For 3 millennia, Sabbath has been the Jewish oasis. Find out what's behind this day

Friday Afternoon: Friday afternoon typically about 2PM, preparations begins. The mood is getting stimulating much like preparing for a special, beloved guest: the house is cleaned, the family bathes and dresses up, the finest dishes and tableware are set, a festive meal is getting prepared. In addition, everything that cannot be done during Sabbath must be set up in advance: lights and appliances should be set (or timers placed on them), the light bulb in the refrigerator is removed, so it does not turn on when you open it, and preparations for the remaining Sabbath meals are being made. The Sabbath, like all Jewish days, begins at sunset, because in the story of creation in Genesis Ch. 1, you will notice that it says, "And there was evening, and there was morning, one day." From this, we infer that a day begins with evening, which is sunset. Candle lighting begins 18 minutes prior to sunset.

Candle Lighting: First light the candles. (Preferably the women) Then spread your hands out around the candles, drawing your hands inward in a circular motion three times to indicate the acceptance of the sanctity of Sabbath You then cover your eyes and recite the following blessing Hebrew: Phonetic Hebrew: Bah-rooch ah-tah ah-do-nye eh-lo-hay-noo Meh-lech hah-oh-lahm, ash-sher kihd-shah-noo bih-mitz-voh-tahv vih-tzee-vah-noo, lih-hahd-lihk nair shell Sha-bat. English: Praised are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the universe, who has made us holy by mitzvot, and instructed us to light the Shabbat candles. Uncover your eyes and behold the Sabbath lights! The Sabbath candles should be lit 18 minutes before sunset. It is prohibited to light the candles after sunset The family then attends a brief service. .

Blessing your Children: Before we begin the dinner, we have one of the most beautiful customs. We bless all our children; it's a moment filled with love and connection. Place your hand on the child's head and recited this blessing. Hebrew: English: May God make you like (for a boy) - Ephraim and Menasseh. (for a girl) - like Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah. May God bless you and safeguard you. May God illuminate his countenance for you and be gracious to you. May God turn his countenance to you and establish peace for you.

Kiddush - Blessing Over the cup of Wine: Before dinner, the man of the house recites the Kiddush, a blessing over a cup of wine or grapejuice to sanctifying the holy Sabbath. Lift up the cup to to the level of your heart and recite the following blessing   Hebrew: Phonetic Hebrew: Va-ye-hee erev, va-ye-hee voker. Yom Ha-shishi. Va-ye-chulu hasha-mayim vi-ha-aretz vi-kole tzi-va-am. Va-yichal Elohim ba-yom hashe-vi’i milach-to asher asa. Va-yish-bose ba-yome hashe-vi’i mi-kole milach-to asher asa. Va-ye-varech Elohim es yom hashe-vi’i va-yi-kadesh oso. Kee voe shavas mi-kole milach-toe asher bara Elohim la-a-sose. Savri maranan ve-rabanan ve-rabosai: Baruch ata Adonoy, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, borei peri ha-gafen. (Amen) Baruch ata Adonoy, Elo-heinu melech ha-Olam, asher kidish-anu bi-mitz-vosav vi-ratza vanu, vi-Shabbos kod-sho bi-ahava uv-ratzon hin-chi-lanu, zikaron lima-aseh vi-raishis. Ki hu yom ti-chila li-mikra-ay kodesh, zay-cher li-tzi-as mitz-rayim. Ki vanu vachar-ta vi-osanu kidash-ta mikol ha-amim. Vi-shabbos kod-shicha bi-ahava uv-ratzon hinchal-tanu. Baruch ata Adonoy, mi-kadesh ha-shabbos. (Amen) English: It was evening and it was morning. The sixth day. So the heavens and the earth were finished, with all their complement. On the seventh day, God had completed His work which He had undertaken, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had been doing. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it He ceased from all His creative work, which God had brought into being to fulfill its purpose. Blessed are You God, King of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine. (Amen) Blessed are You God, King of the Universe, who made us holy with his commandments and favored us, and gave us His holy Shabbat, in love and favor, to be our heritage, as a reminder of the Creation. It is the foremost day of the holy festivals marking the Exodus from Egypt. For out of all the nations You chose us and made us holy, and You gave us Your holy Shabbat, in love and favor, as our heritage. Blessed are you God, Who sanctifies Shabbat. (Amen)

Netillat Yadayim - Blessing Over the Washing of the Hands:   Grasp a cup or pitcher of water in your left hand pour twice over the right hand. Reverse the process to the left. Now recite...  Hebrew:  Phonetic Hebrew: Barukh atah Adonai, Elohaynu, melekh ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav, v’tzivanu al n'tilat yadayim  English: Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the Universe, who sanctifies us with his commandments, and commands us concerning washing of hands.

Hamotzi - Blessing Over the Bread:   Remove the covering over the two challot and recite this blessing  Hebrew:  Phonetic Hebrew: Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheynu Melech Ha-Olam Ha-Motzee Lechem meen Ha-Aretz.  English: Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who brings forth bread from the earth.

The usual prayer for eating bread is recited over two holy breads. The family then eats dinner. Although there are no specific requirements or customs regarding what to eat, meals are generally stewed or slow cooked items, because of the prohibition against cooking during the Sabbath (Things that are mostly cooked before Sabbath and then kept heated or kept warm). Simply because one should prepare every thing before the Sabbath to have a complete rest on the Sabbath.

Birkat ha-mazon - Grace after meals   After dinner, the Birkat ha-mazon is recited. Although this is done every day, on the Sabbath, it is done in a leisurely manner with many upbeat tunes. This is the first paragraph. One should try to say at least to the half point Hebrew: Phonetic Hebrew: Baruch ata Adonoy, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, ha-zan es ha-olam kulo be-tuvo be-chein be-chesed uve-rachamim hu nosein lechem le-chol basar, ki le-olam chasdo. Uv-tuvo ha-gadol, tamid lo chasar lanu ve'al yechsar lanu mazon le-olam va’ed. Ba'avur shemo ha gadol ki hu El zan umi-farneis la-kol u-meitiv la-kol u-meichin mazon le-chol beriyosav asher bara. Baruch ata Adonoy, ha-zan es ha-kol. English: Blessed are you, Lord our God, Sovereign of the world, who provides food for the entire world in His goodness, with grace, kindness and mercy. He supplies bread for all living beings, for His kindness is everlasting. Because of His great goodness, we have never lacked food, nor will we ever lack it on account of His great name. For He is God who nourishes and sustains all, and is good to all, and who supplies food for all His creatures which He created. Blessed are You, God, who provides food for all.

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The next morning... Sabbath services begin around 9AM and continue until about before noon. After services, the family says kiddush  Hebrew:  Phonetic Hebrew: Baruch atah Adonai eloheynu melech ha-olam bo-ray p'ree ha-gafen   English: Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine

Again another leisurely, festive meal. A short afternoon nap is not uncommon. It is traditional to have a third meal before the Sabbath ends. This is usually a light meal in the late afternoon.

Havdalah  Havdalah comes from the Hebrew word “l'havdil,” meaning “to separate.” The Mitzvah of havdalah is performed at the conclusion of Shabbat, and it involves making a verbal separation between the Sabbath and the rest of the week. Havdalah is traditionally done with almost as much ceremony as Kiddush - the family gathers around the table to participate, and the ceremonial implements - the cup, the spice box & the candle. The Sabbath is often compared to a queen who graces our dwelling-place each week. When she departs, we escort her to the heavens with wine, spices, and a braided candle in a ceremony envoierment. The Wine: a blessing is recited over a cup of wine / grape juice which is then drunk only by the person who recited havdalah upon the conclusion of the service. The cup should contain at least 2.9 fl. ounces. As we recite the blessing over wine, we also hope that just as wine grows sweeter and richer each day, our relationship with God, Torah and each other deepens from Sabbath to Sabbath. The Spices: a blessing is recited over spices such as cloves or cinnamon which are then smelled by all. This is to calm the soul since it is saddened at having lost an “extra soul” which was added to us on the Sabbath and which departs on Saturday night. As we recite the blessing over the spices, the sweet fragrance lifts our spirits. We pray that our deeds of loving-kindness over the next week perfumes the world with sweetness. The Flame: a blessing is recited over a lit flame. The reason for the flame is that fire was first created on Saturday night when Adam hit together two stones (a supernatural divine light illuminated the world during the first week of Creation). As we recite the blessing over the braided candle, it is traditional to hold one’s fingers to the light and to see the candlelight and shadows dancing together. We pray that our common hopes and fears braid our community into a single flame for justice and peace. Sabbath ends at nightfall, when three average stars are visible, approximately 45 minutes after sunset.  Hebrew:  Phonetic Hebrew: Hineih Eil yeshuasi, evtach ve-lo efchad, ki azi ve-zimras Yah Adonoy, va-yehi li lishu’ah. Ushav’tem mayim be-sasson mi-ma'ainei ha-yeshuah. La'Adonoy ha-yeshuah, al amecha bircha-secha selah. Adonoy tzeva'os imanu, misgav lanu Elohei Ya'akov selah. Adonoy tzeva'os, ashrei adam botei'ach bach, Adonoy hoshiah, ha-melech ya'aneinu ve-yom kareinu. La-yehudim hay’esa ora ve-simcha, ve-sason vikar. Kein ti'heyeh lanu. Kos yeshuos esa, uve-sheim Adonoy ekra. Savri maranan ve-rabanan ve-rabotai: (Blessing over the Wein) Baruch ata Adonoy, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, Borei peri ha-gafen. (Blessing over Spices) Baruch ata Adonoy, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, Borei mini vesamim. (Blessing over Fire) Baruch ata Adonoy, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, Borei me'orei ha-aish. Baruch ata Adonoy, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, ha-mavdil bein kodesh le-chol, bein ohr le-choshech, bein Yisrael la-amin, bein yom ha-shevi'i le-sheishes yemei ha-ma'aseh. Baruch ata Adonoy, ha-mavdil bein kodesh le-chol.  English: Behold God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid. Indeed, God is my strength and my song and He has become my salvation. You shall draw water with joy from the wells of salvation. Salvation belongs to God; may Your blessings be upon Your people, Selah. The Lord of Hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is a refuge for us, Selah. Lord of Hosts, happy is the man who trusts in You. God, save us; may the King answer us on the day we call. "The Jews had radiance and happiness, joy and honor." So may it be for us. I will raise the cup of salvations and invoke the name of God. Honored and distinguished ones: (Blessing over Wein) Blessed are You, God, King of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine. (Blessing over Spices) Blessed are You, God, King of the Universe, Creator of various kinds of spices. (Blessing over Fire) Blessed are You, God, King of the Universe, Creator of the lights of fire. Blessed are You, God, King of the Universe, who makes a distinction between sacred and mundane, between light and darkness, between Israel and the nations, between the seventh day and the six working days. Blessed are you, God, Who makes a distinction between sacred and mundane.

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	Insights of the holy Sabbath

Taste of the
"World to Come"

 

The Midrash says: When the Jewish people were gathered at Mount Sinai to receive the Torah, God told them that Heaven would be their reward for keeping the commandments. The Jews asked God, "How do we know that Heaven is so great? How about a free sample to see if it's worthwhile?" (Apparently, Jews have always been astute businessmen.)

God wasn't upset. He knew that Heaven is where we experience the pure and unadulterated pleasure of the infinite God. So He said, "No problem. I'll send you a sample. Sabbath."

Thus the Sages say: Sabbath is "a taste of Heaven on Earth." If Heaven is pure spirituality, then Sabbath is a taste of that experience.
"God created the world in six days and on Sabbath He rested" What a bad translation! On Sabbath, God gave the world a soul. On Sabbath God created the world of souls, of depth, of tasting that which is most real. Sabbath is the Name of God

Sabbath Shalom: There are some moments when I have to feel perfect, complete. Six days a week I work like a dog and can't have that feeling. On Sabbath I receive a divinely inspired feeling of serenity, peacefulness, completeness -- Sabbath Shalom -- because of its holiness one feels perfection. This day will give you the strength to 'fix' yourself during the week. You will know what to 'fix' because you will have just experienced a period of time when you had a complete soul.

Sabbath is back in Paradise. Paradise is a place where everything is good, everything is beautiful. Paradise is a place where suddenly it's clear to me that I can fix all my mistakes. And even more so, everything I thought was a mistake, every street I thought was the wrong street was really the only way to get there.

Sabbath has two faces. There is keeping the Sabbath holy, the thirty-nine laws of Sabbath, the withdrawing from the world, a non-power kind of like. But then there is the bliss of Sabbath, the inside of Sabbath, which is a gift from Heaven. The bliss of Sabbath is even deeper than Paradise. It's a secret between God and me, between me and the people I love so much. Sabbath is peace because peace is secrets, secrets of the depths, of the deepest depths. Secrets are the deepest God revelation. A true Sabbath person is someone who walks the streets of the world and every human being he sees, he shares a secret with. But with those he loves it's the secret of all secrets.On Sabbath we say, "Sabbath hi milzok, refuah krovah livoh." Sabbath is the deepest healing in the world. Our holy rabbis teach us that a doctor can only heal a foot or hand; they cannot replace it with a new one. But Sabbath, on a spiritual level, gives us back our hands and feet. Not only this, Sabbath gives us new minds, new eyes and new ears, How awesome!
Sabbath is the strongest vitamin because its nutrients are those which can heal the soul. On Sabbath, new energy is coming down from Heaven. But the energy and its spiritual nutrients refuses to be received in dirty vessels. There are many ways we can do the cleansing and purification on our own. But for those of us who can't do even that, so for one second before Sabbath purity and holiness also descend into the world. Happy are those who can receive it and fill their heart with it.

Sabbath is different from all other holidays. The Talmud explains that if there were no Jews in the world, there would be no Jewish holidays. But Sabbath will always exist, even if there be no Jew to observe it, because on Sabbath something happens to the world, God opens the gates, and something so holy comes from heaven down to us, and all we have to do is pick it up.

The Zohar HaQodesh asks, how did Noah have the strength to resist a world that was rotten to the core? When everyone around him seemed perverted and crazy, Noah and his family held out alone, right? Where did he get the strength from? Well, the name "Noah" is the same as the Hebrew word for "rest". The Zohar HaQodesh says that Noah wanted to serve God, Noah wanted to keep Sabbath Since nobody else picked up the power that came down from heaven, Noah and his family could take it all! And that's how he had the strength to resist the world. He had the power of the world in his bones.

So, every Sabbath, imagine if you would pick up from the world the power of heaven. Imagine how much strength you would get, how much holiness you could put in your bones.

According to the great Kabbalists, water was never created; it always was just there. In the Book of Genesis it never says that God created water. Water has the power of "Beyond Creation", the power to wash you glean and make everything grow. Our rabbis teach us that in order to really feel the blessing of Sabbath you have first to immerse in the mikveh a ritual pool.

The Lights of Sabbath: The lights that our Mother Sarah lit were burning from Friday to Friday. When I kindle a light in the week, anyone can blow it out. However, Friday night, the lighting of the candles is performed with such spiritual strength, that their glow lasts from Friday to Friday. According to our logic, the light of Sabbath, God's light, is so infinitely powerful what can the candle add? But this is one of the fixings of Eve's eating of the tree of Knowledge. Because it isn't true that the candle is insignificant.

According to the Tree of Life every candle makes the light more infinite and more deep. God's light is like a Picasso, it is so beyond beautiful that it can't reach inside my soul. But a painting of my own sweetest daughter has the light of the little candle of Sabbath that really tears my heart apart. Sabbath comes and Sabbath is everywhere. You can't walk out on Sabbath But this is only on the Outside. Kabbalos Sabbath, we are making ourselves into vessels to receive Sabbath into the deepest most Inside depths of our soul.

Friday night is the fixing of jealousy. Jealousy comes from thinking that someone can take your place or your portion. In the deepest depths it's my own emptiness, my own incapability to retain what God is giving me. But Friday night, when my heart becomes so full, so overflowing full, like the wine from the Kiddush, jealosy is wiped out from my heart, and hopefully, eventually, from the heart of mankind.

The feast of Friday night is the ultimate fixing of the Tree of Knowledge. We are basically transforming it into the Tree of Life. The Holy Ba'al Shem says that whoever is up Friday night celebrating Sabbath will not leave this world without completing the fixing which he came down in this form. Sabbath morning is the fixing of grabbing. Because what God gives me I don't have to steal and I don't even have to take; it's given to me. A slave takes, a king receives.

The third meal of Sabbath is the fixing of self-esteem, of honor, of giving up hope. The third meal is like the World to Come, when the world will be filled with God's glory, with the glory of every human being, when the honor of a child is enough to fill the whole universe with the deepest of God's honor. Shalos Seudos, the Third Meal before you say good-bye to Sabbath, is the deepest of all. It's when you say good-bye to the One you love that it's clear to you how much He means to you, Our holy rabbis teach us that all day Sabbath is just Sabbath The Third Meal is Sabbath and Yom Kippur. It's a must for everyone to spend the last hour of Sabbath in the deepest emotion.

After saying good-bye to Sabbath, we make ourselves a little concert and partake in the Feast of King David who lives forever. The Feast of King David gives us the strength to keep Sabbath alive until the next Sabbath comes. Sabbath is the deepest healing in the world.

Friday night is the time of seeing, of discovering the unbelievable beauty and sweetness of the world of the Torah, of people, and above all, those I love the most. Sabbath morning is a time of tasting. It's even deeper than seeing. Most people love each other. But tasting each other's soul, each other's depths -- that is Sabbath morning. The third meal, and, finally, Havdalah, is smelling, inhaling the fragrance, the beauty which is beyond seeing and tasting, the kind of depth which only my soul can fathom. Happy are those who walk the streets of the world with the fragrance of Sabbath

Sabbath invites all those who know, who experienced so much sweetness, so much holiness in life, but it's clear to them this cannot be all God wants to give them. Isn't God infinite? Isn't life infinite? Sabbath is the name of God. Will you accept the invitation of Sabbath?


A PRACTICAL WAY TO START

If Sabbath seems like a daunting undertaking, remember that in Judaism it's not "all or nothing." Even one moment of consciously refraining from doing work on Sabbath is a powerful opportunity to get in touch with yourself and God.

How to start? Have your friends over for Friday night dinner. Light the candles, make Kiddush, sing some songs, and share words of Torah. (You can discuss the "Portion of the Week," or pick a topic like "Free Will" or "The Afterlife.")
But make one rule: No outside entertainment. No radio, no television, no telephone, no internet. Try it for a few hours, and increase the amount of time as you feel more comfortable.

Finally, here's an exercise that can really get you in the mood. At sundown this Friday, take a minute and do the following: Clench your fists tight for 60 seconds. Then let go.

	Details of Observant

To Remember & To Observe

 

To Remember: We are commanded to remember Sabbath; however to remember means much more than simply not forgetting to observe the Sabbath It also means to remember the significance of Sabbath, both as a commemoration of creation and as a commemoration of our freedom from slavery in Egypt.

In Exodus 20:11, after Fourth Commandment is first instituted, God explains, "because for six days, the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and on the seventh day, he rested; therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and sanctified it." By resting on the seventh day and sanctifying it, we remember and acknowledge that God is the creator of heaven and earth and all living things.

In Deuteronomy 5:15, while Moses reiterates the Ten Commandments, he notes the second thing that we must remember on Sabbath: "remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord, your God brought you forth from there with a might hand and with an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to observe the Sabbath day."

We remember these meanings of Sabbath when we recite kiddush the prayer over wine sanctifying the Sabbath or a holiday. Friday night kiddush refers to Sabbath as both zikkaron l'ma'aseh bereishit a memorial of the work in the beginning and zeicher litzi'at mitzrayim a remembrance of the exodus from Egypt.


To Observe: Of course, no discussion of Sabbath would be complete without a discussion of the work that is forbidden on the Sabbath This is aspect of Sabbath that is misunderstood by people who do not observe it.

Most people see the word "work" and think of it in the English sense of the word: physical labor and effort, or employment. Under this definition, turning on a light would be permitted, because it does not require effort, but a rabbi would not be permitted to lead Sabbath services, because leading services is his employment. Jewish law prohibits the former and permits the latter. Many people therefore conclude that Jewish law doesn't make any sense.

The problem lies not in Jewish law, but in the definition that people are using. The Torah does not prohibit "work" The Torah prohibits "melachah" (Mem-Lamed-Alef-Kaf-Heh), which is usually translated as "work," but does not mean precisely the same thing as the English word. We now need to understand what the word "melachah."means.

Melachah generally refers to the kind of work that is creative, or that exercises control or dominion over your environment. The word may be related to "melekh" (king; Mem-Lamed-Kaf). The quintessential example of melachah is the work of creating the universe, which God ceased from on the seventh day.(Note that God's work did not require a great physical effort: he spoke, and it was done.)

The word melachah is rarely used in scripture outside of the context of Sabbath and holiday restrictions. The only other repeated use of the word is in the discussion of the building of the sanctuary and its vessels in the wilderness. Exodus Ch. 31, 35-38. Notably, the Sabbath restrictions are reiterated during this discussion (Ex. 31:13), thus we can infer that the work of creating the sanctuary had to be stopped for Sabbath From this, the rabbis concluded that the work prohibited on the Sabbath is the same as the work of creating the sanctuary. They found 39 categories of forbidden acts, all of which are types of work that were needed to build the sanctuary: (Mishnah Sabbath, 7:2)

All of these tasks are prohibited, as well as any task that operates by the same principle or has the same purpose. In addition, the rabbis have prohibited coming into contact with any implement that could be used for one of the above purposes (for example, you may not touch a hammer or a pencil), travel, buying and selling, and other weekday tasks that would interfere with the spirit of Sabbath The use of electricity is prohibited because it serves the same function as fire or some of the other prohibitions, or because it is technically considered to be "fire."

The issue of the use of an automobile on Sabbath, is not really an issue for the observant Jews. The automobile is powered by an internal combustion engine, which operates by burning gasoline and oil, a clear violation of the Torah prohibition against kindling a fire. In addition, the movement of the car would constitute transporting an object in the public domain, another violation of a Torah prohibition, and in all likelihood the car would be used to travel a distance greater than that permitted by rabbinical prohibitions. For all these reasons, and many more, the use of an automobile on Sabbath is clearly not permitted. As with almost all of the commandments, all of these Sabbath restrictions can be violated if necessary to save a life.

 

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