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When most people think of holidays, they think of annual celebrations, but in the Bible and in Biblical Judaism there is one holiday that occurs every week-the Sabbath. Known in Hebrew as Shabbat and in Yiddish as Shabbos, this holiday is central to Jewish life. As the great Jewish writer Ahad Ha-Am has observed: "More than the Jewish people has kept the Sabbath, the Sabbath has kept the Jewish people." The Sabbath truly has been a unifying force for Jews the world over. But as we saw in prior studies the recognition of this "7th day" can be found among the non-Jews long before Jews as well so we must investigate this closer.
Shabbat is observed on the seventh day of the week in fulfillment of the biblical commandment: "Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the Lord your God." (Exodus 20:9-10) In accordance with the Jewish calendar, the Sabbath begins on Friday evening at sunset and ends on Saturday night with the appearance of three stars. All Jewish days begin at sunset. This reckoning is based on the wording of the Creation story in Genesis 1. At the end of the description of each day, we find the phrase: "And there was evening, and there was morning. . . ." Since evening is mentioned first, the ancient rabbis deduced that evening is first.
While Shabbat occurs on Friday evening and Saturday, it is more than simply another day in the week. It is a special day, and we are commanded to invest it with specialness. Friday and Saturday come automatically, but Shabbat takes place only when we make it happen. We must make the decision to establish Shabbat in our own lives if we want to have it and observe it in our lives. In order to allow Shabbat to enter our lives, it is necessary to prepare ourselves and our environment. We prepare for Shabbat by the clothes we wear, by the meals we eat, by the lighting of Sabbath candles which sanctifies the time we recognize and set apart and make "holy", and by chanting the Kiddush over wine to set apart this special time. The Sabbath "begins" with the most common custom which is to light two candles for the two important Biblical references to Shabbat: "Remember the Sabbath" (Exodus 20:8) and "Observe the Sabbath" (Deuteronomy 5:12). However, many people light an additional candle for each child in the family, and others light seven candles for each day of the week or for the Temple's seven-branched menorah. This is really up to you. After lighting the candles, the woman covers her eyes with her hands and recites the following blessing: "Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who has made us holy through His commandments and commanded us to kindle the Sabbath light". After the blessing, some women add a silent prayer for the family. Only after the blessing is recited, the woman uncovers her eyes and looks at the light. By covering her eyes, the woman can focus more fully on the blessing and can postpone the enjoyment of the fruits of the blessing (seeing the light) until after the blessing is recited.
The "Kiddush" Prayer is recited at the beginning of a festive meal on the Shabbat or the Holidays. The prayer describes the specific symbolism of the holiday - e.g. Pesach is the "Time of our Freedom," Shavuot is the "Time of the Giving of the Torah," Shabbat is the "Day which was first to be called 'Holy,' commemorating both the Creation of the Universe and the Exodus from Egypt. The Kiddush contains, as well, information as to who is responsible for the conferring of the quality of "holiness" upon the day. In the case of Shabbat, on one hand, it was God Himself, Who made the Day holy, whereas it is the Jewish People that has been charged with the responsibility by the Torah and by its Author, to confer the holiness upon them, by means of establishing the calendar.
Shabbat is such a special time that it has been likened to the Messianic Age. A well-known midrash expresses this thought:
When God was about to give the Torah to the Jewish people, God summoned the people and said to them: "My children, I have something precious that I would like to give you for all time, if you will accept My Torah and observe My commandments." The people then asked: "Ruler of the universe, what is that precious gift You have for us?" The Holy One, blessed be God, replied: "It is the world-to-come (the Messianic Age)!" The people of Israel answered: "Show us a sample of the world-to-come." The Holy One, blessed be God, said: "The Shabbat is a sample of the world-to-come, for that world will be one long Shabbat."
The Sabbath is an appropriate time to talk about the Jewish view of the Messiah. The word "messiah" is derived from the Hebrew word mashiach, which literally means "anointed one." In the days of the Bible, anointing a person with oil was a way of declaring him king. Thus, messiah means king-a flesh-and-blood king, NOT a divine being.
Messianic expectations developed over time. In the fully developed form of this idea, the Messiah would
Throughout Jewish history, there were a number of individuals who claimed to be the Messiah. While each of these people gained some following at first, none of them-including Jesus fulfilled the messianic expectations. Thus, in Judaism, no one has be accepted as the Messiah (not yet that is).
The early Church realized that Jesus did not do all that was expected of the Messiah. It insisted that he would return to earth someday to complete the task. This doctrine is known as the "Second Coming of Christ." Judaism, to whom the Messiah was promised and to whom the Prophets wrote promising the future redeemer, has maintained that, as long as the "true" messianic expectations as written in the Hebrew Scriptures and not those forged in the Christian Old and New Testaments remain unfulfilled, the Messianic Age is still a hope for the future.
Incidentally, knowledgeable Jews don't refer to Jesus as "Christ" since "Christ" is a title meaning "anointed one," and Jews do not believe that Jesus was the Anointed One. Though Jesus has no role whatsoever in Judaism, most Jews would say that he was a fine teacher whose teachings have had a considerable influence on the world. A good deal of what he taught was basic Judaism and a good deal portrayed about his life and teachings put into his mouth by the Gentile Church are reflective of Sun Worship and are idolatrous. It takes a comprehensive knowledge of Sun Worship and its variations as well as great deal of knowledge of Judaism to discern the difference when reading the New Testament texts. This takes time and hard study.
In rabbinic literature, there was some speculation about personal characteristics of the Messiah. However, great importance was placed on what would be the results of the coming of the Messiah-the Messianic Age. Reform and Conservative Jews generally emphasize the Messianic Age rather than a personal Messiah. The Messianic Age can be compared to a jigsaw puzzle. Each individual has a piece of the Messiah within. We have to put all our pieces together if we want to build a better world. In other words "the Christ" dwells within us all and when we surrender to the rule and reign of God within then through our influence and our efforts a better world has the hope to come.
Shabbat is a day of rest. However, it's not just a day to sleep late. The paradigm for Sabbath rest can be found in Genesis 2:1-3: "The heaven and the earth were finished, and all their array. On the seventh day God finished the work which He had been doing, and He ceased [rested] on the seventh day from all the work which He had done. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because on it God ceased [rested] from all the work of creation which He had done." Thus the pattern of work and rest is woven into the very fabric of the universe. Rest means more than physical cessation of work. It implies taking oneself out of the ordinary, out of the routine, out of the rat race. This kind of rest gives us the opportunity to re-create our spirit and restore our soul. Shabbat is a time that is set aside to take notice of the wonders around us.
This thought is echoed in a Sabbath eve reading in Gates of Prayer, the prayer book of the Reform movement:
There are days when we seek things for ourselves and measure failure by what we do not gain. On the Sabbath we seek not to acquire but to share. There are days when we exploit nature as if it were a horn of plenty that can never be exhausted. On the Sabbath we stand in wonder before the mystery of creation. There are days when we act as if we cared nothing for the rights of others. On the Sabbath we are reminded that justice is our duty and a better world our goal. (Gates of Prayer, pp. 177-178)
Not only is the Sabbath an integral part of the Creation story, it is the only holiday mentioned in the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments actually appear twice in the Bible. The Sabbath commandment is formulated somewhat differently in each instance.
Remember the sabbath day and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the Lord your God: you shall not do any work- you, your son or daughter, your male or female slave, or your cattle, or the stranger who is within your settlements. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth and sea, and all that is in them, and He rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it. (Exodus 20:8-11)
Observe the sabbath day and keep it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the Lord your God: you shall not do any work-you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your ox or your ass, or any of your cattle, or the stranger in your settlements, so that your male and female slave may rest as you do. Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt and the Lord your God freed you from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the sabbath day. (Deuteronomy 5:12-15)
These passages, while essentially the same, point out two different aspects of Shabbat. Exodus tells us to remember the Sabbath while Deuteronomy stresses the observance of the day. Furthermore, each passage gives a different rationale for Shabbat. Exodus reminds us that on Shabbat we rejoice in the creation of the physical universe. Deuteronomy points out that we must remember the Exodus from Egypt. In so doing, we are cognizant of the freedom we enjoy.
Shabbat is also seen as a sign of a covenant between God and the Jewish people.
Answer for yourself: You might be, as a non-Jew asking "What has that to do with me"?
Everything when you consider that the Hebrew Scriptures are full of examples of non-Jews observing and keeping the Sabbath. If you were diligent to study the other articles on this website regarding the Sabbath and its connection with non-Jews long before the Jewish nation existed then you saw that Divine Revelation was given to the non-Jew long before Moses and the Jewish Bible whereby in obedience the non-Jew observed and kept the Sabbath. This as well as Isa. 56 which invites all non-Jews to "choose those things that please God" are many of the examples whereby God's Sabbath was one of the things a Gentile can voluntarily observe and keep in his life as we see in the following verses:
Isa 56:1-6 1 Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. 2 Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. 3 Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. 4 For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs (non-Jews) that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; 5 Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. 6 Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; (KJV)
The Hebrew words of Exodus 31:16-17, sung at Shabbat services, emphasize the convenantal relationship: "The Israelite people shall keep the sabbath, observing the sabbath throughout the ages as a covenant for all time: it shall be a sign for all time between Me and the people of Israel. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He ceased from work and was refreshed."
Classic Jewish theology from the Bible onward has maintained that a special relationship exists between God and the Jewish people. This idea, referred to as the Chosen People concept, is one of the most misunderstood concepts within Judaism. Chosenness does not mean that Judaism teaches that Jews are better than everybody else in the world; it does not mean that Jews are elected for salvation. Judaism does not deny that God's love extends to all humanity. In fact, it affirms God's universal love in these words from the Midrash: "I call heaven and earth to witness: Gentile or Jew, man or woman, manservant or maidservant-all according to our deeds does the spirit of God rest upon us."
Answer for yourself: What, then, does chosenness imply? The traditional understanding is that God chose to establish a particular relationship with a certain individual, Abraham, and his descendants. The covenant, or agreement, between God and the Jewish people was that they, God and the Jewish people-would be loyal to one another.
The Torah says that, when God gave the commandments to the people of Israel, the people responded: "All that the Lord has spoken we will do and we will hear." (Exodus 24:7) Jews have never been satisfied to take the biblical text at face value but have always delved deeply into all of its ramifications.
The result of this process of delving is called midrash. For instance, when reading about the Israelites accepting the commandments so readily, our ancient rabbis wondered: "How might this have happened?" Two of the answers they came up with shed light on the concept of chosenness.
According to one interpretation, the Israelites were not God's first choice to receive the Torah. In fact, God had offered it to many other nations, but each of them had refused it. Only the Israelites were willing to say: "All that the Lord has spoken we will do and we will hear"; only they would accept the obligations of the covenant. In other words, the Jews were chosen, but they were not the first choice.
The second interpretation presents a much different view. In this midrash, the Israelites weren't all that willing to accept the Torah. Only when God threatened to drop Mount Sinai on them if they refused the Torah did they respond: "All that the Lord has spoken we will do and we will hear." In this version, the people at Sinai, who were a mixed multitude of Israelites and Egyptian non-Jews by the way, may have felt that they were not adequate to the task, but they were compelled to rise to the challenge. So they "chose" to be "chosen" (see Isa. 56 again).
Very frankly, even after considering these interpretations of chosenness, some Jews are still not completely comfortable with the notion. So they interpret the concept more broadly. Rather than speaking in terms of God choosing the Jews, they understand chosenness to mean that the Jews chose God and the way of Torah.
For some Jews, even this interpretation is not acceptable. The Reconstructionist movement, for instance, rejects the notion of chosenness entirely and has changed those prayers that refer to chosenness.
Much of our discussion up to this point has focused on concepts relating to Shabbat, but Shabbat truly becomes what it was meant to be as we bring it into our lives. We begin to create a Shabbat atmosphere by doing things in our home. The Rabbis teach that in the wake of the destruction of the Temple and the Altar then one's table in one's home becomes literally your "altar" with God.
One prepares the house for Shabbat by cleaning it and putting it in order. This may seem like a monumental task sometimes, but there are ways to get it done. For instance, this task can be shared or accomplished over several evenings. Playing Jewish music while you clean can help create the Shabbat mood, and you can learn a lot of Jewish songs in the process. There are some great cassettes and CDs which deal with the Sabbath and can be found on the Internet or through your Synagogue bookstores. Bringing in some fresh flowers makes the house seem to have a more Sabbath atmosphere which just speaks "life".
Friday night is a time for a special meal. This does not mean that the meal has to be expensive and elaborate. It should be special because of the love and care taken in its preparation and presentation. There are some foods that are traditional for Shabbat. Jews of Eastern European (Ashkenazic) background generally eat gefilte fish or chopped liver, chicken soup with matzah balls or noodles, roast chicken or brisket of beef, noodle or potato kugel, and chalah. Jews of Mediterranean (Sephardic) background eat foods that differ markedly. Some Shabbat favorites include fish with egg and lemon sauce, eggplant salad, lamb roast, stuffed grape leaves, and white rice.
While these are traditional foods, you should not feel restricted to these. You can experiment or use your own favorites.
The table should be
set as befits a visit by a queen since Shabbat is metaphorically
seen as a queen. Place on the table an attractive cloth
or place mats and your finest dishes and flatware. Also, on the table (or
on a nearby table) should be placed candlesticks and candles, a Kiddush
cup and wine, one or two 
chalot
covered with a chalah cover or napkin, and salt. If you don't
make your own chalah (egg bread) you can go to various grocery stores in
your city and purchase these special breaks before Sabbath observances.
Shabbatis welcomed by a ceremony at the table prior to the meal. While the ceremony formally begins with the lighting of Shabbat candles, many people follow the custom of dropping some coins into a pushke (tsedakah box) first. While tsedakah is often translated as "charity," it doesn't really mean charity. The word is based on a Hebrew root meaning "righteousness" or "justice." The mitzvah (a religious obligation, which flows from the covenantal relationship between the Jewish people and God) of tsedakah places on every Jew the obligation to right the injustices of society. One of the ways we do this is by contributing money to help individuals or groups who are in need themselves or who are engaged in helping others. While this may sound just like charity, it differs radically. There is no Hebrew word corresponding to what is expressed by the English word "charity." The crucial difference is in the attitude with which tsedakah is given. It is not seen as an act by which one who is superior gives to one who is inferior. Nor is it something done out of love, as charity is. Rather, in order for us to be fully human, it is incumbent upon us to give and to give in such a way as to preserve the dignity of the recipient. Moses Maimonides, a great medieval philosopher, likened the giving of tsedakah to the rungs of a ladder. The lowest rung is giving grudgingly. A higher rung is to give anonymously. The very highest rung is to give in such a way as to enable the recipient to become independent.
There is a system of Hebrew numerology called gematria in which every Hebrew letter has a numerical equivalent. The Hebrew word for life, chai, consists of letters equaling 18 (chet = 8 and yod = 10). Therefore, tsedakah is often given in multiples of eighteen ($18, $36, $180, $360, etc.). By giving tsedakah, our goal is to enhance the lives of others.
It is customary to
light at least two candles to welcome the Sabbath. One
explanation for this is that each
candle reminds us of one of the ways we are enjoined to celebrate the
Sabbath ("Remember" and "Observe").
Some people light additional candles to represent the children in their
family; others light one additional candle for each child in the family.
The majority, however, simply light two candles. It
is traditional for the woman of the house to light these candles and
recite the blessing over them. If there is no woman, then the man lights
the candles. In some families, the candle blessing is recited by the
entire family.
There are various customs associated with the actual lighting of the candles. Some women, after kindling the candles, encircle the flames with their hands as a way of spreading the Shabbat light and drawing it close to themselves. You will also see some women cover their eyes with their hands after they have encircled the flames, while they say the blessing. The reason for this is actually a legal fiction. Normally, we recite a blessing before performing the act (such as reciting the blessing for bread before eating the bread). However, the procedure must be reversed when lighting the Shabbat candles. The candles must be lit first since, once the blessing has been said, Shabbat has begun and traditionally no fire can be created on Shabbat. By covering her eyes and not looking at the candles, it is as if the woman has not yet lit them. After completing the blessing, she removes her hands and looks at the candles as if for the first time. Everyone present then wishes each other "Shabbat Shalom" or "Gut Shabbos."
If you are not comfortable lighting the candles in either of these ways, it is perfectly acceptable to light them without placing your hands in front of your eyes. Some women choose to cover their eyes simply because it is a custom even though the rationale behind it is not particularly compelling for them. In many homes, a special set of candlesticks is set aside for Sabbath use. These may be silver, brass, wood, or ceramic. However, in the absence of specially designated candlesticks, you may use any candlesticks.
Scripture teaches that wine gladdens the human heart. We use wine for every special occasion. Each Sabbath and festival is welcomed and sanctified with a blessing over wine. Traditionally, kosher grape wine is used, but in some homes non-kosher wine is used. The wine for Kiddush is usually poured into a special Kiddush cup, which can be ceramic, glass, pewter, silver, etc. In the absence of a special Kiddush cup, any glass or goblet may be used.
The blessing over wine is called Kiddush. It is traditionally recited or chanted by the man of the house or by a guest. If there is no man present, a woman should say the Kiddush. In some homes, the entire family chants the Kiddush together. In addition to blessing God as the Creator of the fruit of the vine, the Kiddush also thanks God for the holiness of Shabbat. It states that Shabbat is a reminder of both Creation and the Exodus. As we say the Kiddush we think of the Creation story and the Garden of Eden, a paradigm of the perfect time that was. We think, too, of the Exodus, the time that signaled the Jew's redemption from servitude. Even as we look back to these events, we look forward to a time that will combine redemption and paradise-the Messianic Age. Before we drink the wine, we wish each other "Lechayim" (to life).
The following is recited over the wine:
On the sixth day, heaven and the earth were finished, and all their host. And on the seventh day the Lord perfected the work which He had made; and on the seventh day, He ceased from the work which He had made. And the Lord blessed the seventh day and He sanctified it, because thereon He ceased from the work of creation which He had made.
Praised be Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.
Praised be Thou, Lord our God, who has hallowed us with Thy commandments, and hast favored us with the gracious gift of the Sabbath as our loving inheritance, in remembrance of the work of creation. The Sabbath is also first among the days of holy assembly, which recall our freedom from the bondage of Egypt. From among the nations Thou hast selected us for a service of holiness, and in love Thou hast given us Thy holy Sabbath as our heritage. Praised be Thou, 0 Lord, who hallowest the Sabbath.
During the Kiddush, the chalah is covered with a decorated chalah cover or, in its absence, with a white napkin. There is a reason often cited for this custom: At meals during the week, the blessing before eating is recited over bread. On Shabbat, before the blessing over bread, a much longer blessing-the Kiddush-is recited over wine. Unwilling to hurt the feelings of the bread by focusing all this attention on the wine, we cover the bread to avoid embarrassing it.
At first, this explanation may seem fanciful or even fatuous, but in fact it teaches a lesson in human relations. If we are called upon to concern ourselves with the feelings of a loaf of bread, how much more must we care about the feelings of our fellow human beings and be cognizant of how our words and actions affect them.
The blessing of God for the "bread" follows the blessing of God for the "wine".
Praised be Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who brings forth the bread from the earth
As an associated thought, the Chalah, a twisted egg bread, sometimes covered with sesame or poppy seeds, is the bread that is used for Shabbat. In Eastern Europe, weekday bread was very coarse while chalah-the Shabbat bread-was light and fine, made from more expensive flour. Some people set two chalot on the table as a reminder of the double portion of manna gathered by the Israelites on the day before the Sabbath. The Bible tells us that, during the wandering in the wilderness after the Exodus, God provided for all the physical needs of the Israelites. God provided a food called manna, which the people gathered daily. Since work was prohibited on Shabbat, and gathering manna would be considered work, God provided a double portion of manna on the day before the Sabbath to last them through Shabbat.
The blessing over bread, called the Motzi, thanks God "who brings forth (hamotzi) bread from the earth." Some people sprinkle the chalah with salt after making the blessing and before eating the bread. One explanation for this is that in Roman times salt was a very valuable commodity, available only to free people. By eating salt on Shabbat, we emphasize that we arc free people serving God. Another explanation is that, since the destruction of the Temple in the year 70, the home has become "a small sanctuary" and the table an altar. After the destruction of the Temple the Rabbis adopted the principle of brining the Temple home and transferring much of the Temple ritual around the altar to our table in order to maintain the bond and unity of the Jewish people. Since the sacrifices were offered with salt, having salt on the table links us to our past. The home as sanctuary and the table as altar are underscored further by the tradition of speaking words of Torah at the table. In a Jewish home, mealtime should be more than a time for simply meeting one's physical needs; it should be a time for spiritual nourishment as well. A well-known talmudic statement teaches that, if three people sit at a meal and exchange words of Torah, it is as if the Divine Presence dwelt among them.
The Jewish blessing before a meal is a very brief one. A lengthier blessing is reserved for after the meal. This follows the biblical statement:
"When you have eaten your fill, give thanks to the Lord your God. . . ." (Deuteronomy 8:10)
There are several passages inserted into the blessing after the meal (Birkat Hamazon) that are only said on Shabbat. One of these prays for the coming of the time that will be entirely like Shabbat-the Messianic Age. Once again on this day of peace our thoughts are turned to the hoped-for redemption of the future.
Shabbat has another important element. It is a time of togetherness and joining-a time to be with friends and with family, taking time to appreciate each other. It is a nice custom to invite guests for Shabbat. Many people offer a word of appreciation to members of the family and friends at the Sabbath table and again blessings are recited for the children and the husband and wife.
This might take the form of a husband reading Proverbs 31 to his wife and a parental blessing to the children. Some wives read Psalm 112 to their husbands. Shabbat is a time of union and harmony. Some Jews read verses from Song of Songs (a collection of beautiful love poems found in the Bible) on Shabbat. It is considered a mitzvah to make love on Shabbat, and it is said that God is present when husband and wife make love.
Another very important aspect of Shabbat is community. The community gathers for worship each Shabbat, reaffirming our covenantal tie to God and to one another. Some synagogues have their major Sabbath service on Friday evening while others have it on Saturday morning. It is not uncommon for non-Jews, wishing to enter into the worship of God as a Jew like Jesus in the first century would have worshiped, to attend regularly the Synagogue. It it in the synagogue that you see first hand this "Pattern of Worship" as you learn that the Sabbath service consists of prayers and readings in Hebrew and English (the amount of Hebrew and English varies from synagogue to synagogue), songs, a Torah reading, and a talk. In many temples, after Shabbat evening services there is an Oneg Shabbat (joy of the Sabbath) at which refreshments are served and there is an opportunity to socialize. It is in these times that I found that my learning of the Jewish people and the worship of God would grown by leaps and bounds. Sometimes Israeli dancing or a discussion takes place during the Oneg. Following Shabbat morning services, there is a Kiddush in the synagogue. After the blessings over the wine and the bread, people exchange Shabbat greetings.
One of the things that makes this day so special is that we eat so well. Many people have a large meal following the morning service and another smaller meal (seudah shelishit) before sunset.
Answer for yourself: What is the term reserved for the 3 meals; the one on Friday evening, Shabbath morning and Shabbat afternoons? This is the original "Lord's Supper" which has been wrenched from its historical context setting and renamed to describe Christian communion practices of "eating the god" with "wafers" or "crackers" and "grape juice". We have strayed so far from the truth due to the antisemitism of Rome it is not funny.
Just as there is a ceremony welcoming Shabbat, so there is one to mark its conclusion. It is called Havdalah, which means "separation." The ceremony takes place on Saturday night after sunset. It consists of blessings over wine, spices, and a braided candle. While it resembles the Friday night ceremony in many ways, there are some differences as well. Wine is used at both ceremonies. Two candles and a braided chalah are used on Friday night while, on Saturday night, one braided candle with many wicks is used. The new element in the ceremony is the blessing of sweet-smelling spices. There is an explanation offered for this ceremony. Because Shabbat is such a special day, each Jew receives an extra soul at the beginning of the Sabbath, which departs at the end of Shabbat. To revive one, because we've lost this extra soul, one smells spices at Havdalah, bringing some of the sweetness of the Sabbath with oneself into the week. The climax of the ritual is when the candle is doused in the wine, and one stands in the darkness of the new week. But the darkness is not one of hopelessness; it is a time when we confront the new week with a vision of what we must do to bring about a better world. We sing the song of the prophet Elijah, symbol of the messianic future.
Rest and worship are two essential elements of Shabbat. There is a third one that is of equal importance-study. Shabbat affords us time in which to direct our energies toward spiritual matters. Study is an appropriate way to observe Shabbat. In fact, in Judaism study is considered a form of worship; in fact it is considered the highest form of worship! Study is done publicly at services by means of the Torah reading and its explanation, and privately by reading and discussing materials from Jewish books, magazines, and newspapers with family and friends.
Upon being exposed to the concepts and ideals of Shabbat for the first time, a student in one of our Introduction to Judaism classes wrote:
"Shabbat, like Judaism, is a cornucopia of delight and joy for those who are willing to make the effort to find them; individual paths are different but they lead eventually, for those who pursue them, to an eminently worthwhile end: a foretaste of the Messianic Age."
The principle of Shabbat is to sanctify time. The whole of Shabbat is greater than the sum of its parts. It is more than lighting candles, drinking wine, or attending a service. We sanctify Shabbat by setting it apart, making it distinctive, and differentiating it from the rest of the days in our week. As Abraham Joshua Heschel has written: "Six days a week we live under the tyranny of things of space; on the Sabbath we try to become attuned to holiness in time." (Abraham J. Heschel, The Sabbath, p. 8).
Now having been as a non-Jew introduced to the facts that non-Jews long before the Jewish nation existed recognized, observed, and sanctified this special times, the Sabbath, with God then let us move past the information into a form that can be adapted for your own homes Sabbath service.
Now let us examine the Bet Emet Home Sabbath Service. Shalom.
Bennoah1@airmail.net