Dear Thousand Points of Light:
My wife and I, and our fathers and mothers before us, and their fathers and mothers before them, as well as our children after us, have been devoted users of Rokeach products for at least 75 years. From borscht to kosher salt to soap, you people are the real mavens.
Last Friday evening, my wife (Carol) was lighting Shabbes Licht, using one of a 72-candle box of Rokeach Israel Candles. To her dismay, one of the candles would not light. I tried to help her by shaving off the top of the offending candle with a knife, and I discovered, to my shock and horror, that there was no wick at all throughout the length of the candle. I thought that since Carol had lit only one candle, it was not yet officially Shabbes, and that it was therefore permissible for me to cut into the second candle. On the other hand, I could have been wrong, and in cutting into the candle, I had committed a sin. We really weren’t sure whether it was Shabbes or not. This cast a pall upon the fine chicken dinner that Carol makes each Shabbes (sometimes she makes Moroccan chicken with prunes and olives—you could die from it).
It started me thinking, as I read the Rokeach candle box, and a few questions occured to me:
1. How can candles be kosher or not kosher if they are only made out of wax?
2. For that matter, how can salt be kosher if it is made only out of salt?
3. And what about soap, which, after all is only made out of soap?
4. What does the I. in I. Rokeach stand for?
5. How many sons are in the business? What about the daughters? Are they all home lighting Shabbes Licht and making Chicken Morrocan like my Carol?
Finally, I have a suggestion for you. Most of the people who read your name on the label will pronounce it “Row-keech,” and this leads to much confusion at the supermarket. Have you considered changing the spelling of your name to Rowkayach, or perhaps just sounding it out on the label as “Row-kay-ach.” Please feel free to use this suggestion with my compliments. I want no royalties. It is enough for me to know that a fine Jewish man and his sons are involved together in making fine Jewish products (even though an occasional wickless candle sometimes sneaks through).
Would you please send me a picture of I. Rokeach and an XL T-shirt?
Light my candle,
Michael A. Ingall