Shabbat – Our Weekly Holiday

When most people think of holidays, they think of annual celebrations, but we, Jewish,  have one holiday that occurs every week – the Shabbat.  Known in Hebrew as Shabbat and in Yiddish as Shabbos, this holiday is central to our life. As the great Jewish writer, Adad Ha-Am has observed: “More than the Jewish people have kept the Shabbat, the Shabbat has kept the Jewish people.” The Shabbat truly has been a unifying force for Jews the world over.

Biblical History

Shabbat is a day of rest. However, it is not just a day to sleep late. The model of Shabbat rest can be found in Genesis 2:1-3: “The heaven and earth were finished, and all their array. On the seventh day God finished the work which God had been doing, and God ceased [rested] on the seventh day from all the work which God had done. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy because on it God ceased [rested] from all the work of creation which God had done.”  Thus, the pattern of work and rest is woven into the very fabric of the universe. Rest means more than a physical cessation of work. It implies taking oneself out of the ordinary, out of the routine, out of the rat race. This kind of rest gives us the opportunity to re-create our spirit and restore our soul. Shabbat is a time that is set aside to take notice of the wonders around us.

Not only is the Shabbat an integral part of the Creation story, but it is also the only holiday mentioned in the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments actually appear twice in the Bible. The Shabbat commandments are formulated somewhat differently in each instance.

Remember the Shabbat day and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Shabbat of Adonai your God:  you shall not do any work – you, your son or daughter, your male or female slave, or your cattle, or the stranger who is within your settlements. For in six days, Adonai made heaven and earth and sea, all that is in them, and God rested on the seventh day; therefore Adonai has blessed the Shabbat day and hallowed it

(Deuteronomy 5:12-15)

These two passages point out two different aspects of Shabbat. Exodus tells us to remember the Shabbat while Deuteronomy stresses the observance of the day. Each passage offers us a different rationale for Shabbat. Exodus reminds us that on Shabbat we rejoice in the creation of the physical universe. Deuteronomy reminds us of our own experience of slavery and that we must remember our Exodus from Egypt. In doing so, we are cognizant of the freedom we enjoy.

How we celebrate at Home

Shabbat marks the seventh day of the week, is a spiritual day in which we want to create a special atmosphere of peace and harmony

On Shabbat, we abstain from performing any type of work and leave time to reflect. We are also accustomed to making a festive dinner, for which we prepare a beautiful table to share pleasant conversations, songs and words of the Torah.

What you should always have in your Shabbat table:

1. Candlesticks with candles that we must light before the sunset.
2. Whole Challah (braided bread), which we should put together on a tray covered with a napkin or cloth. ( Make your won challah with our easy recipe )
3. ∙A glass of wine for the Kiddush

*Sheila Bromberg, is a Brazilian – Israeli artist.  You can see the Brazilian motif of happiness in her work, displayed by the combination of exotic colors that makes every piece unique. You can purchase her beautiful work at our store.