Women of the Holy Nation were given the mitzvah of lighting Shabbat candles.
The Sages also explained the reason: Chavah extinguished the Candle of the World and brought death into the world through the sin of eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. She gave Adam a taste of it, thereby bringing darkness into the world. The mitzvah of candle-lighting was given to women in order to rectify Chavah’s transgression.
The secret of the possibility of rectification lies in the fact that on Shabbat, Sukkat Shabbat—the sefirah of Binah —the Mother of the World, the source of all souls, shines. A special Light emanates from it on Shabbat. From there we also receive an additional soul on Shabbat—Neshamah Yeterah. By lighting the candles, a woman performs the act of "itaruta de-l'tata"—an awakening from below—in order to bring about an awakening above. A woman lights the candles because she symbolizes Binah—the mother—in this world. By lighting the candles, she prompts the supernal Mother above—Binah—to grant additional souls—the holy souls—to her sons, thereby kindling the exalted spiritual Candles.
Therefore, a woman should light the candles with special kavanah (intention), with joy in her heart, realizing that this is an honor and a great merit for her. For this, the Almighty will send her sons, so that they will become Candles for the world. And her husband’s years of life will be extended. Therefore, a woman must be careful when performing this mitzvah—to light the candles with awe and concentration.
(Zohar on Toldot, Sulam, translated by Tzvi Nisanzen)
