The act of lighting Shabbat candles before sunset marks the actual beginning of the Sabbath. A famous Jewish legend tells us that Adam opened his eyes on the eve of Shabbat and found himself in the dark shadows of the Garden of Eden. He was very afraid when suddenly he stumbled upon two stones. He picked them up and struck them, starting a fire. Feeling the warmth as a gift from God, it was then that Adam spoke the very first blessing ever heard on earth: "Praised are You, God, Sovereign of the Universe, who creates the light of the fire."

Although it is customary for women to light the Shabbat candles, Jewish tradition permits (and we encourage) men to also perform the ritual. It is customary for parents to bless their children before sitting down to the Sabbath meal. This provides them with a wonderful opportunity to express appreciation for their children. Through the touch of a parent's hands or the sound of a parent's voice, children can feel and respond to the love their family has for them. Let your children bless you as well — and one another.


Because happiness and joy are synonymous with Shabbat, it has become customary to begin the meal by reciting the blessing over a cup of wine, called the Kiddush. The Kiddush says thank you to God for creating the world and giving us Shabbat. Washing of the hands (netillat yadayim in Hebrew) with a blessing follows the Kiddush. It is the Jewish way of sanctifying the act of eating. This is followed by the blessing over bread, called Hamotzi. The bread eaten on Shabbat (and festivals too) is usually a braided loaf called challah (right). It is tradition to place two challot on the table, recalling the double portion of manna God provided for the Israelites in the desert on the eve of the Sabbath.

Following all the blessings is the Shabbat meal, which provides the family with an opportunity to enjoy one another's company while eating at a more leisurely pace. The festive food and singing of z'mirot (Sabbath songs) between courses adds to the delight of the meal.

Reciting the blessing after the meal ("Birkat Hamazon") serves as our expression of appreciation for God's generosity in satisfying us with such a festive meal.

The sequence of rituals performed at the midday Shabbat meal, eaten after the family returns home from synagogue services, follows that of the Friday evening celebration, with some variations.

Shabbat afternoon is a time for a variety of experiences that change the constant pace of daily life. Some people take a nap to refresh their energies. Others use the time for reading or study, alone or with friends. A traditional text for study on Shabbat afternoon is Pirkei Avot, known in English as the Ethics of the Fathers. For children, special Shabbat games and stories can fill the leisurely afternoon with many pleasurable activities.

The last Shabbat meal on Saturday is called the se'udah sh'lishit ("third meal"). It is usually a simple dairy meal. For even this simplest meal, it is still customary to perform the blessings over the hands and bread, sing Shabbat songs, and chant the blessing after the meal.

The ritual conclusion of Shabbat is deferred until about an hour after sunset. When three stars are visible in the sky, it is time for the Havdalah ("separation") service. As a home ceremony, Havdalah is especially appealing because it makes use of all of our senses. The Havdalah ceremony uses a wine cup and a plate, a spice box containing aromatic spices (cloves or cinnamon), and a special braided candle (left) that has more than one wick. The blessing over the wine sanctifies our re-entry into the secular world. The blessing over the spices symbolically ensures that the memory of Shabbat will be sweet and lingering. And the blessing over the braided candle reminds us of God's first creation of light.

When the Havdalah ceremony concludes, everyone present wishes one another a shavua tov ("good week").






Excerpt from Sacred Celebrations: A Jewish Holiday Handbook
By Ronald H. Isaacs and Kerry M. Olitzky
Ktav Publishing House
Hoboken, New Jersey, 1994.
Pages 25-27