“Remember the Sabbath day
and keep it Holy"
Shabbat is a day of special
significance for the Jewish man and his family. It is a time when they gather
together to welcome in the Shabbat with song and prayer.
Our Shabbat Set for
the Man contains the essential elements of Jewish tradition that will help you
lead your family in the joyful celebration of Shabbat. The set includes: Wine cup
with plate, a yarmulke, a tallit and a prayer book and a guide to the Shabbat Blessings.
The Sabbath ceremony marks
the recognition and appreciation by the people of Israel for the special
holiness that separates the Shabbat from other days of the week. Shabbat
Kiddush is recited by the head of the household over wine or grape juice. It is
customary to use a beautiful cup or a silver goblet, which holds at least four
and a half ounces of liquid.
One of the highlights of the
Shabbat meal is the Kiddush ceremony. We sanctify Shabbat by reciting special
blessings over a goblet of wine. It is traditional to set the Shabbat table
with two loaves of Challah, a special braided bread in honor of Shabbat. "I have a precious gift in my
treasury," said G-d to Moses; "Shabbat is its name; go and tell
Israel I wish to present it to them." (Masechet Shabbat 10b) All week we have
worked.
All week we have lived in the illusion that we hold power over the
world in our own hands. But this is a veil hiding our eyes from the truth that G-d
is the source of all power. On Shabbat we have ceased all work and toil. As a
result, the veil has been lifted. Now we can see, in all its glory, the truth that
lies behind our purpose in the world.
This is a moment which must fill us with
wonder and joy. It must awaken our hearts to that spiritual contentment that is
the secret of Shabbat's day of rest. The Shabbat Kiddush blessing
ceremony, when experienced to the full, in the ways the Torah has shown us
along with the deep insight that the Torah provides of the human soul, and the
genius of the Jewish People, have combined to insure that the joy of Shabbat will
overflow into and transform our material world.
Shabbat, itself a great
spiritual experience, is to be welcomed with wine and blessings and song and
festive meals. The Friday evening
service is called "Kabbalat Shabbat," "Welcoming the
Shabbat." Probably all who have participated in this Service would
agree that one of its highlights is the prayer.
Our Sages tell us
that on Friday night, two angels accompany all Jews from the synagogue to
witness the holiness of each Jewish home. The angels inspect the Shabbat food,
the harmony and serenity. They are well aware of the sacrifices made to arrive
at this moment. They say, 'Blessed is this Jewish home. May they continue to
celebrate many Shabbatot (Sabbaths') in health and happiness.' In return,
we welcome the angels with the first song of the evening, Shalom Aleichem.
We sing 'Peace unto you, angels of the King of kings.' Our focus is not really
on the angels but rather on G-d, whom they represent.
Ultimately, all of our
Shabbat preparations are to welcome G-d into our homes. Before
we sit down to eat our Friday night meal, it is customary to sanctify the occasion
by reciting Kiddush, a special ceremony involving blessing the wine performed
at the beginning of the Sabbath and on other holy days. Normally Kiddush is
recited by the father of the household while holding a cup of wine.
The
ceremony has two distinct parts: first Genesis 1:31 – 2:3 is read and then a
Hebrew blessing is recited that sanctifies the occasion and thanks G-d for the
gift of the Sabbath day. In the Jewish tradition, the
Sabbath is regarded as the first and most important of the holy days, since it
is a memorial of G-d’s work of creation. Shabbat Shalom.
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