָזֶה, אֶלָּא אוֹמְרִים אוֹתוֹ אַחַר הַתְּפִלָּה, כְּדֵי שֶׁמִּי שֶׁאֵחַר לָבֹא לְבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת יְסַיֵּם תְּפִלָּתוֹ בְּעוֹד שֶׁהַצִּבּוּר אוֹמְרִים אוֹתוֹ.
וְלָכֵן אֵין נוֹהֲגִין לְאָמְרוֹ בְּשַׁבָּת שֶׁל חֹל הַמּוֹעֵד, שֶׁאָז אֵין מִתְאַחֲרִין כָּל כָּךְ, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין עוֹשִׂים מְלָאכָה כָּל כָּךְ. וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן בְּיוֹם טוֹב שֶׁחָל לִהְיוֹת בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת. וְכֵן בְּיוֹם טוֹב שֶׁחָל בְּשַׁבָּת אֵין נוֹהֲגִין לְאָמְרוֹ, כְּדֵי לְמַהֵר בְּשִׂמְחַת יוֹם טוֹב:
To recite the Mishnah of « Bameh Madlikin » — and it contains 2 seifim:
The custom is to recite the chapter « Bameh Madlikin », because it contains the law of kindling [the Shabbos lights] and the three things one must say close to nightfall (im chasheichah).
The Sefardim recite it before Maariv, so that through reading this chapter [each one] will remember the three things one must say and be careful to fulfill them, and also so that they know « Bameh madlikin u-vameh ein madlikin » (with what one kindles and with what one does not), and take care to act accordingly. But after Maariv — what benefit is there in remembering? It is no longer in his power to rectify anything henceforth.
But in these countries this concern is not heeded, and it is said after the tefilah, so that one who was delayed in arriving at shul may complete his prayer while the congregation is saying it.
Therefore one does not have the custom to say it on a Shabbos of chol ha-mo'ed, since then one does not tarry as much, because one does not do as much melachah. And all the more so on a Yom Tov falling on erev Shabbos. Likewise, when Yom Tov falls on Shabbos, one does not say it, in order to hasten the simchas Yom Tov:
סעיף ב בִּמְקוֹמוֹת שֶׁמְּקַדְּשִׁים בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת יֵשׁ לְקַדֵּשׁ קֹדֶם אֲמִירַת "בַּמֶּה מַדְלִיקִין", לְפִי…
בִּמְקוֹמוֹת שֶׁמְּקַדְּשִׁים בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת יֵשׁ לְקַדֵּשׁ קֹדֶם אֲמִירַת "בַּמֶּה מַדְלִיקִין", לְפִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְהַקְדִּים קְדֻשַּׁת הַיּוֹם בְּכָל מַה שֶּׁאֶפְשָׁר:
In places where Kiddush is made in shul, Kiddush should be made before the recitation of « Bameh Madlikin », since one should advance the kedushas ha-yom (sanctity of the day) as much as possible:
קונטרס אחרון — 0 entries (click to expand)
The Kuntress Acharon is the pilpulistic appendix of the Alter Rebbe — his halachic laboratory at the bottom of the page.
חידושים מיוחדים של הרב
The chiddushim unique to the Rav on this siman
Original points distinguishing the Alter Rebbe on siman ר"ע. Each chiddush follows the structure: classical position → chiddush of the Rav → practical consequence.
חידוש א — halachic review at the moment of transition (270:1-2)
Chiddush א — halachic review at the moment of transition (270:1-2)
Bameh Madlikin = review before the kodesh
Classical position: —
The chiddush of the Rav: the Alter Rebbe articulates: the recital of Bameh Madlikin is not for memory, it is halachic review at the moment of transition. One enters into Shabbos knowing the halachos.
Practical consequence: a tool for the chassid: to use this moment to revisit a halachah from the week.
סיכות, מאמרים ואגרות הרבי
The words of the Rebbe on the themes of siman ר"ע
| Reference | Subject | Connection with siman ר"ע |
|---|---|---|
| Likkutei Sichos — various sichos on the subject | Application of the Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe siman ר"ע | The Rebbe cites the Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe siman ר"ע and articulates the modern application. |
| Igros Kodesh — answers on practical cases | Practical cases related to the siman | Answers of the Rebbe to chassidim on practical questions arising from this siman. |
⚠ Verification: the references above are research clues to be validated against the physical volumes of the Kehot edition. The most direct source for the pesakim of the Rebbe by siman remains שערי הלכה ומנהג.
הלכה למעשה — מנהג חב״ד
Chabad conduct in practice
Points of halachic conduct flowing directly from the Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe siman ר"ע, in the Chabad sensibility.
For the Chabad chassid — Siman ר"ע
- ① Recite Bameh Madlikin between Mincha and Maariv on Friday night. Minhag with a special niggun. Reference: Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe ר"ע:1-2.
⚠ This section presents the Chabad halachic conduct. For any concrete question: consult your Rav.