Shabbat - Shabbath ceremony

Article below by Dr. Bill Duerfeldt

Shamar Shabbat – Keeping the Sabbath

In Deuteronomy 5:12 we read -- “Keep (or observe) the Sabbath day

to keep it holy…” In Hebrew this sentence reads --

Shamar et yom

ha-Shabbat

l'kad'sho.

I want to direct your attention to the first word of Deuteronomy’s

passage above. The word is

is often translated “keep” as in the example above. However,

“

picture of a watchman in a watchtower guarding a field, or guarding a

fortress or city. Why is this distinction important?

Let me share just two brief points, as to why

to the Sabbath.

First, it is the one day which God devoted to

Life! It is to be a day of renewal and refreshing. Remember that the

weekly day of rest had no parallel in any other ancient civilization.

In ancient times, leisure was for the wealthy and the ruling classes only,

never for the serving or laboring classes. The very idea of rest each

week was unimaginable. The Greeks and the Romans thought Jews

were lazy because they insisted on having a "holiday" every seventh

day

seven and He created the Sabbath.

Jesus said it this way – “

The second point is one I’ve mentioned before – the Hebraic concept

of the “sanctity of time”. The Sabbath may have been the last thing

created, but it was the first thing that God sanctified and called “holy”.

In the Ten Commandments, there is only one thing that God calls

שמר . Pronounced “sha’mar”, the wordshamar” could more appropriately be translated as “guard”. It is the“guarding” is so aproposלחים (“L’Chaim” ) – to. But God knew man must rest from his toil at least one day inShabbat was made for man; not man for Shabbat.” (Mark 2:27).

קדוש

I have heard it said by theologians that “mankind was God’s purpose of creation”. Mankind may have been the “purpose”, but Shabbat was the climax! To theShabbat is a Palace of Holiness in Time. God’s “Mo’edim” (His

Appointed Times

Leviticus 23 without that truth coming through loud and clear.)

) are very important to Him. (One cannot read

Shabbat

important even than Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement. To those

who observe

joy eagerly awaited throughout the week, a time when one can set

aside all of one’s weekday concerns and devote one’s self to higher

pursuits.

In Jewish literature, poetry and music,

bride or queen. In fact, there is a popular Hebrew

that says

beloved to meet the [Sabbath] bride.” And what husband does not

want to protect and “guard” his bride? What monarch does not want

to “guard” his palace? Likewise, God admonishes us to

is the most important ritual observance in Judaism; moreShabbat, it is a precious gift from God, a day of greatShabbat is also described as aShabbat hymnLecha Dodi Likrat Kallah which translates, “Come myשמר שבת

(

 

The Bread

“challah”, you can easily make your own using Pillsbury refrigerated

bread dough. Challah is braided bread and typically looks like this:

Here in Israel you can get “challah” made with a wide variety of

ingredients – white flour, whole wheat, oats, rye, etc and similarly with

a variety of coatings – egg wash, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and

so forth. This link will tell you more...

. If your community does not have a bakery which makes

http://www.jewishrecipes.org/jewish-foods/challah.html

The challah is traditionally covered, when sitting on the table before

the blessing, with a special “challah cover” – often with the word

“

 

The Wine

or other kosher wine is preferred, but at home we often will use a

berry wine such as Blackberry Merlot. Grape juice, of course, can be

used as well.

: A red table wine (such as Manishewetz or Mogan David)

The Candles:

traditional, although any two candles will do. In Israel many folks buy

the small flat throw-away “votive-type” candles in their own individual

aluminum holders and use those for

 

The woman's shawl:

during the candle-lighting ceremony, is fine.

Any type of shawl, to be placed over the head

The Ceremony

When all are gathered at the table, the mother or oldest woman

covers her head with the shawl and proceeds to light the candles.

She then stretches her arms around the candles and brings her

hands back toward her face, as if she is gathering the light toward

herself. She does this three times.

Finally, she brings both hands up to her face, covers her eyes

and says the following blessing:

“Blessed are You, O LORD our God, King of the Universe,

who has sanctified us with Your commandments,

and instructed us to kindle the candles of Shabbat.

In Hebrew the blessing is...

“Baruk atah ADONAI Elohaynu, Melek HaOlam,

asher kidi'shay'nu be'mitz'vetov vitzi'vaynu

le'hawd-lick nair shel shabbat.”

Everyone at the table responds with “

 “Blessed are You, O LORD our God, King

In Hebrew the prayer is:

“Baruk atah ADONAI Elohaynu, Melek HaOlam,

ha motzi le'chem min ha'eretz.”

Everyone at the table responds with “

 “Blessed are You, O LORD our God, King of the

In Hebrew the prayer is:

“Baruk atah ADONAI Elohaynu, Melek HaOlam,

bo ray pre ha'gafin.”

Everyone at the table responds with “

Amen”.

The husband then takes a large piece of the challah, breaks it

into smaller pieces and passes the pieces to each person at the

table. Each challah piece is dipped in salt and each person eats his

or her portion together with the others. (Salt is used to commemorate

the grain offerings in the Temple, which were always required to be

used with salt. – Leviticus 2:13)

Finally, the husband lifts his glass of wine and recites the

following blessing:

Universe, Who creates the fruit of the vine.”

Amen”.

Next, the husband or oldest man lifts the challah bread and

says the following prayer:

of the Universe, Who brings forth bread from the earth.”

Amen”.

Two tapered candles in matching candlesticks isShabbat.

Shabbat” in Hebrew is on the cover – but this is also optional.

One needs only a few things to perform the Sabbath service as we do

it...(1) a loaf of bread (preferably “challah”); (2) red wine (or grape

juice); (3) two candles; and (4) a shawl or similar head covering for

the woman. (A prayer shawl (tallit) or other head covering for the

man can also be used. I have one, but as I understand it, for a non-

Jewish man, such a head covering is optional.)

Shamar Shabbat) – to guard the Sabbath and keep it holy.

Jew,

“qadosh” – holy – and that is Shabbat.