Wednesday, April 13, 2016

THE TRADITIONAL SABBATH EVENING CELEBRATION: THE BUILDING UP OF THE JEWISH LIFE AND FAMILY


           Jewish holidays and festivals are rich sources to learn about Judaism. Among many holidays and festivals, the Sabbath is so important to the Jews; it is a holy day, a day of rest, a day of joy, and a day of liberation. When talking about the Sabbath, Jacob Neusner wrote, “It is the single happiest moment in Judaism, and, coming as it does every week, the Sabbath sheds its light on the everyday.”[1] The Sabbath also reflects deeply on many aspects of Judaism such as religious, historical, and biblical. As Ben M. Edidin describes the importance of the Sabbath to the Jews in his work, Jewish Holidays and Festivals, 
Of our many holidays and observances, the Sabbath is the only one prescribed in the Ten Commandments, for it is one of the very first customs observed by our ancestors. It was celebrated as far back as Exodus days… Even more important, the Fourth Commandment is the first labor law known to mankind. Two explanations are given in the Commandments for keeping the Sabbath. One is religious reason – that God rested on the seventh day after having created the world in six days. The other is historical – because the Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt.[2]   
            As for me, especially, observing the Sabbath through celebrating the Friday night dinner also has something beyond the religious and historical meaning of the Sabbath, which is about celebrating the relationship with God and with one another. Therefore, in this paper, first of all, I will explore some aspects of the historical and biblical roots of the Sabbath in general. Secondly, I will particularly discover how the Jews celebrate the Friday night dinner with a learning of the meal, rituals, and prayers. Finally, I will focus on a great influence of this tradition on the Jewish relationship with God and on Jewish family life.

I.   Historical and Biblical Roots of the Sabbath
1. Historical Roots
When talking about the historical root of the Sabbath, one can have many different resources that analyze the history of the Sabbath from different periods of time in the Jewish history. However, in this paper, I will discuss the Sabbath as constructed by Rabbis in the centuries after the destruction of the Second Temple. Indeed, when the Jews did not have a sacred place to worship their God anymore, they had to learn to adapt to the reality of living the Jewish life and practicing their beliefs without the Temple. In many ways of adapting to a new life, there were many modern Jewish rules established to fulfill the need of their religious life. Observing the Sabbath was one of the considerations that was encouraged and developed in the Jewish family life.
First of all, the Jews considered the Sabbath as a special day for God, and called everyone to observe and honor this day. Indeed, they learned from the Torah a clear affirmation of observing the Sabbath as a holy path to show the Jews how to engage fully into the world, but still treat the Sabbath rightly. “Six days a week you will engage and do all of your work, but the seventh day will be a Sabbath – a day for God.” (Exodus 20: 8-11). In a famous book, The Sabbath: It’s Meaning for Modern Man, Abraham Joshua Heschel absolutely shows his honor and respect to the Sabbath through his tone: “Six days a week we wrestle with the world, wringing profit from the earth; on the Sabbath we especially care for the seed of eternity planted in the soul. The world has our hands, but our soul belongs to Someone Else. Six days a week we seek to dominate the world, on the seventh day we try to dominate the self.”[3] He also emphasizes the definition of the word “Sabbath” as the name of the Holy One so it needs to be honored rightly. “Since the word Shabbat is a name of God, one should not mention it in unclean places, where words of Torah should not be spoken.”[4]  
In addition to honoring the day of God, observing the Sabbath is also to commemorate the past when the Israelites were in captivity and slavery in Egypt; they had to work hard, and there was no time to rest. God librated them and gave them rest. From this historical aspect, resting is needed for human beings. It‟s true that, in reality, if people keep continuing on working, they still can‟t complete all their work. One of Heschel‟s studies on Exodus questions about this reality: “Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work (Exodus 20:8). Is it possible for a human being to do all his work in six days? Does not our work always remain incomplete? What the verse means to convey is: Rest on the Sabbath as if all your work were done. Another interpretation: Rest even from the thought of labor.”[5]  
Moreover, the history of constructing the Tabernacle was also an indication that considered the day of rest as one of 39 fundamental categories of labor. It was to emphasize that the day of rest was so important for the Israelites to gain hope and strength to overcome the challenges of life in the desert. The Sabbath was the time to pray, to talk, and to acknowledge all the hard work, conflicts, and fears. It was also the time to rebuild the relationship among the
Israelites and with nature. Pinchas H. Peli describes the same state of rest in his book, The Jewish
Sabbath: A Renewed Encounter, that, “In the state of rest, human beings anticipate the state of human freedom. On the Sabbath the relationship of humanity with nature and of one person with another is one of harmony, of peace, of noninterference.”[6] 

The Sabbath was observed not only as a weekly day of rest, but also as a law written in the Torah to emphasize that it was a very important day for all the Jews to remember and keep it.
“Keep the Sabbath and sanctify it. And you must remember, because you were a slave in Egypt”.
Abraham Joshua Heschel firmly insists the importance of the Sabbath as a core teaching of Judaism, “Judaism teaches us to be attached to holiness in time, to be attached to sacred events, to learn how to consecrate sanctuaries that emerge from the magnificent stream of year. The Sabbaths are our great cathedrals; and our Holy of Holies is a shrine that neither the Romans nor the Germans were able to burn”[7]. In practicing the Sabbath as a liturgical act, the ritual of Kiddush was established to sanctify the Sabbath to recall the time when the Israelites were ready to leave Egypt. The blessing sanctifying Sabbath was to remind the Jews that they were strengthened to leave a place of devastation to find freedom.  Thus the Sabbath was a remembrance of the history of the Israelites from Egypt. Moreover, once Sabbath was written in the Torah, it became a liturgical activity required as part of the Sabbath observance to all the
Jews. 
2. Biblical Roots
First of all, the Sabbath is one of the most important days that is repeated in the Bible many times. “It is described not only as a memorial of Creation and of the Exodus from Egypt, but as the „sign of covenant between God and Israel‟.”[8]   Truly, the Sabbath day was established to commemorate God‟s Creation.  Right at the beginning of Genesis, this is said clearly at the opening of the Torah, “The heaven and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it; because in it He rested from all His work which God in creating had made”[9] (Genesis 2: 1-3). The seventh day was made special in the Torah as a holy day. Abraham P. Bloch reaffirms the holiness of the Sabbath in several places in Exodus and Deuteronomy such as Exod. 16:23,
20:10, 14:15 and Deut. 5:12. Especially, he makes clear the Sabbath as written in his book, The Biblical and Historical Background of Jewish Customs and Ceremonies, “A holy day is one which is set apart, or above, the other days of the year.”[10]  He continues to explain why the
Sabbath is observed as a holy day, “As a memorial of God‟s creation of the world and his resting on the seventh day, it is a holy day because it gives man an opportunity to imitate the ways of
God.”[11] 
In the Ten Commandments, the Sabbath observance is found as fundamental of religious practice. Among many important Jewish holidays, the Sabbath is a special day and the only one mentioned in the Ten Commandments that clearly shows the basic rules of morality for the Jews to live out. Abraham E. Millgram definitely recognizes that, “The Jew‟s high regard for the Sabbath was not based on tradition alone. It was founded on deep religious convictions and on sound moral principles. To begin, it was religious institution, „a Sabbath unto the Lord‟, associate the Jews with the divine creative faculty.”[12]  Particularly, the Sabbath is mentioned as the Fourth Commandment, which is to acknowledge the meanings of the seventh day, to remember what God had done on that day, and to command how to honor the Sabbath. All of these details are listed clearly in Exodus 20:8-11:

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt not labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is a Sabbath unto the Lord thy God, in it thou shalt not do any manner of work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor any of thy cattle, nor the strange that is within thy gates; for in six day the lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them and rested on the Sabbath day; werefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.[13]

Moreover, this commandment was articulated and reaffirmed with more details on keeping the Sabbath in Deuteronomy 5: 12-15:
Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord thy God commanded thee.
Six days that shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is a Sabbath unto the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any manner of work, thou nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thy ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor the strange that is within thy gates, that thy manservant, and thy maidservant may rest as well as a servant in the land of Egypt, and the Lord thy God brought thee out thence by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day.[14]  

The added details in Deuteronomy are to emphasize strongly on the experience of liberation that God freed the Israelites from the slavery of Egypt. Therefore, “The Sabbath not only commemorated the creation of the world, it also served as „a memorial of the deliverance from Egypt‟.”[15]  In observing the Sabbath regularly, the Sabbath is understood that, “It returns every seven days to help Jews liberate themselves personally from the burdens of the week.”[16]  Through observing the Sabbath, the relationship between God and Israel was renewed and strengthened to continue to be living in the covenant that God has promised them. The Sabbath became a “sign” between God and Israel, which is said clearly in Exodus 31: 16-17, “Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe throughout their generations for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the Children of Israel forever; for in six days the
Lord made heaven and earth and on the seventh day He ceased from work and rested.”[17] 
The especial significance of the Sabbath is also found in other places in the Bible. In the Leviticus 23:1-3, the holiness of the Sabbath is continued to be proclaimed by the Jews. The ritual of Kiddush was established to sanctify the Sabbath as an imitation of God‟s sanctification of the first Sabbath. “Six days shall work be done; but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation” (Lev. 23:3). The prophecies in Isaiah 58:13-14 and 66:33 continue to acknowledge the reward of honoring the Sabbath and make known the Sabbath as a universal day of worship.[18]  Jeremiah 17:24, 15, 17 and Nehemiah 13: 15-17 also see that the observance of the Sabbath is very important to the destiny of Jerusalem.  Finally, in Ezekiel 20:10-13, 17-22, the Sabbath was given to the house of Israel, but they did not observe it, and then they received consequences for profaning the Sabbath.19  However, “Under Ezekiel‟s leadership the Sabbath became closely associated with congregational worship.”[19] In short, these prophets highly encouraged their people to observe the Sabbath, which was the source of personal and national salvation for them. 
II. The Observance of the Sabbath Evening Dinner
1. The Sabbath Evening Meal
First of all, food is an important element that cannot be missing in celebrating the Sabbath. Traditionally, the Jews eat three meals on the Sabbath: the opening Friday night dinner after the Synagogue service, the second meal following the morning worship, and a lighter meal in the late afternoon before sundown as the third meal. The traditional Friday meal usually includes chicken, chicken soup, gefilte fish, and kugel.[20] There is a reason for eating fish at the
Sabbath meal. As Dr. Ron Wolfson says that the Jews eat fish “because it reminds us that God promised that the children of Israel would multiply like the stars in heaven (and there are a lot of fish in the sea).”[21]  There is also a meaning for adding Kugel in the menu of the Sabbath dinner.
He continues to say, “Why kugel? Because kugel is a corruption of the Hebrew K‟ugal, „having a round shape‟. The manna given in the desert was said to be k‟ugal – round in shape.”[22]  However, nowadays, among the traditional dishes, people actually can choose their own favorite food to enjoy; especially those who have a special eating need can have their own menu for the
Sabbath dinner. Moreover, when parents don‟t have much time to prepare a big meal, they are very flexible, not going to follow a certain menu, but being able to prepare a simple meal with some meaningful symbols. For example, “A simple dinner can still be a Shabbat oneg/delight if it includes even one special item such as the first fruit of the new season, a fruit out of season, or a desert that everyone present enjoy.”24 
Besides, the Jews also serve braided bread (Challah) covered by a beautiful cloth on the table. There are some commentaries for eating Challah. In Exodus 16:4, God told Moses, "I shall rain down for you bread (food) from heaven; let the people go out and gather each day's portion on its day”. Over 40 years in the desert, God provided manna to feed the Hebrews.  In this sense, the two loaves of Challah are seen as the symbol of manna from heaven. Rabbi Ted Falcon also says the same in his book, Judaism for Dummies, “Some say the two loaves represent the double portion of manna which was given prior to Shabbat when the Hebrew were in the wildness.
Others say they‟re like the two tablets that Moses brought down, or representation of male and female.”[23] 
Secondly, when celebrating the Sabbath dinner, one can‟t forget talking about the time of gathering together to share with one another as a family. Dining is not just about food, but relationship, conversation, and communication. Dr. Ron is very clear in relating between food and dining, “While good food is important, the essence of fine dining is conversation, communication, and connection.”[24]  It is time to renew the relationship among family members, and time for parents to be with their children, discussing and listening to each other. Dr. Ron continues, “Dining is when we go beyond „grabbing a bite‟ to breaking bread together…Dining is when there is time to talk, to savor, to spend a period of significant time together around the table.”[25]  Besides sharing food, they share with one another the love and care so that they can understand and grow in unity and solidarity as a healthy family. Bob Shafton shares about his family that, “In our family we‟ve done something that Sally pushed from before the kids were born, and that was to make the dinner hour important. We may be busy and be home now only one or two nights a week. But as a couple, we have always tried to be home for dinner, no matter what was going on in the rest of the world. Friday night was a terrific time to talk and to be together with the kids – there was always a lot of family discussion around the table.”[26]  
Having some entertainments and music is also part of the Sabbath dinner. Families with children like to create some activities that invite their children to participate in the celebration.
“Young children will be very delighted to vie for the opportunity to blow the match after the candles are lit, pour the wine, hold the challah, cut or tear it and then distribute the pieces.”[27]  Besides, children also have some kinds of game that are appropriate to this event to have some fun during and after the meal.  For many families that love music, singing the Sabbath songs actually can bring great joy and inspiration to the celebration. They often sing Zemira as “an informal song sung around the table.”[28]  Through singing together, the meaning of the Friday night Sabbath dinner can be naturally expressed, and the Sabbath spirit is spread throughout the family. Music can bring them together and motive their spirit for the rest of the Sabbath.

2. Sabbath Rituals and Prayers
a. Lighting the Candles
This ritual is to begin and welcome the Sabbath. “Come, let us welcome the Sabbath. May its radiance illumine our hearts as we kindle these tapers.”[29]  Moreover, the Sabbath begins at sundown, it‟s reasonable to light the candles to shine the house and be ready for the celebration. The custom of lighting Shabbat candles is to honor the Shabbat and to determine the beginning of the holy day in the family. As Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz said, “The lighting of candles fulfills a part of the commandment to enjoy the Sabbath and festival – which includes illuminating the home during mealtime – and is also a sign of respect for sanctity of those days.”[30]   Lighting the candles also has a connection with the Torah as mentioned that, “The Rabbis associated Sabbath candles with the light of the Torah; they connected Sabbath candle lighting to a verse in Proverbs (6:23): “The mitzvoth are a candle, the Torah is light.”33 It is true that lighting the candles is a mitzvot that has been observed joyfully by the Jewish people as a whole. This is clearly showed in the blessing of the candles: “Blessed are You, Eternal One, our God, ruling Presence of the Universe, Who makes us holy with mitzvot, and give us this mitzvah of kindling the Sabbath lights.”[31] 
Usually, in the Jewish tradition, the woman of the house is encouraged to light the candles and recite the blessing. She lights the candles, covers her eyes with her hands, reciting the blessing over the candles while the eyes are covered to not to see the light, and uncovers her eyes afterwards. 
This practice derives from the combination of two important rules: (1) A blessing associated with a mitzvah should be said before doing the mitzvah, in order to demonstrate that one is consciously acting in obedience to a divine commandment; (2) A fire may not be kindled after Shabbat begins. Since the recitation of the blessing signifies the beginning of Shabbat, the candles could not be lit after the blessing - but the blessing should come first! To show respect for both rules, the one covers one's face while reciting the blessing - as if the candles were not yet lit.[32] 

However, according to the Jewish codes of law, both men and women are obligated to light the candles. Therefore, if women are not present, men are responsible for lighting the candles and reciting the blessing.[33] 
b. The Blessing over Family
Usually, most Jewish men are at Synagogue to attend the Friday Evening Service.
Women are at home to light the candles and set up the table with food, wine, bread…. When men return from the Synagogue, the family gets together to sing the song “Shalom Aleichem” to  “evoke the angels of Sabbath peace who traditionally accompany people home on Shabbat”[34], and then they begin to do some blessings before the Sabbath meal such as the blessing over their children, wine, and bread. Indeed, the blessing over the children originates from the source of the
Torah. “For example, Isaac blesses his sons, Jacob and Esau, and Jacob blesses his twelve sons (Genesis 27, 49). Jacob also blesses his grandsons Ephraim and Manasseh, and the words he uses in Genesis 40:20 provide the customary wording of the blessing used for sons at the Shabbat table.”[35]  Usually, the fathers bless their sons and daughters. However, nowadays, in many Jewish families, parents place both hands on the head of their children and say the blessings.
There are two separate blessings: one for boys and the other for girls. 
For a daughter: “Yesimekh Elohim ke‟Sarah, Rivkah, Rahel, ve‟Leah. May God make you as Sarah, Rivkah, Rahel, and Leah”. For a son: “Yesimkha Elohim ke‟Efrayim vekhi‟Menasheh. May God make you as Ephraim and Manasheh.”[36] Finally, they continue to bless upon both of them: “Yevarekhekha Adonai ve‟Yishmerekha. May the Lord bless you and guard you. Yaer Adonai panav elekha vi‟yhunnekha.  May the Lord make His counternance upon you and be gracious to you. Yissa Adonai panav elekha ve‟yasem lekha shalom. May the Lord turn His counternance toward you and grant you peace.”[37]  Traditionally, this moment is also the moment for the husbands to honor their wives by reciting from Proverb 31:10-3, “What a rare find is a capable wife! Her worth is far beyond that of rubies. Her husband puts his confidence in her, and lacks no good things.”41 This is the idea of the extension of the blessing over the adults as it‟s continuingly said in Gates of Sabbath: A Guide for observing Shabbat, “A wife can recite from Psalm 112 for her husband. A family prayer can also be read for all those at the table.”[38] 
c. Saying Blessings over Wine: Shabbat Kiddush
The blessing over wine is to sanctify the Sabbath, usually recited by the male head of the family. The Kiddush actually is a prayer that is rooted in the book of Exodus 20:8, “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” The word „Kiddush‟ itself is “a form of the ubiquitous Hebrew work „Kadosh‟ – holy. Kaddush literally means „to make holy‟ or „to sanctify‟.”[39]  However, to understand the meaning of Kiddush clearly, Mark Dov Shapiro defines that, “It is important to note that the Kiddush is not a prayer in which the wine is sanctified. Rather, it is a prayer in which the wine is used in order to sanctify Shabbat.”[40] It is clear to understand that the Jews don‟t sanctify the wine, but indeed sanctify the Sabbath through blessing over the wine, to make the Sabbath time holy. This meaning is well interpreted throughout the book of Abraham Joshua
Heschel, The Sabbath: Its Meaning for Modern Man. He strongly emphasizes that, “The meaning of the Sabbath is to celebrate time rather than space. Six days a week we live under the tyranny of things of space; on the Sabbath we try to become attuned to holiness in time. It is a day on which we are called upon to share in what is eternal in time, to turn from the results of creation to the mystery of creation; from the world of creation to the creation of the world.”45   
Usually, the male head of the household holds the full cup of wine, praying: 

Ba-ruch a-tah, A-do-nai, Eh-lo-hei-nu me-lech ha-o-lam, bo-rei p'ri ha-ga-fen. 
Ba-ruch a-tah, A-do-nai, Eh-lo-hei-nu, me-lech ha-o-lam, a-sher ki-d'sha-nu b'mits-vo-tav v'ra-tsa va-nu, v'sha-bat kawd'sho b'a-ha-va uv'ra-tson hin-hi-la-nu, zi-ka-ron l'ma-a-sei v'rei-shit. ki hu yom t'chi-la l'mik-ra-ei ko-desh, ze-cher li-tsiat Mits-ra-yim. Ki va-nu va-char-ta v'o-ta-nu ki-dash-ta mi-kawl ha-a-mim, v'Shabbat kawd-sh'cha b'a-ha-va u-v'ra-tson hin-chal-ta-nu. Ba-ruch a-tah A-donai, m'ka-deish ha-Shabbat. 
Blessed are You, Eternal God, ruling Presence of the Universe, who has sanctified us with commandments and finds favor in us, a remembrance of the creation, that day being also the first among all the holy occasions, a reminder of the Exodus from Egypt. For you have chosen us and hallowed us above all nations, giving us your holy Sabbath as a heritage in love and favor. Blessed are You, Eternal one, who sanctifies the Sabbath.[41] 
d.      Washing the Hands
Washing the hands is followed right after the Kiddush. It is also a ritual that reflects on the ritual of purity in the time of the Jerusalem Temple. People keep silent while washing their hands. It is also time to say the blessing to themselves as said by Sandy Goodglick: “I like washing our hands in the kitchen because we don‟t say anything… We say the blessing to ourselves…”47 Although everyone has already washed their hands to be prepared for eating, this washing the hands is not about cleansing, but purifying.[42]  The washing blessing is recited by each person before drying their hands: “Baruch A-tah A-do-nai, Eh-lo-hay-nu Me-lech Ha-olam, Asher Ki'-de-sha-nu B'-mitz-vo-tov, V' tzi-vanu al N'tee-lat Ya-da-yim. Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with his commandments, and commanded us concerning the washing of the hands.”[43]  
e.       Saying a Blessing over Bread: the Motzi
Two loaves of braided bread (Challah) are set on the table, but actually covered during the Kiddush because “the Bible tells us that the manna was covered with dew above and below.”[44]  The Challah is a symbol of manna, which “reminds us the double share of manna that God caused to fall every Friday while the children of Israel were in the wilderness.”[45]   It is understandable that the blessing over bread before eating is normal as the blessing over food before the meal begins. It is time to give thanks to God for food to nurture everyone‟s life and for the availability of everything in this world.  In a similar way, Mark Dov Shapiro also said,
“When we pause to recite the Motsi before a meal begins, our goal is to sensitize ourselves to the fundamental blessing that surround us. We thank God for creating the world in such a way that life can sustain itself.”52 Traditionally, the Challah was also the product of the farmers that was offered to the priests who worked in the Temple. Therefore, the blessing over bread is also the remembrance of the human handy work of farmers as a “gift to the Lord”. Dr. Ron explained more clearly that, “In baking the bread from grain raised in their own fields, the biblical family took a portion of the dough as a „gift to the Lord‟ (Numbers 15: 19-20). This dough was given to the priests who worked in the Temple and was called the „hallah portion.‟ Later on, the loaves themselves were called hallot.”[46] 
Before saying the blessing, the Challah is uncovered, and then the blessing is recited:
“Baruch A-tah A-do-nai, Ehlo-hay-nu Me-lech Ha-olam, Ha-motzi Leh-chem Min Ha-aretz.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.”[47]
After the blessing, the Challah is cut into slices and dipped in salt before eating, to commemorate the ancient sacrifices. Finally, people say to each other Shabbat shalom and begin to serve the Sabbath meal. 
III.            Sabbath Evening Dinner – The Building of the Jewish Life and Family
1. Resting and Renewing the Relationship with God 
Friday night dinner has become a very important celebration for the Jews. First of all, “ceasing from work”, this time has always been a night consecrated to God and observed through all rituals and prayers. It recalls the time when the Hebrews were set free from slavery in Egypt. They were no longer slaves, and entering into a new relationship with God, which allowed them to live in freedom, the love of God, and being called God‟s people. This relationship becomes very special as Nicholas De Lange said, “The relationship of the Jews to God is a very special one. In theory it is a relationship of mutual love, a mutual commitment formally embodied in a binding legal agreement, known as „the covenant‟.”[48] In observing the Sabbath, the Jews are about to continue to celebrate this love and renew their relationship with God, where they find calmness and peace. As a family, they find happiness and harmony, being protected and safe in
God‟s hands. Abraham Joshua Heschel describes the state of people at the Sabbath time and their relationship with God as their Shepherd,
To the biblical mind menuha 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 menuha. 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 menuha. “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 munuhot). In later times menuha became a synonym for the life in the world to come, for eternal life. 56 

It‟s interesting to understand Menuha or rest as the state of being in an intimate relationship with God as expressed in a beautiful poem suggested by Samuel H. Dresner[49]: 
 You are One and your Name is One
And who is like your people Israel, one nation on the earth?
A crown of distinction and salvation, A day of rest and holiness, You have given to your people.
Abraham is glad, Isaac rejoices, Jacob and his sons find rest on it:
A rest of love freely given,
A true and sincere rest,
A secure and tranquil rest, quiet and safe. A perfect rest which You desire.
May Your children understand,
That this, their rest, is from You, And by their rest they hallow Your name. 

Resting is not about doing nothing or being detached from this world, but about embracing and loving the Beauty of Creation and living in it. Celebrating the Sabbath evening dinner is really time to appreciate being present the here and the now.  All rituals and prayers such as lighting the candles, or saying blessings over family, wine and bread are to bring us closer to the Creation in acknowledging all God‟s work for creating the world and saving human beings. Therefore, the Jews really learn to observe the Sabbath with all their mind and heart through offering good food, nice dress, worship, songs, dance, fellowship, or study… “Sanctify the Sabbath by choice meal, by beautiful garments; delight your soul with pleasure and I will reward you for this very pleasure.”58 

Through resting, people can be immersed in a peaceful and silent state to be able to connect with the Divine, to listen to God‟s voice from inside, and to reflect on their lives deeply.
The Sabbath indeed gives individuals the opportunity to open themselves to God, and to be prepared to grow in holiness and spirituality. When talking about “From self to Relationship”,
Rabbi Irving Greenberg experiences that, “The Sabbath clears the way for meditation, which becomes more than a reflection on the self. In Norman Lamm‟s words, it opens a personal inner silence „in which you make yourself available for a higher impression.‟ People who are too preoccupied for it to happen all week long may open up to the possibility of a spiritual experience.”[50] 
2. Strengthening the relationship with one another: The Source of Family Values
Celebrating the Sabbath Friday night meal is to serve the purpose of gathering family members and friends together and strengthening the relationship among them. Dov Peretz
Elkins wrote that, “The Sabbath provides an opportunity for the expression of the most important human feelings, for deep relationship with others, with God, and with ourselves, our own thoughts, our own feelings, our own aspirations.”[51] It is true that during six days of the week, people are busy taking care of their own business. There is no time for family and friends. Therefore, Friday night dinner is time for people to be present and serving one another to show care and love for each other. Through preparing for the Sabbath with cleaning, cooking, setting up the table, and welcoming the guests, the Jews really show responsibility and care for other members as a family. Sandy Goodglick was excited to say that, “Friday is always a hectic day. I think any Jewish housewife will tell you that. First you have to look good, then you have to have the house look good, and have the table look good, and have the food look good.”61 Not only the women in the household are responsible to prepare for the Sabbath, but also the men actively prepare for the celebration of the Shabbat. Especially, during the
Talmudic time, the leading rabbis also help prepare for the Sabbath. “In the Talmud (Sabbath 119a) it tells that one rabbi would prepare the greens, another would gather wood, the third would make the fire, and another would prepare the house for the guest – the Shabbat. That rabbi would bring out the Shabbat dishes and utensils and put away the weekday utensils.”[52]  Being together to prepare for the celebration of the Sabbath really strengthens the relationship between husband and wife, parents and children, indicating the unity of the Jewish home life. Celebrating and eating together as a family is truly a good time for children to express the filial piety to their parents. It is time to heal the broken relationship, also time for reconciliation and forgiveness among family members. It‟s the healing time. Abraham E. Millgram deeply reflects on this aspect when talking about “The Sabbath in the Home”, 
The Sabbath has always been associated with filial piety, as indicated be the biblical command, „Ye shall fear every man his mother and his father, and ye shall keep my Sabbaths: I am the Lord your God‟ (Lev. 19.3). That the reverence for father and mother is linked with the keeping of the Sabbath is evident from the Sabbath custom of bringing together the scattered members of the family. Sabbath observance helps to cement family ties which might otherwise have been loosened. The atmosphere of enhancement which the Sabbath Queen brought into the home strengthened family unity in sweet forgetfulness of weekday sorrows.63  

In this sense, observing the Sabbath at home is not only to perform a religious act, but also to promote the spirit of education in the family that helps shape the children in a very healthy way, so that children can grow in family virtues and graces. Like many other people,
Abraham E. Millgram admits that, “Such Sabbath observances exerted a powerful influence on the family as an institution, and on its individual members. They strengthened those domestic virtues and graces to this day distinguish Jewish home life for its unusual stability and its beneficent influence on the children.”[53]  
Moreover, spending time together at the Friday night meal is not only the time of praying and eating, but also the time of joy, conversation, and study for all the members of the family. Amazingly, all voices are heard and participated in the celebration in different ways. That is the way that the family tradition is kept, learned, valued, and passed on to next generations. Rabbi Irving Greenberg describes how family members are involved and connected to each other in the celebration of the Sabbath evening dinner. 
Around the table, in the presence of the family, the Sabbath meals overflow with conversation and catching up on family matters. As the joy unfolds, song wells up, naturally. A whole tradition of special Sabbath table songs (zemirot) developed to express the delight of the day. Since no one need rush off to business, the meal is extended with talk and words of Torah. The pressures of the week dissolve, and parents find time to relate to their children, exploring issues between them at leisure. Parents become the source of wisdom, the indispensable keepers of memory; learning together becomes a major activity of Shabbat. So important are relationships and intimacy that the Rabbis permitted a married woman to use certain cosmetics on Shabbat that were prohibited to single women.[54]  

In short, in many ways, the celebration of the Friday night dinner really renews and strengthens the relationship among family members, and additionally teaches and reinforces the family traditions and values to one and another in the household.  
Conclusion
There are so many things to learn about the Sabbath. Observing the Sabbath at home is a great piece of knowledge and ritual that gives light to understand the meaning of the Sabbath as a whole. Through the historical and biblical roots of the Sabbath, one can understand deeply why and how the Sabbath has been so important to and appreciated by the Jews today. As one of Ten Commandments, the Sabbath is definitely observed as one of the most important days in the Jewish tradition. Through the rituals, prayers, food, decoration, or state of rest, the celebration of the Friday night dinner really reflects deeply on the religious practice of Judaism and family participation in keeping the Sabbath. As Mark Washofsky acknowledges the
Sabbath as a process that, “We remember the Sabbath through our liturgy, by the words we say and sing…We observe the Sabbath by refraining from doing „work‟ on that day. And we honor and delight in the Sabbath through foods we eat, the clothes we wear…”[55] The Sabbath, in this sense, becomes a very significant celebration in the Jewish life and family. Accordingly, the wonderful fruits that come out from this tradition are magnificent to nurture the Jewish beliefs and family values. In other words, observing the Sabbath teaches each individual to honor the seventh day, the day of rest in God‟s love and care, being closer to God to be renewed and refreshed in the relationship with God. Moreover, one also is strengthened in the relationship with one another, and earned very important values from his or her own family. In sum, the observance of the Sabbath is so important to one‟s life; it prepares the path for him to enjoy the eternal life. Again, according to the words of Abraham Joshua Heschel, one should be aware that, “Unless one learns how to relish the taste of Sabbath while still in this world, unless one is initiated in the appreciation of eternal life, one will be unable to enjoy the taste of eternity in the world to come. Sad is the lot of him who arrives inexperienced and when led to heaven has no power to perceive the beauty of the Sabbath… ”67



Bibliography

1.      Heschel, Abraham Joshua. The Sabbath: Its meaning for modern man. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1981
2.      Peli, Pinchas H. The Jewish Sabbath: A renewed encounter, 1st ed. Schocken, 1991
3.      Edidin, Ben M. Jewish Holidays and Festivals. Hebrew Publishing Company, 1940
4.      Bloch, Abraham P. The Biblical and historical background of Jewish customs and ceremonies. KTAV Publishing House, Inc., 1980
5.      Millgram, Abraham E. Sabbath: The Day Of Delight. Jewish Publication Society, 1965
6.      Shapiro, Mark Dov. Gates of Shabbat: Shaarei Shabbat: A Guide for Observing Shabbat, 3rd ed. CCAR Press, 1991
7.      Wolfson, Ron. The Shabbat Seder, 3rd ed. Jewish Lights Publishing, 1995
8.      Blatner, David. Judaism For Dummies, 1st ed. For Dummies, 2001
9.      Steinsaltz, Adin. The Miracle of the Seventh Day: A Guide to the Spiritual Meaning, Significance, and Weekly Practice of the Jewish Sabbath, 1st ed. Jossey-Bass, 2003
10.  Messianic Jewish Rabbinical Council, Shabbat. No page. http://ourrabbis.org/main/halakhah-mainmenu-26/shabbat-mainmenu-30
11.  Greenberg, Irving. The Jewish way: living the holidays. Simon and Schuster, 1993
12.  Dresner, Samuel H. The Sabbath. New York: The burning Bush Press, 1970
13.  Elkins, Dov Peretz. A Shabbat Reader: Universe of Cosmic Joy. UAHC Press, 1999
14.  Barack, Nathan A.  A history of the SABBATH, First Edition. Jonathan David Co., Inc, 1965
15.  Lange, Nicholas De.  An Introduction to Judaism, 2nd ed. Cambridge University Press, 2010
16.  Neusner, Jacob.  Introduction to American Judaism: What Books Say, What the People Do. Wipf & Stock Publishers, 2004
17.  Washofsky, Mark.  Jewish living: a guide to contemporary reform practice. URJ Books and Music, 2001







[1] Jacob Neusner, Introduction to American Judaism: What Books Say, What the People Do (Wipf & Stock Publishers, 2004), 59.
[2] Ben M. Edidin, Jewish Holidays and Festivals (Hebrew Publishing Company, 1940), 17-18.
[3] Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Sabbath: Its meaning for modern man (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1981), 13.
[4] Heschel, The Sabbath, 20.
[5] Heschel, The Sabbath, 32.
[6] Pinchas H. Peli, The Jewish Sabbath: A renewed encounter, 1st ed. (Schocken, 1991), 63.
[7] Heschel, The Sabbath, 8.
[8] Peli, The Jewish Sabbath, 115.
[9] Peli, The Jewish Sabbath, 116.
[10] Abraham P. Bloch, The Biblical and historical background of Jewish customs and ceremonies (KTAV Publishing House, Inc., 1980), 110.
[11] Bloch, The Biblical and historical background of Jewish customs and ceremonies, 110.
[12] Abraham E. Millgram, Sabbath: The Day Of Delight. (Jewish Publication Society, 1965), 4.
[13] Peli, The Jewish Sabbath, 116.
[14] Peli, The Jewish Sabbath, 116-117.
[15] Millgram, Sabbath, 4.
[16] Mark Dov Shapiro, Gates of Shabbat: Shaarei Shabbat: A Guide for Observing Shabbat, 3rd ed. (CCAR Press, 1991), 26.
[17] Peli, The Jewish Sabbath, 118.
[18] Peli, The Jewish Sabbath, 119. 19 Peli, The Jewish Sabbath, 121.
[19] Nathan A. Barack, A history of the SABBATH, First Edition. (Jonathan David Co., Inc, 1965), 15.
[20] Shapiro, Gates of Shabbat, 30.
[21] Ron Wolfson, The Shabbat Seder, 3rd ed. (Jewish Lights Publishing, 1995), 179.
[22] Wolfson, The Shabbat Seder, 179. 24 Shapiro, Gates of Shabbat, 31.
[23] David Blatner, Judaism For Dummies, 1st ed. (For Dummies, 2001), 216.
[24] Wolfson, The Shabbat Seder, 174.
[25] Wolfson, The Shabbat Seder, 174.
[26] Wolfson, The Shabbat Seder, 175.
[27] Shapiro, Gates of Shabbat, 31.
[28] Shapiro, Gates of Shabbat, 31.
[29] Millgram, Sabbath, 66.
[30] Adin Steinsaltz, The Miracle of the Seventh Day: A Guide to the Spiritual Meaning, Significance, and Weekly Practice of the Jewish Sabbath, 1st ed. (Jossey-Bass, 2003), 11. 33 Wolfson, The Shabbat Seder, 98.
[31] Blatner, Judaism For Dummies, 212.
[32] Messianic Jewish Rabbinical Council, Shabbat. No page. http://ourrabbis.org/main/halakhah-mainmenu26/shabbat-mainmenu-30
[33] Shapiro, Gates of Shabbat, 16.
[34] Irving Greenberg, The Jewish way: living the holidays (Simon and Schuster, 1993), 168.
[35] Shapiro, Gates of Shabbat, 21.
[36] Steinsaltz, The Miracle of the Seventh Day, 17.
[37] Steinsaltz, The Miracle of the Seventh Day, 17-18. 41 Blatner, Judaism For Dummies, 214.
[38] Shapiro, Gates of Shabbat, 21.
[39] Wolfson, The Shabbat Seder, 147.
[40] Shapiro, Gates of Shabbat, 25. 45 Heschel, The Sabbath, 10.
[41] Blatner, Judaism For Dummies, 214. 47 Wolfson, The Shabbat Seder, 159.
[42] Blatner, Judaism For Dummies, 216.
[43] Steinsaltz, The Miracle of the Seventh Day, 49.
[44] Greenberg, The Jewish way, 170.
[45] Wolfson, The Shabbat Seder, 196. 52 Shapiro, Gates of Shabbat, 28.
[46] Wolfson, The Shabbat Seder, 168.
[47] Steinsaltz, The Miracle of the Seventh Day, 49.
[48] Nicholas de Lange, An Introduction to Judaism, 2nd ed. (Cambridge University Press, 2010), 150. 56 Heschel, The Sabbath, 23.
[49] Samuel H. Dresner, The Sabbath (New York: The burning Bush Press, 1970), 27-32 58 Heschel, The Sabbath, 19.
[50] Irving Greenberg, The Jewish way: living the holidays (Simon and Schuster, 1993), 40.
[51] Dov Peretz Elkins, A Shabbat Reader: Universe of Cosmic Joy (UAHC Press, 1999), 81. 61 Wolfson, The Shabbat Seder, 88.
[52] Wolfson, The Shabbat Seder, 88. 63 Millgram, Sabbath, 9.
[53] Millgram, Sabbath, 8.
[54] Greenberg, The Jewish way, 140.
[55] Mark Washofsky, Jewish living: a guide to contemporary reform practice (URJ Books and Music, 2001), 73. 67 Heschel, The Sabbath, 74.

No comments:

Post a Comment