51b - Shabbat Traditions

51b — Shabbat Traditions

Shabbat Candles, Blessings, and Songs —

Shabbat is the Hebrew word for Sabbath. According to Exodus 20:8-11, it occurs on the final day of the week when Jewish families come together to rest and rejoice after six days of work. It begins on Friday when the sun goes down and ends on Saturday when 3 stars appear in the nighttime sky. It is a 24 hour period of joy filled with prayers, blessings, food, and songs. It is a holy remembrance of God’s seventh day of rest after creating the world in six days.

At the center of the Friday night celebration is a leisurely family dinner during which no one is in a hurry. Three important traditions surround this meal.
1) At sundown, candles are lit by the mother as she blesses the Lord.
2) Blessings are then prayed over the children by one or both parents.
3) After the meal, songs are sung around the table by young and old. One of the best loved songs is Shabbat Shalom which means “peaceful Sabbath.” (See the words below.)

Experience the wonder of these three meaningful Shabbat customs as you watch the following videos.

My Prayer

Dearest Father, Thank you for including resting on the Sabbath as part of your Ten Commandments. Thank you for this meaningful remembrance and celebration that brings people closer to one another and to you. Amen.

Bim bom.