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KABBALAT SHABBAT - Receiving the Sabbath
Every Friday night, in traditional Jewish homes the woman of the house lights candles to mark and honour the beginning of Shabbat.
There is a midrash which says that Sarah started the custom of lighting candles on Shabbat. When she died, no one lit Shabbat candles in Avraham’s tent until Rivka married Yitzchak. Rivka brought back the Shabbat lights to Avraham and Yitzchak.
From then until today, Shabbat has begun just before Sunset on Friday night with the lighting of the Shabbat candles. Most people light two candles, although some light a candle for every member of the family. Usually, it is the woman who does the lighting, in the tradition of Sara and Rivka. A bracha, a blessing, is said when the candles are lit;
Blessed are you, God, Who has made us holy and commanded us to light the Shabbat candles.
Just as the candles must have brightened Avraham’s tent, we are brightened by the light of Shabbat.
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Shabbat is a time for the family. In some families, Friday night is the one night of the week that all members of the family have dinner together. There are many customs that happen at the Shabbat table.
One of these is the blessing of the children by the parents. This is a very old custom. The blessing is said either after lighting the Shabbat candles, or just before Kiddush (blessing for the wine) – Either the mother or father, or both, put their hands on their children’s heads for the blessing.
FOR BOYS: May God make You like Ephraim and Menashe (the sons of Joseph who were blessed by their grand-father, Jacob).
FOR GIRLS: May God make you like Sarah, Rivka, Rachel, and Leah.
FOR BOTH: May God bless you and keep you. May God’s light shine upon you. May God’s face be turned toward you and give You peace.
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