! 1 DIY SHABBAT Even when the soul is seared, even when no prayer can come out of our tightened throats, the clean, silent rest of the Sabbath leads us to a realm of endless peace, or the beginning of an awareness of what eternity means.2 1 Oil painting by Ligtenberg, Blue and White Gallery, Jerusalem 2 Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Sabbath, pg. 101 !1 DIY - Do It Yourself - Shabbat is a project of our hearts. We long for you to know the joy of G-d’s celebrations and the intimacy of meeting G-d our Father in them. Each Feast reminds us of who G-d is and who we are in Him - His children ‘born again’ by His Spirit in Yeshua ha’Mashiach, Messiah Jesus. But, many have not grown up in a home that celebrates the Biblical Festivals and so we often are asked, “Where does one start?” This is our answer… DIY Shabbat is a ’How To’ guide to jumpstart you in actively participating in the rhythm and flow of our Father’s Calendar. At HIS-ISRAEL we are about learning, doing, and sharing. To explore more in-depth understanding of each Feast (and to find additional recipes and craft ideas) please visit the drop down menu on HIS-ISRAEL.com titled Appointments with G-d. As you learn the relevance and meaning of these Mo’adim or ‘appointed times’ and move into their celebration we hope you will look for opportunities to share the enjoyment with others. ! © HIS-ISRAEL !2 ! EVERY SEVENTH SUNSET, Shabbat comes. Whether heralded or not, welcomed or not, on the eve of the seventh day Shabbat comes. Brushed with the dew of Creation, Shabbat is different from the other Jewish holidays. It does not mark a historical event or a seasonal harvest. It is not dependent upon the phases of the moon, and it existed even before there was a Jewish people. Shabbat is, as it were, G-d’s holiday, the eternal seventh day of Creation, the day of completion and rest… Shabbat is not just for Jews; it is for everyone. The whole world is invited, indeed deserves to celebrate this day of menuchah3, Jews and non-Jews, old and young, poor and rich, bosses and laborers. In G-d’s world, everyone is equal, and everyone can share in the vision.4 3 What is menucha? “After the six days of creation-what did the universe still lack? Menucha. Came the Sabbath, came menucha, and the universe was complete… To the biblical mind menucha is the same as happiness and stillness, as peace and harmony. The word with which Job described the state after life he was longing for is derived from the same root as menucha. It is the state wherein man lies still, wherein the wicked cease from troubling and the weary are at rest. It is the state in which there is no strife and no fighting, no fear and no distrust. The essence of good life is menucha. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want, He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside still waters” (the waters of menuchot). In later times menucha became a synonym for the life in the world to come, for eternal life.” - Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel 4 Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin, The Tapestry of Jewish Time A Spiritual Guide to Holidays and Life-Cycle Events, pg. 35 !3 Table of Contents 1. Shabbat - A Coming Home 5 2. Shabbat Preparations 6 Shabbat Food Preparations 8 Preparation of Challot 14 Preparation of the Shabbat Table 20 3. Shabbat Prayers 26 Hadlakat Nerot - Candle Lighting 27 Birkat Banim - Blessing of Children 29 Blessing Of Husband and Wife 31 Kiddush - Blessings Over The Wine 32 HaMotzi - Blessing Over The Challah 33 4. Zemirot - Table Songs 34 5. Torah Table Talk 36 6. A Special Family Time 38 7. Book Recommendations For Further Understanding of Shabbat 39 !4 ! 5 SHABBAT - A COMING HOME Happy are those who walk the streets of the world with the fragrance of Shabbos.6 The sweet fragrance of Shabbat - it’s candles, challah, family, Torah, prayer… a fragrance that weaves itself into the six days that follow. Its lingering scent stirs a longing that tugs at ones heart until the first flickering of the Shabbat candles when your soul is home once again. How does one inhale the fragrance of Shabbat? How does one find the peace and holiness of this set apart day? As a beloved child of G-d in Messiah Yeshua, all that you do, no matter how simple, in honor of the Lord and His Word will be blessed in return with the peace and beauty of His Presence. Even the simplest action of celebrating Shabbat will bless you with it’s beauty and Shalom. This does require a letting go of the guilt of having to do everything perfectly, of an all or nothing attitude. It requires a cherishing of simple beginnings and realizing that all you do for His glory and to His praise will have value. As Lori Palatnik recommends in her book Friday Night And Beyond, “Approach Shabbat slowly, one step … at a time. And know that by fulfilling this commandment from G-d, you are bringing the light of all that He gives into your home and into your heart.” We hope this DIY will be a help as you move gently into celebrating Shabbat, the crown of the week. 5 Fiona Collins, Shabbat Shalom 6 Shlomo Carlebach, as cited by Noam Sachs Zion and Shawn Fields-Meyer in A Day Apart Shabbat At Home !5 ! 7 SHABBAT PREPARATIONS Celebrating Shabbat begins not with sundown but with the hours - and even days - preceding it, transformed into the pleasures of preparing for a beloved and honored guest and friend.8 Shabbat truly is a special time and should be filled with specialness. This specialness does require some preparation, but it can be as little or as much as you decide. Think of the little things that will make this time special - fresh flowers for the table, a special dinner for you and your family, challah bread (baked or bought), wine or grape juice for Kiddush, candles (simple tea lights will do), prayers, Torah study, a special family time. If you have a dog - this is a great time to give your pooch a bath.9 Over time these preparations will become a part of the rhythm of your week. 7 flickr.com 8 Noam Sachs Zion and Shawn Fields-Meyer, A Day Apart Shabbat At Home, pg. 13 9 My husband, Keith and I (Cindy) have found the simple phrase, “It’s time for Shabbat!” causes our miniature schnauzer Kirby to dance in delight. Nestled in my husband’s arms, Kirby receives both a blessing and piece of challah. Other’s have shared stories of how their pets seem to sense this very special time. If you have a furry, four legged child you may want to consider speaking a blessing over them during the time of blessing and even letting them share in a taste of challah. !6 If you have children, include them in the preparations. Have them cut flowers from the garden, help prepare food and set the table, give the furry members of the family a bath, pick out a game for after dessert or a family movie. And don’t forget to include your husband in the preparations too.10 Whatever you decide to do - or don’t do - rest and trust in G-d. Your longing to honor Sabbath in itself is pleasing to Him, as is any loving attempt on our part to honor and obey His Word. The Sages of Israel encouragingly affirm that G-d sees the honest and genuine intentions of the heart and accepts them as if one had already accomplished them. He knows our limitations and every small gesture is extremely precious in His sight. Keep this in mind as you take that first step to honor Shabbat. 10 A traditional job for the husband is to prepare the Shabbat candles. Have your husband pre-light the candles than extinguish them - charring the wicks - making them easier to light at candle lighting time. !7 ! SHABBAT FOOD PREPARATION G-d does not eat, but G-d is honored by gifts brought on the altar like choice flour mixed with oil and baked or roasted lamb. They create a sweet smell for G-d. Our food should also be appreciated for its association and the care that went into its preparation as much as for its nutrients. “Preparing a meal is a tangible offering of love.” (Wendy Mogel)11 Eating favorite foods that maximize our culinary pleasure is recognized as the mitzvah12 of Oneg Shabbat (enjoying Shabbat Pleasures).13 To some that may mean a multi-coursed meal in their finest clothes. To others, it may be Chinese take-out or a simple bowl of matzah ball soup enjoyed in ones pajamas. 11 Noam Sachs Zion and Shawn Fields-Meyer, A Day Apart Shabbat At Home, pg. 82 12 What are Mitzvot? “Mitzvot are expressions or interpretations of the will of G-d. While they are meaningful to man, the source of their meaning is not in the understanding of man but in the love of G-d… Mitzvot were given for the purpose of sanctifying. This is their function: to refine, to ennoble, to sanctify man. They confer holiness upon us, whether or not we know exactly what they signify… In carrying out a mitzvah we acknowledge the fact of G-d being concerned with our fulfillment of His will.” Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, Moral Grandeur and Spiritual Audacity: Essays, pg.