What is Shabbos?

The Sabbath (in Hebrew, Shabbat, pronounced shah-BAHT--or in some communities, Shabbos, "SHAH-bis") may be Judaism's most distinctive and characteristic practice, as well as one of its most pervasive and long-lasting gifts to Western civilization. A weekly 25 hour observance, from just before sundown each Friday through the completion of nightfall on Saturday, Shabbat is more than just a day off from labor. It is a day of physical and spiritual delights that is meant to illuminate certain key concepts in the traditional Jewish perception of the world.

Themes and Theology: Shabbat is portrayed in the Bible as the pinnacle of the creation of the universe, and its observance can be seen as a reminder of the purposefulness of the world and the role of human beings in it. Shabbat also serves as a memorial to God's act of rescuing the Israelites from slavery in Egypt by setting aside a day for personal autonomy and freedom from the harsh demands of labor. The traditional Shabbat is portrayed in Jewish liturgy, song, and story as a day of joy, a sanctuary from travails, and even a foretaste of the perfected world that will someday be attained.

History and Development: Shabbat, like many important facets of Judaism, has its origins in the Torah, where it is most notable as a day of complete cessation of labor. The prophetic tradition portrays it as a day of pleasures as well. The Rabbis spelled out their understanding of forbidden "labor" in a complex series of restrictions on productive activities of many sorts. They also prescribed festive meals and ceremonies for every part of the day. The varieties of Shabbat observances and customs over the ages and around the world illustrate the adaptation of Jews in many societies to new realities and new ideas.

At Home: One constant theme in Shabbat observance across time and territory is the centrality of home life with family members and guests. Preparation for Shabbat begins as early as mid-week in some households, and its arrival is marked by the spiritual illumination of a candle-lighting ceremony. Rabbinic tradition mandates three Shabbat meals, two begun with a special kiddush ("sanctification") recited over wine. Family meals are occasions for singing, studying, and celebrating together, as well as for consuming distinctive Shabbat foods.

In the Community: Shabbat observance in the public sphere is focused on the synagogue, from the lively welcoming service, Kabbalat Shabbat, to the pensive farewell ceremony, Havdalah. The daily round of prayer services is augmented and endowed with a unique atmosphere. Special melodies are used, and the familiar prayers are supplemented with passages in prose and poetry extolling God for the divine gift of the Shabbat and its delights. At the major worship service on Saturday morning, a portion of the Torah is read aloud as part of a year-long cycle, supplemented by a passage from one of the prophetic books (called a haftarah).

What are the Laws of Shabbos?

G-d gave the Ten Commandments, our most basic laws, to Moshe on Mount Sinai.  He then instructed the Jews to build the Mishkan to house these precious tablets.  Our Laws of Shabbos today are based on the actions that were required to build the Mishkan, which the Jews had to refrain from doing on their day of rest.  Here are some examples of prohibitions (keep in mind that if something is not listed but has the same basis, then it is also a Melocho, or work that you cannot do on Shabbos):

• Cooking: cannot apply heat to change things in any way
• Driving: cannot start or extinguish a fire, including sparking and burning a car’s fuel
• Handling money: connected to activities disallowed on Shabbos, such as shopping; no use for money on Shabbos
• Using telephones, lights, and other electricity: cannot complete or disconnect the circuit, which turns on and off the electricity
• Ripping toilet paper, sewing, cutting things: cannot create something new, which occurs if you divide up one thing into two separate things or vice versa
• Watering plants/picking flowers: Shabbos was Hashem’s day of completion, and we must respect that.  Destroying a life or artificially keeping it going shows mastery over the world, disrespecting Hashem’s omnipotence.

Writing, drawing, tearing through letters of a package.

Please keep in mind that p’koach nefesh (to save a life) triumphs all of these laws.  One may do whatever necessary in order to save a life of a fellow Jew, including on Shabbos.

What is a Parsha?

The Torah is divided into 54 sections.  Every week is assigned one Parsha, which can be found in a Chumash.  Once all 54 portions are completed, the entire cycle starts over again.  Each Parsha is read out loud in Shul during Shabbos day.  At the very least, during the week every Jew should read the Parsha in Hebrew or their vernacular.  Many Jews choose to read the Parsha on Shabbos during the break between lunch and Mincha.

What is a D’var Torah?

A D’var Torah is something a person says, usually during a Shabbos meal.  It literally means “Word of Torah”, and is a story or elaboration or anecdote related to the Parsha.  One may speak of anything related to Judaism if they do not have something related to the Parsha in mind.

To Keep in Mind as a Shabbos Guest…

• It is customary to bring a gift for your host (flowers, if wine make sure it is kosher, kosher candy or cake, toys for the children that adhere to the laws of Shabbos and are also appropriate)
  
• Tell your host in advance of any dietary restrictions you may have (allergies, vegetarian, kosher...kidding on that one).  They would much more prefer to put in a little extra effort than have you not eat at their Shabbos table!
  
• Dress modestly to respect your host’s sensibilities.

• Ask questions if you do not know understand something.

A Typical Shabbos: A brief guide

1. The female head of the household will the light candles 18 minutes before Shabbos starts.  The custom is to light two candles, although some light a candle for each member of the family. Remember to turn on lights wherever necessary in the house (i.e. hallways, bathroom) before Shabbos.  All lights will remain untouched  until after Havdala.
2. Evening services. Involves davening (praying) regular Mincha, or afternoon, prayers and then special Shabbos Maariv, or evening prayers.
3. The Shabbos meal at the house,  with a scrumptious and unique menu.
1. The  head of the household says kiddush over the wine (custom dictates whether everybody sits or stands)
2. Everybody washes their hands at a sink.  Washing the hands means you take a cup  in your left hand and pour water over your right hand two times, then over your left hand two times. Before drying say this bracha (prayer):

   Baruch atoh Adonai Eloheinu melech ha-olam ashare kidishanu b'mitzvosav vitsyvanu al nitilas yadayim.

3. DO NOT SPEAK.  Once everybody is at the table, the male head of the household will say Hamotzi over the two whole challah rolls.  The challah will then be broken into pieces and passed around.  Once you eat your piece can then you may speak.
4. Enjoy the Shabbos meal!  Usually during the meal the host will share a Dvar Torah (a story or elaboration relating to the week’s Parsha).
5. After the meal is completed, everybody says Birkas Hamazon (Grace after Meals), which is read from a bencher.  The first paragraph, Shir Hamalot, is usually sung aloud, while the rest of the paragraphs are said quietly but out loud to oneself.  Most families will have benchers with either English or transliteration in addition to Hebrew.  There is an extra paragraph to add on Shabbos.
6. Some families like to sing zimirot (songs) during and after the meal.  The lyrics can be found in the benchers.
4. Shabbos morning  Shacharit, davening .
5. Shabbos lunch.  Same steps as dinner, listed above.
6. Schmoozing, learning Judaic texts, napping until Mincha, the afternoon  prayers.
7. Shabbos Mincha.
8. Seudat Shlishleet, or Shalush Seudos (the third meal), often accompanied with zimirot
9. Weekday Maariv with additional end of Shabbos prayers added.
10. Havdala to end Shabbos (mandatory for all, can be at Shul or in the home)

What Makes a Wine Kosher?

I'm going to cover three subjects here:

• What does "kosher" mean?
• What is a kosher wine? What's a "Mevushal" wine?
• How can I tell if a wine is kosher?

The word "kosher" means "fit." Kosher food is "fit to eat" because it passes certain technical requirements. Kosher food is often certified by rabbinical authorities, but it is not "blessed" by them.

Wine has special rules and regulations that are unlike any other kosher food. With an important exception, kosher wines must be created, bottled, opened, handled, and poured only by Jews. If a non-Jew handles the wine — e.g., pours a cup of wine, or passes the bottle — the wine becomes not kosher.

There is an exception. If the wine is heated to near boiling, the wine can subsequently be handled by non-Jews — heating the wine affects the taste, as you might imagine. Wines that have been heated in this fashion are called "mevushal," and are so marked somewhere on the bottle (a few bottle have these notes only in Hebrew). Sometimes the abbreviation "Mev." is used. Almost invariably wines served at catered celebrations (e.g., a wedding) are "mevushal," since both Jews and non-Jews can be present or handle the wine.

Here on my wine rack in my office I've got a bottle of wine with the word "kosher" on it. But anyone can put "kosher" on a bottle of wine; the word is meaningless without testimony as to who put the word on the bottle. Since I don't know who — if anyone — certified the wine, I have yet to drink it.

How do I know who certified a bottle of wine? The bottle will be labeled with a trademarked symbol of an organization that certifies food as kosher.

Reliable kosher certification comes from many different organizations in all corners of the world. Much of the wine in the US is certified by either the OU or the OK. The OU's trademark is the letter O with the letter U inside; their web site is here. The OK logo is, similarly, the letter O with the letter K inside; their web site is here.
There are many other reliable certification organizations; for example, any bottle of wine marked "certified by the Chief Rabbinate" of a city in Israel is generally acceptable to most people in the Jewish community. Unfortunately, not all organizations are acceptable to all individuals, as might be imagined in a religious community which has no central authority (or, rather, many competing central authorities). The OU and OK are predominant in any case.

As I noted just above, a non-Jew may not open, pour, or handle an open bottle of wine. A non-Jew may give a Jew a sealed bottle of kosher wine. However, if that wine is not mevushal, the receipient would find it difficult to share the wine with the giver. Therefore, any kosher wine is perfectly acceptable as present; but as a host gift for a dinner invitation, a mevushal wine is a wise choice.

Again, to find mevushal wines, use the Guided Search or this
list of mevushal wines.

How to be a good Shabbos Guest

Every family loves having sleep-over Shabbat guests.
But there is a reality you should be aware of: Families with children can entail a lot of juggling. Between laundry, Shabbat cooking, taking kids to the doctor... by the time Shabbat rolls around, everyone (especially the parents!) is looking forward to a bit of a break.

That's where you, the Shabbat guest, come in. How can you be a good guest, while making your visit even more pleasurable? Try following these basic guidelines:

1) Beforehand: Be sure to inform your hosts ahead of time of any dietary requirements -- allergies, vegetarianism, etc. Most hosts would prefer going to the extra effort to prepare what you will eat, rather than have you sit there and go hungry in their home!

2) What to Bring: Bring a gift. The safest thing is flowers, or wine if you're familiar with your hosts standards of kashrut. You could also bring something to help keep the kids entertained -- a ball or card game. Just make sure it is something the kids can play with on Shabbat (i.e. it's not muktzah), and also be sensitive that it's in the spirit of a Torah home (i.e. no Ninja Mutant Turtle toys).

3) When to Arrive: Do not arrive three minutes before candle-lighting. One of your host's many Shabbat preparations is to make sure their guests are settled in and taken care of with sheets, towels, etc. If you arrive at the last minute, you're adding to the rush and tension. But don't come too early, either -- parents and children may be taking a nap, or washing the floor. The best time to arrive is 45-60 minutes before candle-lighting. This gives you enough time to get settled, and you can use the spare minutes to offer to help -- setting the table, holding a baby, playing with the kids, etc.

4) At the Table: The Mishne Brura says it's a mitzvah to invite students for Shabbat because they add Divrei Torah to the Shabbat table. So don't disappoint: Have one or two Divrei Torah prepared. Don't worry -- it doesn't have to be a genius innovation. Just share something you learned about the parsha, or a personal experience that you found inspiring. And don't wait to be asked; you can simply chime in.

A corollary to this is: Don't talk about sports, movies, or politics (unless your host brings it up). Many families try to keep their Shabbat conversation to words of Torah. Be sensitive to the atmosphere!

5) Help around the house: Though it may seem like everything in the house is under control, families (particularly with small children) need all the help they can get. In other words, don't sit back the entire meal while your host does everything. After the meal, help clear the dishes. (Be careful to first ask on which countertop they belong, as not to mix milk and meat.) Also, avoid throwaway phrases like, "Do you need help"; people will politely say, "No, thanks," when in fact they do need the help.

6) Davening: Whether you are aware of it or not, the children of the house look at adults -- you included -- as a "role model." It is discouraging for the hosts, and not the best example for the kids, when you go late to davening... or skip it altogether. You may want to bring your own personal siddur, since the family (or shul) may not have the kind you're used to.

7) After Shabbat: Havdalah is not your signal to race home. Havdalah means that your hosts have to give baths, prepare school lunches, wash the floor, and, you guessed it: wash piles and piles of dishes. Volunteering 20 minutes to wash dishes makes a big difference and shows your appreciation. And offer to take the sheets off your bed and put them in the laundry bin.

8) Follow-up: Saying "thank you" as you head out the door is nice. But much nicer is to articulate your appreciation for the accommodations, delicious food, and even how adorable the children are! And the next time you see your host, be sure to again express how much you enjoyed Shabbat. Want to be a really big tzaddik? Take one minute to call (or email) and say thank you.