It's now time to light candles. The Talmud simply says that their purpose is "Shalom Bayit" (Peace in the Home). In an era before artificial lighting, eating a festive dinner would need to be in the dark. The candles would provide an aura of a...
It's now time to light candles. The Talmud simply says that their purpose is "Shalom Bayit" (Peace in the Home). In an era before artificial lighting, eating a festive dinner would need to be in the dark. The candles would provide an aura of a...
Well before sundown, the men go to the synagogue. The afternoon service is recited, essentially identical to any weekday afternoon service (Minhah), except for the omission of the supplications for forgiveness of sin, recited in most communities...
With Kabbalat Shabbat completed, we are ready for the Evening prayer (Arvit, or Maariv). There is a long standing difference of opinion whether it is better to wait for the evening prayer until it is actually dark, or whether it is meant to be...
The men walk home from synagogue, but they are not alone. According to Talmudic tradition, two angels follow a man home on Friday night; a good angel and a bad angel.When he gets home, if the house is ready for Shabbat; the candles lit, the table...
We left off last time with the fact that, if you are using the right prayer book, the Friday night Kiddush has exactly 70 words. This is reflective of a fundamental concept in Kabbalah; the mystery of Nogah. According to the Kabbalah, there exists...
I have found that the concept of the Shabbat meals, is one of the hardest for people to understand. Yes, they are celebratory. Yes, they are commemorative. Yes, they are an opportunity for the family to sit together and reconnect. But the Shabbat...
There are no laws, or even universal customs, concerning what should be present at a Shabbat meal. We are commanded to simply eat that which we enjoy, in order to "call the Shabbat a delight" (Isaiah 58:13). An ALMOST universal practice is to...
The Friday night meal is over, the kids have been put to bed. This night is also known as "Mitzvah Night". The physical union of husband and wife, although mentioned in RAMBAM as being part of the command of "Oneg": Delight in Shabbat, is seen by...
Until now, I have mostly discussed the spiritual aspects of Shabbat. But there are also many halachic aspects, that form the framework upon which the spirituality if Shabbat is built. It is easy to lose the forest for the trees. Our job is to be...
Before going into the ins and outs of using hot water on Shabbat, I believe a few words on the entire Ashkenazi-Sepharadi conundrum are in order. As you have undoubtedly noticed, usually the Ashkenazim are very strict, with the Sepharadim taking a...
There are many "outs" in the laws of Shabbat. They need to be examined based on sources, as well as judged for their advisability in "real life". First allow me to reiterate a basic principle in regard to "emergency" situations. When danger to...
What happens when we turn on the hot water in the sink or bathtub? Water that has been automatically heated in the boiler comes out from the faucet. Usually, we have it mixed with cold water, in order to arrive at the desired temperature. Might we...
We are now off to shul. Orthodox services are very similar in structure between one group and another. They consist of morning blessings, thanking G-d for the fundamentals of life (ability to see, move about, etc.) In some communities, these are...
Anyone who studies the laws of Shabbat, is usually mystified by the complexity of everything involved with cooking. But what is complex is not actually the halachah, but the numerous svarot (theoretical constructs) of some later rabbis, as well as...
