How We Keep Shabbat: This table is a short overview of the 39 melachot (activities prohibited on Shabbat). However, the laws and details of Shabbat are complex and must be […]
Shabbat and Holidays
Experience the peace and purpose of Shabbat with how-to guides, spiritual insights, and beginner-friendly tips.
What Is Shamor? “שָׁמוֹר אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת לְקַדְּשׁוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוְּךָ ד’ אֱלֹקיךָ” Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as Hashem your God commanded you. Devarim 5:11 Shamor means […]
Two Parts Of Shabbat Every Jewish soul was present at Har Sinia (Mount Sinai) when Hashem (God) gave us the Torah. So YOU were there too! Do you remember? When […]
Farewell To Shabbat Havdalah is the name of the short ceremony we do after nightfall at the conclusion of Shabbat. The word havdalah literally means to differentiate or distinguish. This […]
It’s Official! Kiddush is a blessing over wine. Its how we bring Shabbat into our home. Ever heard someone say, “Make it official!”? That’s what kiddush does for Shabbat. Although […]
Start With A Glow The mitzvah to light candles before the start of Shabbat is an important one. It fulfills the mitzvot of both kavod and oneg Shabbat.1 The added […]
Ask the Rabbi with Rabbi Chaim Mintz: During havdalah on Motzei Shabbat (Saturday night) we recite a bunch of seemingly random verses and blessings on spices and fire. Why do […]
When we mix flour and water to make a large batch of dough – about 10 cups of flour, the Torah tells us to separate a small piece and set […]
Double Portion Every Shabbat meal, we wash our hands and recite a blessing on two loaves of bread (known as challah). Why do we have double loaves? We do this […]
The Songs We Sing Shabbat zemirot are traditional songs we sing during the Shabbat meals. These zemirot are century years old and by singing them, we connect to our Jewish […]
