Lighting Shabbos Candles, part 2 vol.2 no.17
The appropriate time to light the Shabbos candles is towards the evening, approximately within the last tenth of the daylight hours. If one lit candles earlier than this time, one must extinguish the candles and rekindle them in their proper time. It is preferable to light the candles reasonably close to the evening within twenty minutes of sunset but no later than minutes before sunset.
If one erroneously failed to light the Shabbos candles before sunset, it is permissable to ask a non-Jew to light them for Shabbos. This leniency is limited to acts of mitzva such as the above and is restricted to the early part of the evening when a definite status of night cannot yet be discerned. Although the involvment of a non-Jew on Shabbos is generally prohibited, special leniencies were extended for the sake of a Mitzva such as this and specifically during this twilight period.
The bracha recited when lighting the Shabbos candles is "asher kidshonu b'mitzvosav v'tzivanu l'hadlik ner shel Shabbos." (He who has sanctified us with His mitzvos and commanded us to light the Shabbos candles.) Being that the bracha makes special reference to Shabbos, it is the custom of women to usher in the Shabbos at this time of lighting. This acceptance creates an authentic status of Shabbos for them and prohibits them with all the restrictions of Shabbos. However, this status of Shabbos is limited to these women and does not extend to their family members. Therefore all Shabbos preparations remain permissible for all other members until minutes before sunset.
In case of dire necessity a woman may light the Shabbos candles with the specific intention of delaying her acceptance of the Shabbos until minutes before sunset. Under all circumstances everyone is obligated to accept the Shabbos upon themselves sometime before sunset and abstain from any activity which is prohibited on the Shabbos. According to most opinions, this obligation of the early acceptance of Shabbos is actually a Torah mandate.
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