Every Friday, it is a tradition for Jewish families to get together for a Shabbat dinner. Traditional Jews go to Shabbat services at a nearby temple on Friday evening and Saturday morning. Shabbat is a holiday where Jewish people rest on Shabbat just as G-d rested on the seventh day.
Shabbat, which begins half hour before sunset on Friday until half hour after sunset on Saturday, for 25 hours, it is the only holiday that is mentioned in the Ten Commandments. The fourth commandment says “You shall remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy”. Shabbat is the oldest and the most sacred Jewish holiday of the year. It is usually the most memorable experience people have because observing Shabbat is what encourages families to get together and talk about what happened during the week. Shabbat draws families together… parents and children dine together, pray together, study together, and sing together.
Before the Shabbat dinner, one or two or more candles will be lit depending on who is lighting it. If it is an unmarried female, then one candle will be light. If the female is married, she fits two candles because the two candles represents the creation of husband and wife. It is customary that two candles are lit and additional candles may be lit depending on how many children live in the household or family custom.
A child can say the blessing and light the candle as soon as he or she is old enough to be able to say the blessing. Candles must be lit 18 minutes before sunset on Friday, and ends as soon as three stars appear in the sky on Saturday evening. Children may put a few coins in the tzedekah (charity box) before lighting the candles. (Please go to the next page for a series of the drawings of a girl signing.)
Shabbat candlesticks may be passed down from grandparents, received as gifts or bought. Some people may have attractive candlesticks or they may be creative.
A male makes the kiddush which is a blessing, over a full cup of wine representing joy. Then someone slices the challah which is a twisted egg bread eaten on Shabbat. Since kiddush is given, two loaves of Challahs are used on Shabbat and salt is put on slices of challah.
The Shabbat Meal
The festival Shabbat meal is celebrated around the dining table which is set with a clean white tablecloth and the best of silver and china. What is different about a traditional Shabbat dinner? There usually is gefilite fish, matzah ball soup and cooked chicken and kugel. There may be cholent also known as “Jewish potatoes” which is a very traditional Shabbat dish with potatoes, peas, beans and meat. This is a special dish which is cooked on Friday before Shabbat begins and is left on the stove to stay warm continuous during the weekend.
Three festival meals may be enjoyed on Shabbat: the Friday night dinner, the Shabbat lunch and the third meal on Shabbat afternoon.
Why Some People Don’t Drive
Some Jewish people – usually those who are Orthodox, and some Conservatives, do not drive their cars on the Shabbat because Shabbat being a day of rest, and it is not allowed to drive. They may not write, switch electrical outlets, use the telephone or cook food. Exodus 20:8-10 says “You shall work during the six days and do all your tasks. But Saturday is the Shabbat to G-d your Lord. Do not do anything that constitutes work”.
The Shabbat Bride
Prayers on Shabbat often mention the Shabbat bride. This symbolic ceremony welcomes the ‘Sabbath bride’ to celebrate the welcoming of the Sabbath.
What Brings Shabbat To An End?
We celebrate the end of each Shabbat by passing around and smelling from a decorated box filled with aromatic spices such as cloves. This box symbolizes the wish for a fragrant week. Blessing is given with glasses of wine filled to the brim symbolizing hope for a prosperous week to come. First we light a special candle, called Havdalah, made of many wicks braided together. Everyone puts their hands near the candle light to see the separation between light and dark which, according to tradition, represents the break between Shabbat and the workday week. After saying the prayer, an adult dips the candle flame in wine or pours the wine over the wick. The mood becomes somewhat somber because “the Sabbath Bride and the Sabbath souls are leaving”. Everyone wishes each other ‘Shavua Tov’, Hebrew for “Good Week”.
The Shabbat Plate
Clockwise (from bottom left): Gefilite fish, matzah ball soup,
baked chicken & salad and assorted cookies.
Shown on bottom: challah and kiddush cup.
