Celebrating The Sabbath

!! "#$%$&$ $!' "( )*+ $'$% # !! ", The Sabbath begins at sundown on Friday evening (Erev Shabbat or "Sabbath Eve"). The Friday evening meal is very special and celebrates entering into Sabbath rest. At this time, the focus should turn from the activities of the week and should centre on Elohim, our family, rest and rejuvenation.

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A pair of candle holders with two white candles and matches Wine or grape juice with glasses A pitcher of water, a bowl and a towel Two loaves of bread (challah is traditional) A salt shaker A nice napkin to cover the bread A special dinner

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If you have children allow them to set the table with you, this helps to settle them down for the dinner and get them to understand every part of the festival. Have a challah at your table every Friday night. Buy a fresh one at the store or bake one your self. This is placed on the table on a bread plate – usually silver – and covered with a challah cloth. (The symbolism of the bread and the covering will be explained during the blessing thereof). Have Kiddush wine (sweet red wine) or grape juice on the table, also found at any Kosher shop, an example of the wine, Selwyn Segal, Le’ Kadesh (for Kiddush and Havdalah) – the brown writing is the wine, the red with the same name is the grape juice …for all those alkies or softies!!! You can also use any sweet red wine if you are not close to a shop that sells Kosher products. Have two candles on the table, these are set in front of the mother of the home and are not lit until the Sabbath meal begins. The candles are to be lit before sunset not to kindle a fire on the Sabbath. You can also use a seven branch Menorah in stead of the two candles (Jewish tradition) to represent the Spirit of YHVH as found in Isa 11:2. Set the Pitcher with a jug and fill the pitcher with warm water. Provide a towel for drying of the hands. Note: The usual setting of the table applies as per every other family meal.

Traditionally, the man and woman lead their family in celebration of the Sabbath, however anyone can perform the service. It is a wonderful time for family to separate the week from the Sabbath rest commanded to us in so many of the scriptures. It ushers in the rest and allows the Father to pray a blessing over the family each week. It also allows the family to reflect on His goodness and share stories from the weekly parasha – Torah portion, of which study and debate is continued in the synagogue or family home the following day. The days brings a time for families to rest and be together as a unit. Eat dinner together as a family on Friday night. It is a special dinner that is prepared by the mother of the house. Families often celebrate this together and it is not unusual for the meal preparation to be shared amongst the women. Note: High Holy Days are when the Shabbat falls on a holy day, i.e. The Day of Atonement then no bread can be eaten or meal can be made due to the fast, or on the Passover, if the Passover falls over the Sabbath then no bread or leaven can be placed on the table. The steps are numbered in the order that they should be performed. Explanations for each step are included in parenthesis. For people not familiar with celebrating the Sabbath, it is useful and edifying to read the explanations aloud as the celebration is being performed. Greet everyone with “Shabbat shalom!” The Sabbath Rest Blessing

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Blow the Shophar to signal the starting of the Sabbath. The Father of the House open in prayer welcoming YHVH into their house and he ask the Spirit to lead the proceedings and bless it. The mother then pray a prayer while lighting the Sabbath candles. Traditionally, the woman covers her head with a scarf while lighting the candles. The lighting of the candles needs to be done before sunset.

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Note this can be said spontaneously as the Ruah Ha Kodesh (Spirit of Elohim) leads.

Mother (Women) These are lit by the mother of the home to usher in the light (peace into the home) and start the Sabbath. Light the candles and utter the following blessing. Remember we too can use this time to pray to the Father. (As the woman lights the candles remember that Elohim (Elohim) chose another woman, Mary, to bring forth "The Light of the World" (The mother can also read this verse while lighting the candles). If you use a Menorah it symbolises the seven attributes of YHVH’s Spirit and our steps to maturity. (See Symbolism)

The “Sabbath Menu” with all the blessings can be laminated for regular use, until you have mastered the blessings

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Two candles: First Candle - Creation (lighting the first candle) This candle represents creation. "In the beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth...And Elohim said, ' Let there be light'and there was light." -Genesis 1:1,3. Second Candle - Redemption (lighting the second candle) This candle represents redemption.

Menorah: Start from the Centre and then from the outside in, Left to Right. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Centre – Spirit of YHVH Knowledge (L) Fear (R) Strength (L) Counsel (R) Wisdom (L) Understanding (R)

We start our new life in Messiah as infants and we have to learn His Ways (knowledge) and His Character so that we can respect and honour and Fear Him. You can only fear Him if you really know Him. Then we go to the next phase in our life when we have received His Spirit and we get Strength from the Spirit to follow in His Counsel or His Instructions and guidelines. The next phase we enter is the mature phase where we gain wisdom as we learn His Ways and His Word and follow His Spirit, in doing this you will Understand Him and His Plan and His Word. Wisdom cannot be learned from a book, you have to live it and gain it through experience. The attributes of His Spirit is found in Isa 11:2.

The Father recites the blessing over the wine and give thanks for the abundance of blessings that were given to us from the earth – to feed us physically and spiritually as stated by Y’shua in the Restored Covenant. We also remember His Blood that was shed for us and that our redemption is only through Him and His Grace.

Option: The cup is held at the base by the fingers, causing them to point upward. They represent the children of Elohim, reaching up and longing for Him. It is interesting to note that when Y’shua "gave thanks" as in Matthew 26:27, he most likely said the same ancient blessing used here.) The Father pours the wine into the cup placed on the table for this purpose. The cup is poured until it overflows, symbolizing abundance and the “joy of the Torah”. He recites the blessing and then passes the cup for everyone to partake of in thanks giving. You can also have a cup or glass for every person, then he fills all glasses as he pass it on to everybody.

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Everyone drinks of the wine and say “LeChaim”!!

YHVH, thank you for your abundance of blessing poured out over our lives. We give testimony of your goodness in our lives daily. Thank you for your double portion, for the blood of Y’shua that was shed for us so freely to conquer death and restore us to the Father. Thank you that as we partake in the breaking of bread in fellowship we receive the life you promised to the descendants of Abraham so long ago. Thank you that your word is a lamp unto our feet and the bread that feeds our spirit, heart, minds and souls. Selah! Note: This can be spontaneous as the Ruah Ha Kodesh (Spirit of Elohim) leads you.

Symbolism The wine symbolizes Y’shua' s shed blood. In Matthew 26:27, Y’shua "took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them saying, ' Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins' " Note: He said this on the Feast of Passover. We can have the same symbolism at Shabbat but the main symbolism is found in the events of Passover. The Wine also represents the Torah that is the Joy of Life and that we can experience His fullness if we follow His Instructions.

Blessed art Thou, O YHVH our Elohim, King of the universe, who has sanctified us through Your commandments and instructed us concerning the washing of hands. We dedicate our hands and ourselves to You. (The man pours water from the pitcher for everyone to wash their hands.)

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We wash our hands before we break the bread because the next item in the Tabernacle after the Brazen Altar with the Blood, was the Laver with the Water. We wash our hands as a reminder to reflect on the week and to use this time to ask for forgiveness for the things we have done wrong. We also wash it as a symbol because we are about to enter the “Holy Place” which represents our relationship with Him. Clean both physical and spiritual: When they traditionally washed their hands for the Temple service, the washing was done as unstructured by YHVH and in a mirrored bowl/fountain in front of the Temple entrance. This mirror allowed for the reflection of yourself as you considered your sins and washed yourself of iniquity and sin.

Spiritual refreshing: Water is used figuratively throughout Scripture to represent the Ruach Ha Kodesh (Spirit of Ya, the Holy Spirit). !

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By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.

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Starting with the man, everyone breaks off a piece of bread to eat. A tradition is to sprinkle a little salt on the second bite, recalling Genesis 3:19: "By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food."

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In Leviticus 24:5-9, bread was to be set on the altar each Sabbath as a lasting covenant. The two loaves on the table are symbolic of the double portion of manna which Elohim provided on Fridays for the children of Israel when they wandered in the wilderness. The bread is covered with a cloth, which symbolizes the dew that was around the camp when the Israelites woke up in the desert. When the dew evaporated, the manna, Elohim' s provision of bread was on the ground. Traditionally, Challah (pronounced "Halla") is used as the bread (see related recipe). Challah is braided bread formed by braiding strips of dough. This braid is said to represent folded arms, as in rest. ) The bread represents Y’shua, the Bread of Life. Y’shua said "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." -- John 6:51.

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The man lays his hands upon his wife and each child as he asks the YHVH' s blessing upon them. To the wife, he may read Proverbs 31 "A wife of noble character..." He continues with an appropriate blessing, such as:

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(To the children he may read Psalm 127:3 "...children are a reward from Him." He continues with an appropriate blessing such as:)

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Place your hands on your child' s head and say the following:

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Y' simkha Elohim k' efrayim v' khimenasheh.May Elohim make you like Ephraim and Menasseh.

(This is the priestly blessing of peace)

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Heavenly Father, I thank You for the blessings You have given us. I thank You for the blessing of this family to me. I ask that You strengthen our love for each other and that You fill us with Your Holy Spirit as we continue to enjoy Your Sabbath, Your rest. I thank You in the name of Y’shua, Ha Massiach, Y’shua the Messiah, who came, died for our salvation, was raise from the dead and will return to receive all who call upon His Name. Amen.

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