Likrat Shabbat – Greeting the Sabbath.  We need to prepare to celebrate this day.  “It was ­preparation day, and a Shabbat was about to begin.”  Luke 23.54

Shabbat is likened to a Queen or a Bride.   The Talmud discusses the Friday evening habits of two rabbis. The text says that Rabbi Chanina ZT”L would dress in fine clothes, stand at sunset on Friday evening and call out, “Come let us go forth to welcome the Sabbath queen.” While Rabbi Yannai ZT”L would dress in fine garments and exclaim, “Come, O bride! Come, O bride.” (Talmud, Shabbat 119a)

Preparation for Shabbat should begin early in the day.  In fact the rabbis say that all week long we should be preparing for Shabbat in our minds and hearts.  The days of the week do not really have names in Hebrew.  They are simply called day one, day two, etc.  All of this points to day seven which is Shabbat.  So each day anticipation should be building up as Shabbat draws nearer.

Hell will do everything it can to keep you from celebrating Shabbat.  It is really a spiritual battle.  That is why you need to make plans in order to succeed.  You cannot wait until 5:00 Friday evening and start preparation.  You will never fully experience Shabbat.  Prayer is important.  Read and reflect on Scriptures about Shabbat.  Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 58.13-14, Yirmiyahu (Jeremiah) 17.24,25, Hebrews 4.9-1.

It requires discipline.  We must plan all of our family’s activities between Sunday and Thursday so that Friday is not crowded with to much work to finish before Shabbat.  When we do this the focus of Friday is really preparation for Shabbat.

Practical preparations include setting a festive table usually with a white tablecloth, flowers, etc.  Each person dresses in nice clothes.  Friends and family are often invited because Shabbat is a community celebration.

V’Shamru – Exodus 31.16-17  This is usually the opening Scripture because it gives us the reason we are celebrating Shabbat.  It can be sung, chanted or simply read in either or both Hebrew and English.

L’Cha Dodi/Lechu Neranena

L’Cha Dodi is a prayer that was written by Rabbi Solomon Halevi Alkabetz in 1540.  Even though this was written after the Scriptures, he paraphrases different passages of Scriptures throughout the poem.  He wrote the poem as an acrostic that actually spells his name.  Its purpose is to impress that Shabbat is G-d’s own gift to us.  The first two verses of the poem talk of Shabbat.  Verses 3 through 10 speak of Israel’s redemption and the coming of the Messiah.  Below is an English translation of the poem.

L’chu N’ranena is a song from Tehillim 95.1-2.  Sometime during the 17^th century six psalms were chosen to be the opening for the Erev Shabbat service.  They were Psalms 95-99 and Psalm 29.  The theme of these psalms is joy, exalting G-d, release, etc.  By reciting and reflecting on these, it helps us let go of the burden of the week and give ourselves to celebrating Shabbat and experiencing G-d.

Nerot — Candlelighting

Two candles are normally lit.   Some families add one candle for each child.  It is tradition that a woman lights Shabbat candles.  This tradition is never mentioned in the Scriptures.  So why do we do it as Messianic Jews?  When it comes to traditions of men, we need to examine them and see if they contradict the Scriptures.  If they do, then we cannot embrace them.  However, for those traditions that do not contradict G-d or His word, we are at liberty to embrace and practice them and use them to draw us closer to G-d.  So, we encourage the lighting of the Shabbat candles. We know this practice was well in place by the second century of the common era.

One reason given for the lighting the Shabbat candles is that they officially begin the Shabbat just as the words, “Let there be light” began the creation of the world.  As Messianic believers we know that Yeshua declared He is the light of the world.  As we light the candles we reflect on this truth.   He brings light into our lives and dispels the darkness. 

We recite a Messianic blessing instead of the traditional blessing because the traditional blessing does mention that the reason for doing this is because G-d commanded us to do so.  However, no where in Scriptures does G-d command us to do so.  Below is the English text of the Messianic blessing we use in the home.

Blessed are you, L-rd our G-d, king of the Universe, who sanctifies us by you word and commands us to be a light unto the nations and has given us Yeshua the Messiah, light of the world.

Eshet Chayil/Song of Songs –

This is a time to praise the woman of the house.  Eshet Chayil is from Mishlei (Proverbs) 31.10-31.  This passage describes the woman as one who is kind, gentle, dignified and a source of family unity.  This passage is also done in an acrostic fashion.  It uses 22 of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet.  This woman is one who is strong, competent and wise.  She is loyal to her husband and family.  She is to be praised because she fears Adonai.

A Messianic blessing such as follows can also be said: Lord, I thank you for blessing me with this woman.  May your blessing rest upon her.  May your peace and joy be abundant in her life.  May all fear, doubt, and unbelief be removed from her spirit.  I ask you to continue to speak to her each day.  Guide her and show her the steps she is to take.  Keep the evil one from her.  May she know that I am committed both to you and to her.  In the name of Yeshua the Messiah.

Psalm 112 – blessing over the man

Part or all of this psalm can be recited by the wife to honor her husband. It speaks of the man who also fears Adonai and delights in His word.  It goes on to state that this man will not be moved because his trust is in Adonai.

A personal Messianic blessing such as follows can also be said:  Adonai, I thank you for my husband.  I bless him as the priest of our home.  May you continue to give him wisdom and understanding as he delights himself in you.  May you encourage him as he follows after you.  Help him to stand against the tactics of Satan and to provide protection for our family.  May he know that I am committed to both you and him.  In the name of Yeshua the Messiah.

Birkat Banim — Blessing our children and one another

This tradition is demonstrates the priestly role of the father as the head of the home.  Traditionally the father would place both hands on the head of each child and bless them.  With multiple children, both parents can place a hand on the child’s (drens’) head or a tallit can be held over a group of children.

There is such power in the blessing of the father.  It gives security and assurance of love to the children even long before they can understand the meaning of the blessing.

The blessing over the son is:

May G-d make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.  (Genesis 48.20)

Then over the daughters.

May you be like Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel and Leah.

A messianic blessing as follows could also be said:  Lord, I thank you for this child (children) that you have blessed us with.  May they grow in favor with you and with man.  May he/she/they continue to grow in the likeness of his/her/their Messiah Yeshua.  Remove fear from this child(ren).  Fill him/her/them with your peace and with your Ruach.  Guard his/her/their paths.  Lead him/her/them in paths of righteousness.  In Yeshua’s name.  Amen.

The Aaronic Benediction is then recited over all present.  This is taken from BaMidbar (Numbers) 6.24-26.

Harachaman

This is an opportunity for the children to bless their parents.  The English text of this simple and short blessings says, “  The Compassionate One, may He bless my father, my teacher, the man of the home, and my mother, my teacher the woman of the home.

Erev Shabbat Kiddush — sanctifying the day of Shabbat over the juice

The Kiddush has been recited for over 2,000 years.  It is recited both at home and at the end of the Erev Shabbat service in the synagogue.  The Kiddush serves to remind us of the two reasons given in the Torah for observing Shabbat.  First, because G-d rested on this day.  The second reason was that we were brought out of slavery in Egypt.  As slaves we had no choice.  We had to work seven days.  Now we can choose to rest on Shabbat.

The initials of the first four Hebrew words of the Kiddush form the personal name of G-d.

יוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי. וַיְכֻלּוּ הַשָמַֽיִם 

Rachatz – the washing of hands

This tradition is symbolic of the priest washing their hands before they entered the Temple to serve before the L-rd.

R. Zerika said in the name of R. Eleazar: He who belittles the washing of hands [before a meal] will be rooted out of the world.”  (B. Sot 4b.)

This simple ceremony, just like during the Passover, reminds us to come before G-d with cleans hands and a pure heart.  In fact, it would be appropriate to recite Psalm 24.1-6 after washing the hands.

HaMotzi – the blessing over the bread.

Usually there are two loaves of challah, braided egg bread.  Some say they represent the double portion of manna the children of Israel received on Friday so they would not have to gather any on Shabbat.  Another interpretation is that they represent the two tablets of the Ten Commandments.

The blessing reminds us that all we have comes from G-d.  He is the source of our provision.  He provides our daily bread and meets every other need we have. 

The motzi is the blessing that is said right before the Shabbat meal.

Meal

Birkat HaMazon — blessings after eating

This prayer is said to remind us that we should be thankful to G-d at all times, even after we have eaten and are no longer hungry. 

The rabbis developed this prayer in response to the command given in Devarim (Deuteronomy) 8.10 which states, “When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the L-rd your God for the good land He has given you.”

This prayer was probably established by the Great Assembly, the Jewish Legislative body that ruled from 500 to 300 BCE.  We know from sources such as Josephus, that this prayer was well established before the second temple time.  This means that in all likelihood Yeshua would have used this prayer in his observance.

There were originally three benedictions to this prayer.  The first was on food.  The second was on the land of Israel and the third was on the rebuilding of the temple.  After the failure of the revolt led by Bar Kochba against Rome in 137 CE a benediction on G-d’s great goodness was added.  This was to demonstrate that we would never lose faith in G-d’s goodness no matter what happened to us.  These four are the “required” parts of this prayer.

Over the years many other sections were added to this prayer.  One section begins with the phrase, “May the Merciful One”  and one version lists nine petitions to Adonai.  These petitions seek his blessing in various aspects of our daily lives.  They vary in number and content.  Following these petitions is a section entitled, “May He magnify…”

The last section are from the Psalms and are often said silently out of respect for the poor among us.  These verses are taken from passages like Tehillim (Psalm) 37.25.

The prayer ends with a plea to Adonai for peace.  Rashi explains the reason for this, “So you have eaten a very tasty and delicious meal, but can you really feel satisfied if there is no shalom?”

Devar Torah/Zemirot (Songs)  

After the meal it is good to take time to talk briefly about the Torah portion for the week.  It can also be a time where the family and friends sing songs together.  The whole atmosphere is one of turning away from the normal things of daily life and slowing down to enjoy Adonai, family and friends.