The Shabbat is a day of rest that lasts from sundown on Friday evening throughout Saturday nightfall. Shabbat literally means “he rests”. No one can work during Shabbat, you can’t even turn the light off and on. In preparation for the Shabbat meal, people dress in their best clothes. The traditional ceremony usually has three parts, the first part is the candle lighting ceremony, then the kiddish were the father sings a hymn, and the meal itself.
The women in the family always start Shabbat with a candle lighting ceremony. Only the women can do this because according to the Torah, the holy book of the Jewish faith,Eve took the light away from Earth when she committed the sin of eating the Apple Of Knowledge, so the women have to bring it back. Women can only light the candles one and a half hours to 18 minutes sunset on Friday night. They light two candles then the mothers hands circle the candles three times and she covers her eyes and says a blessing. After that she blesses her children. The women are the only people allowed be there during the candle lighting ceremony.
Next, the father will recite the Kiddush. The Kiddush is a type of prayer. The Kiddush is a remembrance of all the things that god has given to people. Then the father sings a hymn. In a part of this hymn the father sings, “peace unto you, ministering angels, messengers of the most high, of the supreme king of kings, the holy one, blessed be he. Then the father offers a toast of wine and everybody drinks. After the people drink the wine, they go to the sink to wash their hands. Then they will break the Challah bread and no one can speak until everyone has had a piece of bread. The Challah bread is a special type of bread and it is braided also it is spongy and sweet. Now the meal is served.
For the Shabbat meal, the table is set formally using the best china and silverware that you can acquire. The meal is usually three courses a soup, a meat, and a dessert. Some things people usually eat are Chicken Turkey soup. They can also eat barbecue glazed chicken and potatoes and they eat roasted asparagus. For dessert, they can eat mousse cake. People usually talk about their lives in a Shabbat meal. Shabbat is essential for the Jewish people.
The period of Shabbat lasts until sundown on Saturday. During that time people can not work or watch television. They have to prepare lunch and dinner in advance for Saturday because they can’t work at home either. Shabbat is a weekly reminder to the Jewish people that God is protecting them.
