Shabbat
SHABBAT - BACKGROUND
Shabbat, also known as the Sabbath, is a 25-hour period that begins at sundown on Friday night and ends at sundown on Saturday. It is a central and sacred day in Judaism that allows the practitioner to achieve spiritual renewal by connecting with family, friends and community. As a cornerstone to Jewish life, it is considered the 7th day of the Jewish week based on the biblical story of creation, where G-d created the world in 6 days and rested on the 7th To "[R]emember the Sabbath day and make it holy" is one of the 10 biblical commandments. Shabbat is the most holy day in the Jewish calendar and its' observances take priority over all other holiday practices and rituals.
WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT SHABBAT
Unlike the other days of the week, Shabbat has the following unique attributes to the day that make it special:
1 - Spiritual Renewal - detachment from the mundane practices of life to focus on more spiritual and introspective matters
2 - Connection to the Divine - connect to the divine and holy aspects of the universe through prayer and the study of holy texts
3 - Elevation of the Soul - by avoiding work and engaging in spiritual practices, it is easier to elevate the soul and connect to higher states of consciousness
4 - Oneg Shabbat - also known as the "joy of Shabbat", it is a time to find joy in the festive meals, signing and quliatiy time spent with family and friends
5 - Neshamah Yeterah (extra soul) - on Shabbat, an extra soul enters you to help to enhance your experience and understanding of the day
6 - Creation & Rest - an opportunity to reflect on the story of creation in Genesis, where G-d created during the first 6 days and then rested on the 7th day - Shabbat. The technical prohibition is against work or deliberate activity, referred to as "Melakhah".
7 - Simply "Be" within the Perfection - Shabbat is considered a perfect day, following G-d's 6-days of creation. Accordingly, there is an opportunity to "be" at peace with the day without the need or desire to create since the day is already perfect.
HOW TO PRACTICE SHABBAT
Shabbat has the following rituals that are observed in part of in full by its practitioners. People that maintain all of the rituals and observe each of the mitzvot are called "shomer Shabbos". Even before the lighting of the candles to welcome Shabbat, there is a special energy where people bathe, clip their nails, get a haircut and generally beautify the home with flowers, special Shabbat clothing and table settings.
1 - Candle Lighting - Shabbat is welcomed each week with a special candle lighting ceremony and prayer conducted by a woman of the Jewish home. Lighting the Shabbos candles is one of three main obligations of a Jewish woman, the other two being baking Challah and practicing Niddah, the act of having a mikveh (spiritual bath) during certain times of the month following her menstrual cycle.
The candle lighting service is conducted either 18 or 36 minutes before sundown on Friday evening and has both practical and spiritual significance. Practically, we are able to bring candle Light into the home immediately before Shabbat starts, a time when we are not able to light fire or turn on electrical devices or lights. Spiritually, candle lighting has several meanings: (1) a symbolic act of bringing light to your life and home; (2) welcoming the Sabbath Queen (Shabbat is personified as a Queen or Bride); (3) drawing down the Shechinah - divine female energy; (4) connecting to the act of creation from the Torah (i.e. Let there be Light) and the on-going creation of holiness into the world; (5) the unity of heaven and earth, spiritual and physical and divine and mundane through the lighting of two flames; (6) prayer and intention, creating space for personal reflection and setting positive intentions for Shabbat; and (7) the commencement of the separation between of holy and the mundane that takes place during Shabbat. Commentators suggest the two separate candles are connected to the dual apsect of the command,ment to both "[Remember and Observe" Shabbat and make it holy.
2 - Kabbalat Shabbat - following candle lighting there are several songs that are sung to welcome Shabbat. While different communities and synagogues may have slightly different songs and services, the two main songs we sign are Shalom Aleichem - welcoming the angels of Shabbat and Eshet Chayil - honoring the "woman of valor" in the Jewish home. It also varies between communities, but the period before Kiddush is also a time to bless your children.
3 - Kiddush - Kiddush or "sanctification", is a blessing recited over wine to sanctify the Shabbat. To honor the mitzvah of reciting kiddush, a silver goblet (Kiddush cup) is often used. The cup must hold a revi'it of liquid (~5.46 US fl oz). After the person reciting the kiddush drinks from the wine, the rest is passed around the table or poured out into small cups for the other participants. The text of the Friday night kiddush begins with a passage from Genesis in the Torah as a testimony to God's creation of the world and cessation of work on the seventh day. Some Chasidic and Sephardic Jews pour a small amount of water into the wine before kiddush on Friday night to commemorate the old custom of "mixing of the wine" or to infuse the wine with the quality of mercy which is symbolized by water. Kiddush is said at both the festive Shabbat meals on Friday night and Saturday lunch following Torah prayer services.
4 - Washing Hands - Before making a blessing over the Challah on Shabbbat, we wash our hands. Traditionally, a ceremonial cup with two handles is filled with water and poured over each hand (some people pour three splashes over each hand, the minimum is twice), then the blessing is recited. After the hand washing, you do not speak until after the blessing over the challah is said to symbolize that there should be minimum delay between hand washing and blessing over the Challah (Motzi). It is interesting to note that most Jewish prayers are said before the action, however the hand washing prayer (Al Netilat Yadiem), is said afterwards. The requirement to wash one’s hands is rabbinical. The Kohanim (priests) were required to wash their hands to purify themselves before eating or handling donations separated for the Kohanim to ensure they were purified. Another basis for for the hand washing practice is that we are required to lead our lives with sanctity, which also includes washing one’s hands before eating bread. Symbolically we can transform our inner world with an intention to be similarly purified before receiving the sacred gift of food.
5 - Challah - Challah is a key component of the Shabbat celebration and also has both practical and spiritual meanings. First, the large and beautifully braided loaf is a symbol of abundance and prosperity, connecting shabbat to a time of spiritual and material blessings. The braided shape represents the three-column divine structure of the universe (left, right, center / judgment, mercy and balance) and the braid shows the interconnectedness of all things and also represents friends, family and community. On shabbat, we try to infuse the world with spiritual intention and elevate sparks of light. By sanctifying the Challah with blessings and intention, we are able to elevate the sparks in the bread in the material world. Bread is normally just physical sustenance, but when infused with the blessings and intenrtion of our prayers, it transforms into spiritual sustenance as well when observing Shabbat. When the Jews wandered in the desert, for 40 years they were sustained by Mana which fell from the heavens. A double portion was provided on Fridays, providing enough to last through Shabbat. We connect to the double portion by having 2 loaves of Challah on the Shabbat table.
Before baking the Challah, it is a tradition to separate a small piece of dough (often burned) to fulfill the Torah commandment of "making an offering to G-d." Many Kabbalists will also remove a small piece and put it into the trash before making the blessings to let the evil inclination (Yetzer Harah) play in the garbage and prevent it from disrupting the Shabbat dinner.
It is also a Jewish custom to put salt on the Challah plate. There are several reasons for this, including: (1) remembrance of the Holy Temple, whereby salt was used in the sacrificial offerings in the Temple in Jerusalem; (2) a Symbol of Permanence for a lasting and stable home as salt is known for its stability and enduring qualities; (3) Enhancing the Bread's Flavor; and (4) Replicating the Showbread that was placed on the golden table in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple and seasoned with salt.
6 - Family Meals - there are traditionally 3 family meals during Shabbat - Friday night, Saturday lunch and Saturday afternoon after the Mincha prayer. These three festive meals are a time for joy for family, friends and community to connect, sign songs and enjoy each other and the holiness of the day without the distractions from the outside, physical world. The third meal on Shabbat afternoon does not include Kiddush, just Challah and Motzi prayers and is called Seudah Shlishit or Third meal. According to Kabbalistic teachings, each of the three Shabbat meals is associated with a different level of the soul. The Friday night meal is associated with the higher soul level called "Neshamah," the Shabbat day meal with "Ruach," and Seudah Shlishit with "Nefesh," the lowest level of the soul.
Seudah Shlishit is considered to be a time when the physical body and the soul are particularly interconnected. Seudah Shlishit is also seen as a transitional meal, marking the end of the Shabbat and the beginning of the regular week. It contains both the holiness of Shabbat and the ordinary nature of the weekdays. Kabbalists emphasize the mystical and spiritual dimensions of Seudah Shlishit which is seen as a time to absorb and integrate the spiritual energy accumulated during the Shabbat in order to carry that inspiration into the coming week. Lastly, some Kabbalistic teachings suggest that Seudah Shlishit has a connection to the future Messianic era whereby the holiness experienced during Seudah Shlishit is a taste of the elevated spiritual state that will characterize the Messianic age.
7 - Prayers in Synagogue - On Shabbat morning we make a spiritual connection in synagogue and read from the Siddur and the Torah. The three primary connections in the siddur are to (a) commemorate creation (G-d rested on the 7th day, Shabbat); (b) to commemorate the Exodus and the giving of the 10 commandments which establishes the mitvah to "remember and observe Shabbat" ; and (c) to get a taste of the Olam Haba or the Messianic age to come. We read each week from the Torah based on the yearly cycle of 54 parashoth - one for each Shabbat. Each parashah has 7 sections and we also read a Haftorah portion from the Hebrew Prophets.
8 - Cessation from Work / Creation - the relevant portion of the Ten Commandments states: "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy."
Based on this commandment, Jews refrain from engaging in certain types of work on Shabbat as a way of honoring and observing the sacred nature of the day. Specific activities avoided on Shabbat vary among different people and communities, but common prohibitions include activities such as writing, cooking, driving, operating electronic devices, and handling money. By refraining from work on Shabbat, Jews create a space for rest, rejuvenation, and a deeper connection to God and to one another.
9 - Havdalah - the final ceremony of Shabbat is called Havdalah which means separation or division. The service marks the end of Shabbat and ushers in a new week. Havdalah is a multi-sensory experience which includes the smelling of fragrant cloves, the glow of a braided candle, the taste of wine and the sound on the blessings. The service transitions us from the spiritual high of Shabbat to the new weekday. The candle lighting represents the first creative act of the week (lighting the fire) and the three braided wicks represents the multiple acts of creation and multiple spiritual paths available for humanity. The smelling of the spices serves to revive our spirit after the departure of the extra soul present during Shabbat and also comforts and encourages us for the challenges of the week ahead. Havdalah marks the end of Shabbat and is commenced after sunset on Saturday night. The sages suggest that Shabbat is technically over when three stars appear in the night sky or ~72 minutes after sunset.
WHY KEEP SHABBAT
From a Torah perspective, the mystics suggest that Moshaach and world peace will come if all Jews observe two consecutive Shabbats. Shabbat is one of the 10 commandments and the punishment set forth in the Torah for not observing Shabbat is "stoning", the most severe physical punishment in Jewish law. Likewise the spiritual punishment for not observing is spiritual ex-communication, the most severe spiritual punishment.
On a more practical basis, observing Shabbat, either in its entirely, or whatever aspect you feel comfortable observing, allows us to disconnect from the material world and the mundane passage of time and connect to a day of holiness spent with family, friends and community. By ceasing to work and pursue material objectives on Shabbat, we are able to rejuvenate and elevate our souls to re-emerge and continue our role in the world to elevate sparks of light and holiness through the rest of the week.
MYSTICAL INSIGHTS ON SHABBAT
According to the mystics, Shabbat is a microcosm of the process of creation which required and included an act of restriction and separation before the world came into existence. By disconnecting for Shabbat, we connect to the original act of creation and can infuse the coming week with spiritual strength and guidance.
Have a great week and a new found sense of appreciation for Shabbat!
Resources & Credits
The Holiday Wisdom emails and the ideas presented herein are compiled from the following sources:
Gutnick Edition Chumash with Rashi's commentary, Targum Onkelos, and commentary anthologized from Classic Rabbinic Texts and the works of the Lubavitcher Rebbe
Apples from the Orchard - Gleanings from the Mystical Teachings of Rabbi Yitzchak Luria on the Weekly Torah Portion
Kabbalistic Bible, - Kabbalah Centre International, Inc
Chabad.org
LiveKabbalah.org
The Zohar - Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, various translations
Mysteries of the Kabbalah - Marc-Alain Ouaknin
Other online written and video content that discusses and shares Kabbalistic Wisdom