הַדְלָ [קַ] ת נֵר בְּשַׁבָּת אֵינָהּ רְשׁוּת אִם רָצָה מַדְלִיק וְאִם רָצָה אֵינוֹ מַדְלִיק. וְלֹא מִצְוָה שֶׁאֵינוֹ חַיָּב לִרְדֹּף אַחֲרֶיהָ עַד שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂנָה כְּגוֹן עֵרוּבֵי חֲצֵרוֹת אוֹ נְטִילַת יָדַיִם לַאֲכִילָה אֶלָּא זֶה חוֹבָה. וְאֶחָד אֲנָשִׁים וְאֶחָד נָשִׁים חַיָּבִין לִהְיוֹת בְּבָתֵּיהֶן נֵר דָּלוּק בְּשַׁבָּת. אֲפִלּוּ אֵין לוֹ מַה יֹּאכַל שׁוֹאֵל עַל הַפְּתָחִים וְלוֹקֵחַ שֶׁמֶן וּמַדְלִיק אֶת הַנֵּר שֶׁזֶּה בִּכְלַל עֹנֶג שַׁבָּת. וְחַיָּב לְבָרֵךְ קֹדֶם הַדְלָקָה בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל שַׁבָּת. כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁמְּבָרֵךְ עַל כָּל הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁהוּא חַיָּב בָּהֶם מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים:
The kindling of a lamp on Shabbat is not optional that if one wants, one kindles and if one does not want, one does not kindle. And it is not a commandment that we are not obligated to pursue until one has done it, for example an eruv for courtyards or lifting (i.e. washing) the hands before eating; rather, it is an obligation. And both men and women are equally obligated that a lamp be kindled in their houses on Shabbat. Even if one does not have anything he will [be able to] eat, he begs at the doors [of neighbors] and takes oil and kindles the lamp since this is [included] in the rule of enjoyment on Shabbat. And one is obligated to bless before the kindling: "Blessed are You LORD our G-d, King of the universe who makes us holy with His commandments and commands us to kindle a Shabbat lamp" in the way that one blesses over all things which one is obligated [to do] by the words of the Sages.
