Shabbat or Shabbos is the name of the day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat happens on the seventh day (Saturday) of every week. In Judaism, the day is defined with the cycle of the sun:
The day begins and ends at sunset, not midnight. So the seventh day of the week, Shabbat, begins Yom Shishi (Friday) when the sun goes down (Sunset), and ends Saturday night after the sun goes down (sunset), some have the tradition to include the sighting of three stars.
Shabbat is first mentioned in the Bible's story of creation found in Bereshit (Genesis). In Bereshit, HaShem (G-d) creates the Universe and everything on Earth for six days. On the seventh day, HaShem stops work. In the same way, we work on the first six days of the week and rest on the seventh day, Shabbat.
The word Shabbat began as a Hebrew word (שַׁבָּת). The English word "Sabbath" comes from the word “Shabbat". The Christian idea of Sabbath came from the Jewish idea of Shabbat.
However, there are many differences between them.
The first part of the Tanakh (Tanach), the Torah, says that work is not allowed on Shabbat. It is a day to rest and studying the Torah.
In HaShem’s Torah, Shabbat is the most important moed (appointed Time). It is even more important than Passover, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Jewish mystics bring down that the Shabbat day is meant to be like a the perfect world. In this world, everyone knows about HShem and his Messiah and loves him. We believe this kind of world has not been seen since the Garden of Eden, and will not be seen again until the return of Messiah Y’shua.
- The Two Parts Of Shabbat-
Celebrating and guarding.
There are two versions of this Mitzvah (Commandment) in the Torah. These versions use different words. The version in Shemot (Exodus) says “ Remember the Shabbat to keep it holy." The version in Devarim (Deuteronomy) says "Guard the Shabbat to keep it holy." Jewish custom holds that "remember" means to celebrate Shabbat. "Guard" means resting—not working or doing business.
Celebrating Shabbat (It’s Parts)
Shabbat candles, Kiddush cup and Challah (bread)
-Shabbat Is A Happy Day-
There are many traditions of Shabbat that helps us celebrate the happiness of the Shabbat.
Shabbat candles. It is a Mitzvah (Command / law) that no one may light a fire after Shabbat starts. Because of this, someone in every home lights candles just before Shabbat. The woman of the house usually lights the candles, but not always. The candles should last until all in the house have finished dinner. Lighting candles is when Shabbat begins, we make certain there will be lights on in the home when we celebrate. This adds to the joy of the celebration. Having candles on Shabbat is a very old Jewish custom.
Blessings on wine. A verse in the Bible's Book of Tehillim (Psalms) says, "Wine makes the heart of a person happy.” Because of this verse, Jews usually celebrate happy occasions with wine. The two main Shabbat meals start with a blessing over a cup of wine. Most of the time, the cup that people use for this blessing—called Kiddush—is a bit fancy.
Three Shabbat meals. On every Shabbat, We have three meals. The first is at night, after the Friday night prayer service. The second is at noon, after the Saturday morning prayer service. The third is late Saturday afternoon, just before Shabbat ends.
Fourth Meal. This special Meal although not part of the Sabbat celebration directly, however it is indirectly linked to Shabbat via HaShem’s promise to King David. To understand more about fourth Meal click the Button here or at the bottom of the page.
Each of the first two meals begins with a blessing over wine. Next, there is a blessing on bread. In the Bible, G-D gave the Israelites two portions of manna every Friday so they would not need to collect it on Shabbat. At the start of Shabbat and the first of Shabbat meals, there are two loaves of bread. This is to remind us of the double portion of manna. At these meals, we serve the best food we have available or the best we can buy. Jewish families use their best plates and silverware. At each meal, we sing special songs, called zemirot, to honor Shabbat. The first two Shabbat meals are large and formal.
The third Shabbat meal is often smaller and less formal. Some Jews include bread in this meal, while others do not. Many people call this meal Shalosh Seudot ("three meals") because eating this meal completes the full set of three meals for Shabbat. This meal is often accompanied by zemirot and Torah study.
-Shabbat prayer services-
Shabbat prayer services are organized much like weekday prayer services. There are some changes from the weekday order.
The most noticeable changes are:
A special service, Kabbalat Shabbat ("Receiving Shabbat") is added between Friday's afternoon and evening prayers.
The Amidah prayer is changed on Shabbat. During the week, the Amidah includes thirteen blessings asking for G-D’s help with everyday life. On Shabbat, those are replaced by a single blessing thanking G-D for the rest day of Shabbat.
The set of Psalms which is read at the start of the morning prayers is made longer on Shabbat.
The entire weekly Torah portion is read out loud from a handwritten parchment scroll, however in some communities only the first five or seven versus are read in Hebrew then the remaining Torah portion is read in English.
An additional Amidah, called Musaf ("additional service"), is added near the end of morning prayers. This prayer is said in place of the additional offering that was brought to the Temple in Jerusalem each Shabbat.
During the Saturday afternoon prayers, the beginning of the Torah portion for the next week is read out loud.
Other kinds of celebrating. Oneg Shabbat, which means "enjoying Shabbat", is an important part of the day. Some of the ways we enjoy Shabbat some were already described above but some other ways include wearing nice clothing, socializing with friends and family, Playing games, physically resting or sleeping, studying Torah and other religious books, and in some communities marital relations (sex between a husband and wife, but only after all Shabbat prayer services have concluded for the day, never before!).
-Guarding Shabbat—
Rest And Work On Shabbat.
The Shabbat is a holy day and there are laws and rules in the Torah, the Mishnah and the Talmud about what we may and may not do on Shabbat. These laws are to help us keep the Shabbat as a holy day.
-39 prohibited categories of work-
The Mishnah lists 39 categories of work (Hebrew: melachah) that Jews should not do on Shabbat. The laws about what actions are in each category are complicated. All the categories are about making new things or repairing or cleaning old things to make them useful again.
Here is the list of work categories not allowed on Shabbat:
*Sowing
*Plowing
*Reaping
*Gathering
*Threshing
*Winnowing
*Sorting
*Grinding
*Sifting
*Kneading
*Baking (Cooking)
*Shearing
*Whitening
*Combing
*Dyeing
*Spinning
*Mounting The Wrap
*Setting Two Heddles
*Weaving
*Removing Thread
*Tying
*Untying
*Sewing
*Tearing
*Trapping
*Slaughtering
*Skinning
*Salting / Tanning
*Tracing Lines
*Smoothing
*Cutting
*Writing
*Erasing
*Building
*Demolishing
*Extinguishing
*Kindling
*Striking The Final Blow
*Transferring From Domain To Domain
-NOTE -
We have used an asterisk (*) to indicate an av melachah. Av Melachah is an act which was done in the construction of the Mishkan.
The list of melachos in 7:2 in The Mishnah seder Mode Vol 1(a) includes *Salting hides and *Tanning as separate melachos, however The Gemara 75b states that these are really the same melachah, and inserts *Tracing lines as the twenty - ninth melachah
Preventions. A prevention (Hebrew: shevut) is an action that does not fall directly into one of the 39 categories of work, but is still prohibited. We prohibited these activities so that Jews would not do work in one of the 39 categories (even by accident or carelessness).
Likewise buying and selling things with money is also a prohibited prevention. It is not in of the 39 categories of work. But someone who buys or sells things might do something in the 39 categories of work because of it. For example, she might write a receipt or carry what she buys in a public space.
-Electricity on Shabbat-
Electricity is much newer than the laws of Shabbat. Our Rabbis have worked hard to try to understand how electricity fits into the laws of Shabbat. They have written whole books on the subject. Most Orthodox Jewish rabbis—but not all—have decided that:
Using electricity to make something very hot (like an oven or a light bulb) is the same as lighting a fire or cooking. Using electricity this way is in the 39 categories of prohibited work.
Using electricity to do anything in the 39 categories of prohibited work is not allowed.
Using electricity for most other things is a prohibited prevention. This includes talking on a telephone or using a computer.
Some electrical devices (like lights) can remain on if started before Shabbat.
-It Goes Without Saying-
Saving a human life.
We learn from Leviticus 18:5 that one must violate the laws of Shabbat to save a human life. Sometimes, there are two different ways to save a life. Then the person should try to pick the way that violates Shabbat least. But that is not always possible. And saving a life always comes first. Even if someone is not sure he will be successful to save a life, trying to save life on Shabbat always comes first.
