Shabbat Day

Upon arising in the morning on Shabbat, one should recite Modeh Ani, perform the standard negel vasser (ritual hand washing for the morning), relieve oneself and wash one’s mouth. After getting dressed, one should perform negel vasser again and recite the Morning Blessings, as on any other day. An extensive description of the morning routine can be found in Yahaduton—Jewish Daily Life.

Since it is customary to sleep slightly later than usual on Shabbat, most synagogues begin their Shabbat services at a later time than usual. One should nevertheless take care not to miss the latest times for the recitation of the Shema and Shemoneh Esrei. These times can be found in most standard Jewish calendars. Before Shabbat, one can also look up the times on the Internet or on our website.

Eating Before the Prayers

In general, it is prohibited to eat or drink anything besides water, coffee, or tea until after the morning prayers. If a person is ill or weak, or even if he simply will be unable to pray properly if he does not eat before the morning prayers, he is permitted to eat some cake, a fruit, or any other food that does not require the blessing of Hamotzi. He would also be permitted to drink a beverage of his choice in order to maintain the proper state of concentration and kavanah during the prayer services.

It is preferable to “eat in order to pray” rather than “praying in order to eat.”

How to Prepare Coffee or Tea on Shabbat

The laws governing the preparation of hot drinks are complex, mainly because hot water may “cook” anything in the cup, such as tea leaves, coffee grinds, or the droplets of cold water left in the cup from when it was last washed. In order to avoid desecrating the Shabbat, one should use two cups to prepare a hot drink, in accordance with the following procedure:

• Make sure the first cup is completely dry.
• Pour hot water into it from the urn.
• Take an additional cup and place the tea bag, coffee, sugar, cocoa powder, and the like into it.
• Pour the water from the first cup into the second cup. The purpose of this is to diminish the heat of the water so that it will not have the ability to “cook” anything else.
• Milk may then be added as needed.
• A lemon should not be squeezed into a cup of tea (or any other beverage).
• When one prepares a cup of tea, it is problematic to remove the tea bag from the cup. If one finds the presence of the tea bag irritating, it is permissible to pour the tea into yet a third cup (or even back into the first one), leaving the bag behind along with some tea. Alternatively, the tea bag may be removed in a spoon, also along with some tea.

Shacharit

Preparations for Shacharit

Before Shacharit, one should prepare appropriately by using the lavatory, dressing in proper Shabbat attire, washing one’s hands, and learning something from the “depths of Torah.”

Chassidim customarily go to the mikveh before the morning prayers. A person who uses the mikveh should gently dry his hair with a towel, being careful not to wring out water from the hair.

The Prayer Service

The Shacharit service for Shabbat is comparable, in essence, to that of a weekday. It consists of the opening passages and korbanot (passages dealing with the sacrificial service in the Temple), followed by Pesukei Dezimrah, the Shema and its blessings, and the Shemoneh Esrei. On Shabbat, however, the prayers are longer, since there is no need for anyone to hurry off to their work or other mundane activities. On Shabbat, we have the privilege of remaining in the synagogue for a longer period of time and immersing ourselves in matters of the spirit. Shabbat gives us the opportunity to lift ourselves above our ordinary daily routines.

In The Synagogue and Prayers, we discussed at length the importance of prayer as a means of forming a connection with our Creator. On Shabbat, the significance of our prayers increases greatly, since Shabbat is a day that is dedicated completely to spiritual growth and creating an attachment with G-d.

We also presented the basic content of every passage that we recite in the course of the prayer services. We highly recommend that you peruse it in preparation for the Shabbat prayers as well, since there are many passages recited on Shabbat that we discussed at length there.

• On Shabbat, we do not wear tefillin. A married man should don a tallit before Shacharit begins.

We begin the prayer service with the usual introductory passages: Hareini Mekabel, Mah Tovu, and Adon Olam. We recite additional passages, along with Korbanot, and then the chazzan recites the Rabbis’ Kaddish and the official prayer service begins with Hodu.

After Hodu, Mizmor Shir, Hashem Melech, and Hoshiainu, the Sages added a series of chapters of Psalms that lend a unique character to the Shabbat prayers and add a dimension of inspiration. Just as we dress in special attire in honor of Shabbat, we also honor the Shabbat with a longer, deeper prayer service.

This portion of the prayer service consists of twelve chapters of Psalms. The following is a brief overview of each chapter:

• “Lamenatzeiach, mizmor l’Dovid, hashamayim mesaprim kavod E-l”—To the conductor, a song for David, the heavens relate the honor of G-d.” The first portion of this Psalm discusses the fact that the very existence of creation, in all its splendor, actually “relates” to us the honor and greatness of G-d.

The second portion of the Psalm describes how the Torah “restores the soul” and the commandments “gladden the heart.“At the conclusion of the Psalm, we ask G-d to forgive us for the sins we committed both intentionally and unintentionally, and we pray that we will be pure and free of sin.

• “Ranenu tzaddikim l’Hashem—Sing, righteous ones, to G-d”—This Psalm expresses both praise and gratitude to G-d for creating the wondrous world in which we live and continuing to infuse us with vitality and life at every moment, through the “breath of His Mouth.”

We thank G-d for having chosen us from among all the nations, and we recall the fact that G-d watches over every one of His creations individually and provides for all their needs.

• “L’Dovid b’shanoto et taamo lifnei Avimelech—To David, when he concealed his sanity before Avimelech”— King David wrote this Psalm after an incident in which he pretended to be mentally disturbed in order to escape from Avimelech, the king of the Philistines, who wanted to kill him. Avimelech did not associate David himself with the “crazed” man who stood before him, and David was thereby saved from death.

In this Psalm, which follows the order of the Hebrew alphabet, David give thanks and praises G-d for giving him the wisdom to devise such a scheme to save himself. He goes on to explain that true fear of Heaven is manifested in mutual respect between human beings, when people refrain from speaking ill of or gossiping about each other. In addition, he tells us that every person should “desist from evil” and “do good.”

At the conclusion of this passage, David urges us to make a special effort to cultivate peace and harmony in our own personal lives and in our relationships with others: “Seek peace and pursue it.”

• “Tefillah l’Moshe ish ha’Elokim—A prayer for Moses, the man of G-d”—Tradition teaches us that this Psalm was composed by Moses himself. The main theme of this Psalm is repentance. One of the attributes of Shabbat is that it has the ability to lift a person to a higher spiritual level and bring him closer to G-d. Repentance also has that ability; in addition to the fact that it can rectify sins, it can bring a person to form a more powerful bond with G-d. Thus, Shabbat and repentance share a common objective, which is even the subject of an allusion in their names.

The three root letters of the Hebrew word teshuvah, “repentance,” are taf, shin, and bet, the same three letters that spell the word “Shabbat.”

• “Yosheiv b’seter Elyon—He Who dwells in secret, the Supreme One”—In this Psalm, King David describes his powerful faith in G-d, Who protects and saves us from harm or misfortune. The content of this Psalm is also appropriate for situations when a Jew finds himself in any form of distress. We must always remember to trust in G-d, to pray to Him, and to remain ever hopeful that He will come to our aid.
• “Mizmor, Shiru L’Hashem Shir Chadash—A song, sing a new song to G-d”—This Psalm describes the era of the Messiah and relates the wonders that G-d will perform when the time comes to reveal His glory and might. The nations of the world will then see that G-d has never forgotten or abandoned His nation throughout the long, bitter exile.

David foresaw that the entire world would join in the great celebration that will take place then: The sea will “make noise,” the rivers will “applaud,” and the mountains will “sing” in honor of G-d, Who will reveal Himself in order to mete out righteous judgment.

• “Shir lamaalot, esa einai el heharim—A song to ascents, I will lift my eyes up to the mountains”—The main theme of this Psalm is G-d’s Divine Providence. Sometimes, at moments of despair, we ask ourselves where our salvation will come from. But the answer naturally lies within us: “My help will come from G-d.” We believe in G-d, and we know that He is all-powerful and nothing is impossible for Him.

The Jewish people have experienced countless times of difficulty throughout their history, but we have always remembered that “the Guardian of Israel neither sleeps nor slumbers.” G-d protects us, watches all of our steps, acts like a “shade” to protect us from the blazing sun, and constantly guards us from harm.

• “Shir hamaalot L’David, samachti b’omrim li beit Hashem neileich—A song of ascents for David, I have rejoiced in those who told me, ‘We will go to the house of G-d’”—This Psalm is dedicated to the holy city of Jerusalem. With the holy spirit of prophecy, King David envisions the day when the city and the Holy Temple will be overflowing with joyous pilgrims coming from throughout the Land and from every tribe of Israel to visit it. This Psalm is especially fitting for Shabbat; just as Jerusalem is the place that represents peace and sanctity, Shabbat represents these things in the dimension of time.
• “Shir hamaalot, eilecha nasati et einai—A song of ascents, I have lifted my eyes to You”—In this Psalm, we are asked to “lift our eyes” to the Heavens. This is not only an expression of prayer but also carries a much more profound meaning: We must understand that everything that takes place in our world is neither random nor the product of happenstance, but rather is guided and ordained by special Divine Providence.

In this Psalm, King David compares the Jewish people to a slave who is completely subject to his master’s authority and utterly dependent on him.

• “Shir hamaalot l’Dovid, lulei Hashem she’hayah lanu—A song of ascents to David, if not for G-d, Who was with us”—This Psalm, like the previous one, speaks of our absolute dependence on G-d, particularly at times of crisis or trouble. We must understand that everything that happens to us is Divinely ordained and has a profound reason. No events in the world are random or the product of chance. Therefore, when a person has a negative experience, he should view it as a sign that something in his conduct requires improvement.

In this Psalm, King David compares the Jewish people to a bird that manages to escape from a trap in which it has been ensnared; the hunters in the parable represent the hostile nations who seek to harm us.

• “Halleluy-ah, hallelu et shem Hashem—Praise G-d, praise the Name of G-d”—This Psalm, in a sense, is a song of praise to G-d. We call upon each other to join together in singing the praises of the Creator of the universe for all of the wondrous miracles that He has performed throughout the Jewish people’s history. We mention the powerful natural forces that carry out His will and relate the miracles that took place at the time of the Exodus from Egypt and the Jewish people’s entry into the Land of Israel.

At the end of the Psalm, we describe the future Day of Judgement when G-d will return His nation to the Promised Land and relieve them of the weight of suffering that they bore throughout the long, dark millennia of exile. On that day, all of the pagans who worship idols that cannot see, hear, or speak will recognize the error of their ways and will admit that G-d is the Master of the universe.

• At this point in the services, it is customary to stand in preparation for Baruch She’amar.
• “Hodu l’Hashem ki tov—Thank G-d for He is good”— This Psalm contains twenty-six verses (corresponding to the numerical value of G-d’s Ineffable Name) of thanksgiving to G-d, each verse concluding with the phrase “for His kindness is eternal.” These verses describe the wonders and miracles that G-d has performed, beginning with the creation of the world, the heavens and earth, and the moon and stars, and culminating with the miracles of the Splitting of the Red Sea and of the future Redemption.

“Ha’Aderet V’ha’emunah / The Might and the Faithfulness”

This poetic composition follows the order of the Hebrew alphabet. Each stanza consists of a description of two Divine “qualities” that each begin with the same letter, and concludes with the words “belong to the One Who lives forever.” The message is that the qualities we describe belong to G-d, Who lives forever.

For instance, the first stanza states that aderet and emunah (might and faithfulness) belong to He Who lives forever and that binah and brachah (wisdom and the power to dispense blessing) belong to He Who lives forever. The rest of the composition follows this pattern.

Tradition teaches us that this special composition is also recited by the Heavenly angels when they praise G-d. For that reason, it is always recited with reverence, and generally with a special tune.

Baruch She’amar

The recitation of Baruch She’amar is preceded by a brief passage beginning with the words L’sheim yichud. This passage is drawn from the world of Kabbalah and serves as a preparation for the performance of a mitzvah. One should have in mind that this passage applies to all of the mitzvot that he will perform over the course of the day.

• Baruch She’amar marks the official beginning of Pesukei Dezimrah. As such, it is prohibited to speak after Baruch She’amar until the conclusion of the Shemoneh Esrei.
• During Baruch She’amar, one should stand and grasp the front two fringes of the tallit in the left hand (between the ring finger and pinky finger, with the remainder of the tzitzit dangling forward), just as we do during the week. At the conclusion of the passage, the tzitzit are passed before the eyes, kissed, and released.

The Psalms Mizmor shir l’yom Shabbat and Hashem malach gei’ut laveish are discussed at length in the section on the Friday night prayers; see above.

Background and explanation for the other passages that appear in the siddur at this point can be found in Pesukei Dezimrah – The Synagogue and Prayers.

Nishmat Kol Chai

This vivid, poetic prayer is a natural addition to the Shabbat prayer services. On Shabbat, we are free from the burdens of our weekday activities. We are more relaxed and are not in a rush to get anywhere. It is only natural that we should have more time to speak to our Father in Heaven and to dedicate another few moments to discuss the special natural relationship between man and his Creator.

In this prayer, we praise G-d for all the miracles, both hidden and revealed, that He has performed throughout the history of the Jewish people and that He continues to perform even today. The prayer speaks of a deep sense of gratitude that we cannot truly express in words. Even if our mouths were as filled with words of praise as the sea is filled with water, we assert, and our tongues praised G-d as loudly and powerfully as the waves of the sea, and so on and so forth, we would still be incapable of properly thanking G-d.

Our inadequacy notwithstanding, since we must make an attempt to praise G-d, we dedicate all of the limbs of our bodies—the very limbs with which G-d has blessed us—to be always filled with praise and thanksgiving to G-d. “Every mouth will thank You, and every tongue will swear by You, and every eye will watch for You.… All of my bones [representing all of the components of the human body] will declare, ‘G-d, who is like you?’”

Shochein Ad and B’makheilot

As a natural continuation of Nishmat and a fitting introduction to Yishtabach, the blessing that concludes Pesukei Dezimrah, we add another two paragraphs that describe how all of G-d’s creations have an obligation to praise Him. The righteous and devout members of the Jewish people, the rest of the Jewish nation, and even the other human beings and living things in the world are all obligated to voice many forms of praise for the King of kings, the Holy One, Blessed be He. This is in addition to all the songs of praise authored by “David the son of Jesse,” in the passages that we previously recited.

Barchu

The blessing of Yishtabach is followed by the Half Kaddish and then Barchu, to which the congregation responds, “Blessed is G-d, the Blessed One for all eternity.”

An extensive discussion and explanation of the following passages, as well as the proper conduct during prayer services, can be found in The Blessings of the Shema—The Synagogue and Prayers

The Blessings of the Shema

We begin the blessings of the Shema with the blessing of Yotzer Ohr, “the Creator of light,” just as we do during the week, but on Shabbat the blessing is augmented with an additional three paragraphs.

• “Hakol yoducha—All will give thanks to You”—At the beginning of this prayer, we thank G-d for having created the sun and having mercifully placed it in the sky at the perfect distance from the earth, so that the earth is neither incinerated by the heat of the sun nor frozen due to excessive distance from it. We then go on to extol G-d’s other deeds—“How great are Your deeds, O G-d; You have performed them all with wisdom”—and to beseech Him to shield us and protect us from our enemies. The passage concludes with the declaration that there is nothing in the world that can even be compared to G-d, and there is no reality outside of Him.
• “E-l Adon—G-d, Master”—During the week, we recite the passage “E-l Baruch Gedol Dei’ah,” which consists of a series of words in praise of G-d following the order of the Hebrew alphabet. On Shabbat, this passage is replaced by a longer, “upgraded” version in which every letter introduces an entire sentence rather than a single word.

The topic of this passage is the praise of G-d, the Master of all creatures, Who created the world. It deals primarily with the luminaries that appear in the heavens—the sun, the moon, and the stars—which were created in such a way that we will be able to derive benefit from their light.

The alphabetical acrostic alludes to the fact that the world was created through G-d’s “speech,” so to speak— through the Torah, which was written with the Hebrew alphabet.

• “La’E-l asher shavat—To the G-d Who rested”—The third special addition to this section of the Shabbat prayers focuses on the fact that the seventh day of the week is a day of rest. On this day, G-d ceased all of His “work,” as the process of the world’s creation concluded and He “rose and sat upon His Throne of Glory.”

G-d commanded us to honor and enjoy Shabbat in a special way, and we do so out of a sense of gratitude for the fact that He blessed us with the gift of such a special and powerful day.

• This paragraph should be recited with intense focus and special concentration on every word. If a person fails to maintain the proper concentration during this passage, he should repeat it.

The remainder of the first blessing of the Shema follows the usual text recited during the week. This blessing is followed by Ahavat Olam (“Eternal Love”), the second blessing of the Shema, which is also identical to the weekday version.

• At the words “and gather us in peace from the four corners of the land,” one should gather together the four corners of the tallit and hold them in the left hand, between the fourth and fifth fingers, following the same procedure that applies during a weekday. The tzitzit should be held that way until the end of the first passage following the conclusion of the Shema.

The Shema

At this point, we recite the three paragraphs of the Shema, following the usual procedure of placing the right hand over the eyes during the first verse, kissing the tzitzit at each mention of the word “tzitzit,” and so forth.

The Shema is followed by Emet V’Yatziv and Ezrat Avoteinu, and then we begin the Shemoneh Esrei of Shabbat.

The Shemoneh Esrei

The Shemoneh Esrei of Shabbat morning follows the same pattern as the Shemoneh Esrei we recite on Friday night. We begin with the same three blessings, and once again we devote the middle blessing to the Shabbat day itself. We also conclude with the same three blessings that serve as the conclusion of every Shemoneh Esrei.

The Blessing Over the Day—“Let Moses Rejoice”

The middle blessing of the Shemoneh Esrei portrays the Torah as a “gift” that G-d granted to Moses and to the entire Jewish people. We emphasize the fact that that gift included the commandment to observe Shabbat.

This blessing also quotes the verses from the Torah that discuss the commandment to observe Shabbat and the rationale for this precept: “The Children of Israel shall observe the Shabbat throughout their generations [i.e., Shabbat observance is compulsory everywhere, at every generation and every time]. It is an eternal sign between Me and the Children of Israel … and on the seventh day, He ceased and rested [i.e., because on the seventh day of creation, after six days of ‘work,’ G-d ceased his ‘work’ and ‘rested’].”

“V’lo Netato—You Have Not Given It”

The blessing then describes how the Shabbat is unique to the Jewish people. In previous generations, the nations of the world used to mock us for “wasting” an entire day of work every week and dedicating it to spiritual matters that appeared (to them) to be of no value. In later years, the Christians and Muslims adopted the idea of a weekly “day of rest.” Nevertheless, their version of a day of rest bears no substantive resemblance to our Shabbat. Shabbat is the symbol of the special love that exists between G-d and the Jewish people, and we express our thanks to G-d for that fact.

The next two paragraphs in this blessing, “Let them rejoice” and “Our G-d,” are explained in our discussion of the Shemoneh Esrei for Friday night; see above.

We then move on to the concluding blessings of the Shemoneh Esrei.

The Chazzan’s Repetition

The chazzan repeats the Shemoneh Esrei that we just recited, and the congregation responds “Amen” at the conclusion of every blessing.

After the blessing of “Who resurrects the dead,” the entire congregation recites Kedushah together. The chazzan repeats each paragraph after the congregation has recited it.

After the blessing of “Who restores His Presence to Zion,” the congregation recites the Rabbis’ Modim together. The chazzan then recites the blessing of the kohanim, and the prayer service concludes with the final blessing of Shemoneh Esrei and the Full Kaddish.

In many synagogues, mainly in Jerusalem, the kohanim bless the congregation during the chazzan’s repetition of the Shacharit Shemoneh Esrei as well. The proper conduct for the kohanim and the congregation during this time is described below, in our discussion of the Mussaf service.

The chazzan’s repetition is followed by a special “Song of the Day” for Shabbat. We recite once again the Psalm that begins “A musical song for the Shabbat day,” which we discussed at length in our explanation of the Friday night prayer service. This Psalm is followed by the passage that begins “Save us,” after which a mourner or orphan recites the Orphans’ Kaddish.

Torah Lecture

In many synagogues, it is customary for the rabbi or a congregant to address the congregation before the Torah reading and share a thought on the parshah (Torah reading) of the week.

The Torah Reading

Shacharit is followed by the reading of an entire parshah (section) out of a Torah scroll.

For a discussion of the general background of the ritual of reading from the Torah and the customs relating to the opening of the Ark, the aliyot, the people who must be summoned to the Torah, and the procedure for reading it, see The Synagogue and Prayers.

• After the recitation of the passage “Blessed is His Name,” the chazzan recites two verses aloud, “Hear O Israel” and “Our G-d is One,” and the congregation repeats each one after him.
• The chazzan then recites the verse that begins, “Exalt G-d with me,” and the congregation recites the usual response of “To You, G-d, is the greatness.” On Shabbat, two additional passages are added after that response.
• Unlike the procedure for a weekday, the gabbai recites the passage beginning with the words “May He help, protect, and save” in the chant used for a person being called to the Torah.

On Shabbat, eight people are called to the Torah: a Kohen, a Levi, five Yisraelim, and an additional man for Maftir.

The seven aliyot of the Torah reading is followed by the Half Kaddish, which is recited by the reader. After that, the eighth man is called up for an aliyah that consists of the final verses of the week’s Torah reading. This aliyah is called Maftir, since the person who receives it reads the Haftarah.

• Maftir can be given to a Kohen or Levi as well.

The “Mi Shebeirach” Prayers

During the Torah reading, after the conclusion of each aliyah, it is customary for the gabbai of the synagogue to recite a special blessing for each person who was called to the Torah. He is blessed that G-d—Who blessed our forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—should bless him as well, should protect him, should save him from any misfortune, and should grant him success and blessing in everything he does.

• In many communities, the honorees use this opportunity to pledge a donation to the synagogue.

After the Torah reading, all of the congregants are given an opportunity to mention the names of relatives or friends who are suffering from illness. The gabbai recites a special Mi shebeirach prayer designated for the ill (in two separate versions, one for men and the other for women), and the congregants tell him the names of people to include in the prayer.

On Shabbat, this prayer is recited in a shorter version, which concludes with the words, “It is Shabbat so we cannot cry out, and healing will soon be coming; let us say ‘Amen.’”

• When praying for a person to recover from a disease, one should use their name in conjunction with their mother’s name, e.g., “Yosef the son of Yehudit” or “Rachel the daughter of Sarah.”

The Haftarah

The Haftarah is a selection from the Prophets whose content is similar or somehow connected to the Torah reading or to the day itself (such as the Haftarah read on a festival or when Rosh Chodesh coincides with Shabbat).

For instance, the section of the Torah known as Parshat Shelach deals with the incident of the spies whom Moses dispatched to scout out the Land of Canaan. The Haftarah for that Torah portion deals with a similar incident, when Joshua sent two spies to infiltrate the Land prior to its conquest by the Jewish people.

Every Haftarah consists of a minimum of twenty-one verses, three for each aliyah in the Torah reading of Shabbat.

• After the conclusion of Maftir, the Sefer Torah is raised and then rolled up and placed in its cover. The honoree for Maftir then recites the first blessing over the Haftarah: “Blessed are You … Who chose good prophets….”
• Next, the honoree reads the Haftarah aloud from a Chumash so that everyone can hear it and recite it along with him. It is prohibited to speak during the reading of the weekly Torah portion and the Haftarah.
• After the Haftarah, the honoree recites an additional four blessings: “Rock of all the worlds,” “Have mercy on Zion,” “Bring us joy, G-d, our L-rd,” and a blessing that is unique to the Shabbat day: “For the Torah.”

The honoree for Maftir recites a total of seven blessings, corresponding to the seven honorees during the regular Torah reading. He recites two blessings on the Maftir reading from the Torah scroll (one before it and one after it), one blessing before the Haftarah, and four blessings after the Haftarah, for a total of seven.

Yekum Purkan

After the conclusion of the Haftarah, we recite several prayers for the well-being of our nation’s leaders, for the congregants themselves, and for those who make regular donations for the upkeep of the synagogue.

Yekum Purkan was added to the Shabbat liturgy approximately 1500 years ago, after the Babylonian Talmud (the Gemara) was completed. This prayer has been preserved in the original Aramaic, presumably because it was commonly recited after the Talmudic period even by simple Jews who spoke exclusively Aramaic, and over the years it became a prayer of the masses.

We begin with the first Yekum Purkan, in which we pray for the well-being of the leaders of the nation in our generation. We ask G-d to be kind and merciful to them and to bless them with long lives, ample sustenance, good health, childr

Mi Shebeirach

For the benefit of those people who do not speak fluent Aramaic, our Sages added an additional prayer, Mi Shebeirach, which is written in Hebrew. This prayer also consists of a blessing for the entire congregation—men and women, girls and boys.

The blessing focuses primarily on the men of the congregation, those who donate funds for the upkeep of the synagogue or to pay for its various expenses. There is also a special blessing for those who dedicate their lives to public service out of a sense of responsibility to others and who involve themselves in communal needs with good faith and integrity. We bless them that G-d should “pay them their reward,” should heal their illnesses and grant them health, should forgive their sins, and should bless everything they do.

In previous generations, many Jewish communities took advantage of this opportunity to add another prayer on behalf of the emperor, the Czar, or whatever government officials existed where they lived. Today as well, it is customary in many places to add a prayer for the political leaders of the locale. In Israel, many also add a special prayer for the soldiers of the Israel Defense Force and for Israelis who are missing in action or imprisoned in other countries.

The Blessing of the New Month

On the Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh, we add a special prayer for the upcoming month. This prayer expresses our hope that G-d, Who performed miracles for our forefathers and redeemed them from their servitude in Egypt, will perform miracles for us as well and will redeem us soon from the exile, gathering the entire Jewish people from their dispersion throughout the world and reuniting them in the Land of Israel.

We pray that G-d will bless us in the new month with a good life, with genuine peace, and with a month filled with joy and happiness, salvation and consolation.

• Before the prayer for the new month begins, the gabbai customarily announces the exact time of the molad (“birth” of the new moon, the moment when the new moon reappears in the course of its monthly cycle) and when Rosh Chodesh will occur during the coming week.
• The chazzan stands at the bimah, holding the Torah scroll, and the congregation recites the passage “He Who has performed miracles,” ending with the words “and let us say ‘Amen.’”
• The chazzan then announces the name of the coming month and the day when it will begin. For example, the chazzan might announce, “Rosh Chodesh Kislev will be on Tuesday, which should be good for us.” The congregation repeats this declaration aloud.
• The congregation then recites the passage, “May the Holy One, Blessed Be He, renew it,” aloud and in unison. The chazzaon repeats the passage aloud, and the congregation responds “Amen” after each pair of blessings in the paragraph.

“Av Harachamim—Merciful Father”

At this point on an ordinary Shabbat, we recite a passage beginning with the words “Mericful Father.” This passage is a memorial of sorts to all those Jewish souls who surrendered their lives for the sake of G-d’s honor. We beseech G-d to remember them in His great mercy and to avenge the incident Jewish blood that was spilled in blind hatred, simply because of the fact that they were Jews. By doing so, in a sense, he will appease the land and the rest of the Jewish people.

• On a Shabbat when we recite the blessing for the new month (called “Shabbat Mevarchim”), or on a day on which Tachanun would not be recited even if it was a weekday, this passage is omitted.
• On the Shabbat prior to the month of Sivan, however, the passage is recited.

This passage is followed by Ashrei, and we escort the Torah scroll back to the Ark while reciting, “Let them praise the Name of G-d.” The chazzan recites the Half Kaddish, and we begin the Mussaf service.

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The Mussaf Service

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As we discussed at length in Yahaduton—The Synagogue and Prayers, every prayer service is a parallel, in essence, of a sacrificial service that used to take place in the Holy Temple. The Shacharit service in the morning corresponds to the daily morning sacrificial service, and the Minchah service in the afternoon corresponds to the daily sacrifice that was offered at the end of the day. Maariv, the nighttime prayer, corresponds to the limbs of the day’s sacrifices, which used to be burned on the altar at night.

The Mussaf service, which is recited after Shacharit on Shabbat, festivals, and Rosh Chodesh, corresponds to the Mussaf sacrifices that were offered in the Temple on these special occasions.

• Mussaf may be recited until seven “seasonal hours” (a seasonal hour is one of twelve equal portions of the period of daylight on that day) into the day. Nevertheless, a person who forgot to recite Mussaf after Shacharit may do so, post facto, until sunset.

The Mussaf service consists only of the Shemoneh Esrei, without any introductory passages.

Like every Shemoneh Esrei, the Shemoneh Esrei of Mussaf begins and ends with the standard two sets of three blessings each. The middle blessing of the Mussaf Shemoneh Esrei deals with the nature of the day on which it is recited. On Shabbat, the blessing describes the sanctity of the Shabbat day, and on the various festivals, it deals with the specific festival on which it is recited.

“Tikanta Shabbat—You Have Established Shabbat”

This blessing, which serves as the backbone of the Mussaf prayers, describes our gratitude to G-d for having given us the gift of Shabbat and having made it a day that is entirely devoted to the connection between Him and His people.

We pray to G-d to bring His entire nation to the Land of Israel and to build the Third Temple for us there, so that we will be able to continue offering the sacrifices of Shabbat as we were commanded in the Torah.

This blessing quotes the verses from the Torah that describe the specific sacrifices of Shabbat: “On the Shabbat day, two year-old lambs….” It then continues with the passages with which we are familiar from the Shemoneh Esrei of Friday night and Shacharit: “Let them rejoice in Your Kingship” and “Our G-d.”

The blessing concludes with the words, “Blessed are You, G-d, Who sanctifies Shabbat.”

When Rosh Chodesh coincides with Shabbat, the Mussaf service is slightly altered and this blessing is replaced by the blessing of Atah Yatzarta, “You have fashioned,” which also incorporates the details of the special sacrifices of Rosh Chodesh, along with special blessings for the new month.

Interestingly, this blessing, like many others, follows the order of the Hebrew alphabet, albeit in reverse. It begins with tav, the final letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and the following twenty-one words follow the order of the remaining letters of the alphabet backwards, with the last word beginning with aleph.

The Hebrew alphabet has profound spiritual meaning; it is much more than a charming literary device. Even the direction of the order has significance. When the letters appear in order, from the first to the last, it symbolizes man drawing close to G-d. When they are in reverse order, beginning with tav, it symbolizes the reverse—G-d drawing close to man, so to speak. Both of these processes are intrinsic components of our relationship with G-d, but there are times when one must be emphasized over the other.

The Mussaf service features the reverse alphabetical order because Shabbat, more than anything else, represents the process of G-d coming close to us, as it were. Shabbat was granted to us as a gift from G-d, out of His infinite love and kindness. We did not request it, but nevertheless G-d gave us a weekly opportunity in which He comes close to us and gives us a chance to become more connected with him.

The Chazzan’s Repetition of Mussaf

After the chazzan concludes the second blessing of Mussaf, we recite a special Kedushah that begins with the words, “They will give You a crown.” This Kedushah is based on verses that appear in the prophecies of Isaiah and Ezekiel and describes how the angels praise G-d.

Like the Kedushah of Shacharit, the Kedushah of Mussaf is recited responsively. Each paragraph is recited by the congregation and then repeated by the chazzan.

The Blessing of the Konahim

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The “Blessing of the Kohanim” is the name for the special blessing with which the Kohanim were Divinely instructed to bless the people. Nowadays, the Kohanim recite this blessing during the chazzan’s repetition of the Shemoneh Esrei at Shacharit and Mussaf on Shabbat and the festivals.

• When no Kohen is present, the chazzan himself recites the Blessing of the Kohanim while the congregation gazes at him.

This blessing is also known as nesiat kapayim, “the raising of the hands,” because the Kohanim lift their hands while facing the congregation. It is also known as “the threefold blessing” because it consists of three verses, each of them representing a separate blessing.

The blessing consists of three verses from the Book of Numbers, in which the Kohanim are given the instruction to bless the Jewish people with the Name of G-d.

The Content of the Blessing

The Kohanim bless each member of the Jewish people in the Name of G-d:

“May G-d bless you and protect you.” This blessing means that G-d should bless us with material bounty and wealth, but should also protect that wealth from thieves and from the danger that a person’s wealth may blind him and become a source of danger and arrogance.

“May G-d illuminate His countenance toward you and treat you with grace.” This is a blessing that G-d should show us a “smiling countenance” and we should find favor in the eyes of everyone we meet.

“May G-d show favor to you and place peace upon you.” This is a blessing that G-d should disregard His anger toward us and bless us with internal tranquility and peace with ourselves and with others.

Who Is a Kohen Today?

The status of Kohen has been transmitted from generation to generation for over three thousand years, beginning with Aaron, the brother of Moses, and continuing to his distant descendants who are still living today.

During the Temple era, the Kohanim played a central role in the various rituals performed in the Temple. Nowadays, once the Temple has been destroyed, the Kohanim retain a few privileges, among them the opportunity to bestow the special Blessing of the Kohanim on their brethren.

“Could I be a Kohen too?”

Being a Kohen, just like being a Jew, is a special status that is transmitted from parent to child. If you know that your father and your grandfather were Kohanim, you could also be a Kohen!

Nowadays, some Kohanim can be identified by their last names. People named Cohen or Katz (the latter stands for “Kohen Tzedek”) are generally Kohanim.

The Procedure for the Blessing of the Kohanim

There are many details regarding how to conduct oneself during the Blessing of the Kohanim. We have divided the customs into two categories: those that pertain to the entire congregation as they listen to the Kohanim, and those that pertain to the Kohanim themselves, as well as the chazzan who dictates the blessings to them.

The Congregation

• During the Blessing of the Kohanim, one should refrain from looking at the Kohanim. A person who is wearing a tallit should pull the top of the tallit forward to cover his eyes. A person who is not wearing a tallit should simply direct his gaze downward.
• A person who is in the synagogue with little children should preferably gather his children beneath his tallit.
• During the Blessing of the Kohanim, the congregation should refrain from speaking. They also should not recite the verses along with the Kohanim. They should listen attentively to each blessing and respond “Amen” after each of the three verses.
• When the Kohanim descend from the platform, it is customary to thank them with the words “yasher koach” for bestowing a blessing on us.

The Kohanim

• Immediately after Kedushah, the Kohanim should go to wash their hands with a cup filled with water. It is 136 customary for a person who is a Levi (or a firstborn child) to pour the water on the Kohanim’s hands for them. No blessing is recited on this washing of the hands.
• After the Kohanim have washed their hands, they should refrain from touching any covered part of the body or their shoes. For this reason, it is advisable for the Kohanim to untie their shoelaces before washing their hands, so that they will not have to touch their shoes when they remove them.
• The Kohanim should ascend the “duchan” (the platform where they recite their blessing) without shoes when the chazzan begins the blessing of Retzeh, which precedes Modim. They should remain standing there and face the Ark.
• After they recite Modim, the Kohanim recite a brief prayer for their blessing to bear fruit: “May it be Your will… that this blessing should be … a complete blessing, without any stumbling block or sin, from now and forever.”
• At this point, the Kohanim should unfold the portion of the tallit that is folded over their shoulders and drape it over their arms and head.
• The chazzan concludes the blessing with the words “that Your Name is good and it is pleasant to give thanks to You,” and continues with the introductory paragraph to the Blessing of the Kohanim: “Our G-d and the G-d of our forefathers, bless us with the threefold blessing of the Torah … from Aaron and his sons.” Then he announces, “Kohanim!” and concludes the sentence in a whisper, “Your holy nation, as it is said.”
• The Kohanim begin reciting their own blessing aloud while turning to face the congregation with their faces covered with the tallit: “Blessed are You … Who has sanctified us with the holiness of Aaron and has commanded us to bless His nation Israel with love.”
• Throughout the Blessing of the Kohanim, the Kohanim keep their hands extended forward, slightly above the height of their heads. It is customary to separate the four fingers of the hand into two pairs, with the index finger and middle finger pressed together and separated by a space from the ring finger and little finger. The thumb “rests” on the side. The Kohanim place both their hands together so that their thumbs and index fingers are touching. They remain in this position throughout the recitation of the blessings.
• The chazzan, in a low tone, dictates each word of the blessings to the Kohanim, and they repeat each word aloud.
• At each word that ends with a final kaf (meaning “you,” as in “He shall bless you,” “He shall protect you,” and so forth), as well as at the word “shalom,” it is customary for the Kohanim to turn their heads and arms both to the left and the right while they recite the words.
• After the blessing has concluded, while the Kohanim’s faces are still covered, they recite a brief prayer: “Master of the Universe, we have done as You commanded. You do upon us as You promised us: Gaze down from Your holy dwelling place, from the Heavens, and bless Your nation Israel … as You swore to our forefathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.
• At the end of the blessing, the Kohanim should turn around again to face the Ark. They may then lower their tallitot to the usual position.
• The Kohanim should remain standing on the duchan until the chazzan concludes the next and final blessing of the Shemoneh Esrei.
• It is only in Israel that the Blessing of the Kohanim is recited every week on Shabbat. In the Diaspora, it is customary to recite it only on festivals. In Israel, as well, the custom tends to vary. In Jerusalem, the Blessing of the Kohanim is recited every day.

The Conclusion of the Morning Prayer Service

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After Mussaf, the chazzan recites the Full Kaddish. This is followed by Kaveh (“Hope”), Ein K’Elokeinu (“There is none like our G-d”), the order of the incense, and some additional concluding passages. The chazzan (or an orphan) recites the Full Kaddish, followed by Aleinu and Al Tira.

On Shabbat, an additional passage is added at the end of the prayer service. This passage is drawn from the Book of Leviticus and describes the mitzvah of lechem hapanim, the “showbread.”

During the Temple era, twelve loaves of bread in a special shape would be prepared every week and placed on a golden table in the Temple building. Every Shabbat, after the bread had remained there for an entire week and had miraculously remained fresh, the Kohanim would divide the loaves up among themselves and consume them.

Every week after Mussaf, in commemoration of this special mitzvah, we recite the Biblical verses in which we are instructed to observe it: “You shall take fine flour and bake it into twelve loaves….”

The showbread is known in the Torah as lechem hapanim, literally “the inside bread,” because it was kept in the inner chamber of the Temple. The word panim can also be translated as “face,” an allusion to the fact that the bread was as beautiful and appealing as the face of a king.

This passage is followed by the Six Remembrances, and we conclude with the day’s portion of the monthly recitation of Psalms, as well as the “personal Psalm” of every individual, in accordance with his age.

• It is permissible to fold the tallit after the service has concluded, but it should not be folded exactly on the creases.

Kiddush in the Synagogue

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On special weeks (such as Shabbat Mevarchim) or on special occasions such as a bar mitzvah, “Shabbat chatan,” brit milah, and the like, it is customary to hold a “kiddush” in the synagogue. One of the congregants should recite the Kiddush aloud, thereby enabling everyone present to listen and fulfill their obligation.

Since there is a requirement that Kiddush be recited in heard in the place where one eats, it is important to eat a food whose blessing is borei minei mezonot, such as cake, crackers, and the like. (Alternatively, one may wash hands in the synagogue and eat the Shabbat meal there).

• A person who remains in the synagogue for a kiddush must remember to recite the blessing after food before he goes home to have the Shabbat meal.

The Meal of Shabbat Day

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The laws and customs pertaining to the meal on Shabbat day are identical to those for the meal on Friday night, which we enumerated above.

• Just as on Friday night, one should not eat or drink anything prior to Kiddush.
• Upon returning from the synagogue, one should make sure that the table is already set for the Shabbat meal.

Kiddush

The person reciting Kiddush begins with Psalm 23, “A song for David, G-d is my Shepherd; I shall not fear,” followed by Atkinu Seudata,” the Biblical passage “The Children of Israel shall observe the Shabbat,” Im Tashiv, and Da Hi Seudata. The full text of Kiddush appears in siddurim and Birkat Hamazon booklets that include Kiddush.

These passages are followed by the recitation of a number of verses from the Ten Commandments that deal with the commandment to observe Shabbat: “Remember the Shabbat day to sanctify it…. You shall work for six days … and the seventh day is a Shabbat for G-d, your L-rd. You shall not do any work … because for six days, G-d made the heavens and the earth … and He rested on the seventh day.”

• The wine should be poured into the Kiddush cup, and there should be two covered challot on the table.
• The person reciting Kiddush should lift the cup of wine in the same manner as that described in the Friday night Kiddush. After lifting the cup, he concludes aloud the verses that he previously began reciting, with the words, “Therefore, G-d blessed the Shabbat day and sanctified it. Listen, sirs. Blessed are You … Who creates the fruit of the vine.”
• After the blessing, the person who recited Kiddush must drink at least the majority of a reviit of wine from the cup. He should then pour additional wine into the cup and distribute a “taste” of the wine of Kiddush to everyone present.
• After Kiddush, everyone should proceed to wash their hands for the meal. The blessing of Hamotzi is recited over two whole loaves of challah, and each slice of challah is dipped in salt.
• The only difference between the procedure followed at the daytime meal and that of the nighttime meal lies in the way the challot are held. At the daytime meal, the head of the family holds the challah that he plans to cut in his right hand, slightly above the other challah—not below it, as is the case on Friday night.

The Meal

At the daytime meal as well, there is a mitzvah to honor and enjoy Shabbat by partaking of special foods and beverages. We increase our consumption mainly of fish, wine, and meat, and there is a custom to serve cholent at the daytime meal on Shabbat.

Instead of the song Azamer L’shvachin, which is dedicated to the Friday night meal, it is customary to sing a different song, Asader L’seudata, at the daytime meal.

• During this meal, as well, it is important to focus the conversation on topics associated with the Torah portion of the week and with other Torah-related matters.

At the conclusion of the meal, Birkat Hamazon (Grace After Meals) is recited. We first wash our hands with the traditional mayim acharonim, then perform a zimun if ten adult Jewish males (13 years old or more) are present, and then recite Birkat Hamazon, adding the appropriate additional passages for Shabbat.

The Prohibition of Preparing on Shabbat for a Weekday

• One should not wash or rinse dishes after the final Shabbat meal.
• Guests who are staying at a hotel or another person’s 143 house on Shabbat should not begin packing their belongings before Shabbat ends in order to be able to leave immediately after Shabbat.
• Children’s schoolbags should not be prepared on Shabbat for the next day

The Minchah Service

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The afternoon service on Shabbat is a special time when G-d accepts our prayers much more readily. The prayers of Shabbat afternoon have been compared to those of Neilah, the final prayer on Yom Kippur.

As on every day, we recite Minchah on Shabbat anytime from half an hour after midday until sunset.

• Minchah begins with Korbanot and Ashrei, followed by Uva Letzion.
• The chazzan recites the Half Kaddish, and then we recite the verse, “And I, my prayer to You, G-d, should be at a good time. G-d, in Your great kindness, answer me with the truth of Your salvation.

This verse expresses the fact that we, the Jewish people, are different from all the other nations of the world. Even though we have sated ourselves with the lavish meals of Shabbat, we do not become intoxicated and fall asleep like the people in the world who lead empty, meaningless lives. On the contrary, even at the end of the day, we come to the synagogue, engage in prayer, and thank G-d for all the wonderful things that He has given us.

The Torah Reading

We then open the Ark and recite the prayers of “When the Ark traveled” and “Blessed is His Name.” The chazzan then announces, “Give praise to G-d with me, and we will exalt His Name together,” and the congregation recites the passages that appear in the siddur: “Yours, G-d, is the greatness…. Father of mercy … in a good measure, salvation and mercy.”

Three honorees are called to the Torah at the Minchah service on Shabbat. The first is a Kohen, the second is a Levi, and the third is a Yisrael. The Torah reading of Shabbat Minchah consists of the beginning of the following week’s Torah reading. Thus, for instance, on the Shabbat when we read Parshat Bereishit, the first portion in the Torah, at Minchah we read the beginning of the second section of the Torah, Parshat Noach.

• In a deviation from the usual practice, we do not recite the Half Kaddish at the bimah after the Torah reading has concluded. Instead, Hagbahah and Gelilah are performed immediately.

After the Torah scroll has been lifted and rolled, the chazzan recites the Half Kaddish at the podium where he leads the prayers. The Torah scroll is returned to the Ark while the congregation recites the Amen response, and they recite the passage of Yehalelu together.

Once the chazzan has concluded the Kaddish and the Torah scroll has been returned to the Ark, the Shemoneh Esrei begins.

“You Are One”

Like most of the prayers of Shabbat, the Shemoneh Esrei of Minchah consist of the two sets of three blessings that begin and end every Shemoneh Esrei, in addition to a middle blessing that describes the sanctity of the Shabbat day.

This blessing, which begins with the words “You are One and Your Name is One,” opens with a description of the special bond that exists between the Jewish people, Shabbat, and G-d. Each of them is unique, but the three together also combine to form a single unit.

We then go on to mention our three forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and express our confidence that they are glad to see their descendants observing Shabbat with tranquility, faith, and love for G-d.

The blessing concludes with the familiar passage beginning “Our G-d and the G-d of our forefathers” and the concluding words, “Blessed are You, G-d, Who sanctifies the Shabbat.”

• The chazzan then repeats the Shemoneh Esrei, and the congregation recites Kedushah and Modim.

The Conclusion of the Prayer Service

After the chazzan’s repetition, we recite three verses that begin with the word Tzidkatcha, “Your righteousness.” The chazzan then recites the Full Kaddish, and we conclude our prayers with Aleinu.

The Tzidkatcha prayer expresses the same notion as the prayer of tziduk hadin, “justifying the decree,” that mourners recite in the cemetery in order to “accept” G-d’s decree upon them. These three verses correspond to the three great men who passed away at this hour on Shabbat: Moses, Joseph, and King David.

• The verses of Tzidkatcha are not recited on a date when Tachanun would not have been recited on a weekday, such as Rosh Chodesh and the like. These verses correspond to the Tachanun we recite during the week.

Pirkei Avot

Beginning on the Shabbat after Passover and continuing until Rosh Hashanah, there is a custom to recite one chapter of the tractate Avot (Ethics of the Fathers) after Minchah on Shabbat. This tractate is also known as “Pirkei Avot.”

This Talmudic tractate is unique because, unlike the other tractates, which deal with Jewish law, the topic of this tractate is ethical development and proper interpersonal conduct. The study of these subjects is particularly apropos during the summer and vacation months, when there tends to be a more permissive atmosphere. Studying this tractate helps us maintain good character and fear of Heaven.

• Before each chapter, one should recite the Mishnah that begins, “All of Israel have a portion in the World to Come.” At the end of each chapter, one should recite the quote from the Talmud attributed to Rabbi Chananya the son of Akashya.

Seudah Shlishit—The Third Meal

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There is a mitzvah to eat three meals on Shabbat. The first takes place on Friday night, the second after the morning prayers, and the third after Minchah on Shabbat afternoon.

There are a couple of differences between the first two Shabbat meals and the third:

• Kiddush is not recited over a cup of wine at this meal.
• There is no obligation to wash one’s hands and recite the blessing of Hamotzi on challah at this meal. One may instead eat a food whose blessing is Borei Minei Mezonot, or even fruit, and thereby fulfill the obligation of eating “the third meal.”

During Seudah Shlishit, it is customary to recite Psalm 23 and Atkinu Seudata. It is also customary to sing Bnei Heichala, a song that appears in prayer books and zemirot booklets.

A person who wishes to continue his Seudah Shlishit meal after sunset must wash his hands and recite Hamotzi over two whole loaves of challah, as he does at the other meals.

• In such a situation, when a person began Seudah Shlishit during Shabbat and concluded it after sunset, he is still required to recite the Shabbat additions in Birkat Hamazon since, from the standpoint of Jewish law, this meal is still connected to Shabbat.

Raava D’raavin

The sanctity of Shabbat reaches its peak just before it ends. The Zohar calls the time between Minchah and Maariv on Shabbat “raava d’raavin” (“will of wills,” i.e., a time when G-d is more willing than ever, so to speak, to accept our prayers and it is much easier to forge a connection with Him).

In many synagogues, the congregation spends Seudah Shlishit together. They sing various songs and tunes, and the rabbi or a congregant delivers a Torah lecture.

The Maariv Service

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Officially, Shabbat concludes at the time of the emergence of three small stars. All Jewish communities, however, have the custom of “ending” Shabbat slightly later than the official time. By doing so, we extend the Shabbat atmosphere a little longer and take our leave of it in a way that sends the message that we wish we could stay with it longer.

• We begin Maariv about 10 minutes after the time when three small stars appear.

On Motzaei Shabbat, we recite a standard Maariv service, beginning with V’hu Rachum and Barchu, followed by the Shema and its blessings and then by the Shemoneh Esrei.

In the fourth blessing of the Shemoneh Esrei, we insert a special paragraph called Atah Chonantanu, “You have graced us.” In this passage, we ask G-d to grant us a good, blessed week, a week that is free of sin and filled with virtuous deeds.

This blessing, the Havdalah blessing of the Shemoneh Esrei, is incorporated specifically into the blessing dealing with wisdom because our wisdom enables us to perceive the special nature of Shabbat and to distinguish between Shabbat and a regular weekday.

• The chazzan does not repeat the Shemoneh Esrei at the Maariv service. The Shemoneh Esrei is followed by the Half Kaddish, recited by the chazzan.

After Kaddish, we recite a number of passages that are added to the service after Shabbat. These passages are recited while standing.

• “May the pleasantness of G-d, our L-rd, be upon us….”
• Psalm 91, “He Who dwells in secret, the Supreme One.” At the conclusion of this Psalm, we recite the last verse twice.
• “And You are Holy”: This passage, which we recognize from Shacharit, incorporates many motifs and themes that are featured throughout the prayer services. After Shabbat, we omit the first section, from “A redeemer will come to Zion” until “from now and for all eternity.”

If a Festival (Rosh Hashanah, Passover, Shavuot, etc.) coincides with one of the days of the coming week, we omit all of these passages and proceed directly to Aleinu. This is because the opening verse of these passages discusses the “work of our hands,” the work that we will perform during the six work days of the coming week, and when a Festival falls out during the week, we will not have six consecutive days of work.

After the recitation of these passages, the chazzan recites the Full Kaddish and the congregation recites Aleinu. The prayer service then concludes.

Motzaei Shabbat

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“Motzaei Shabbat” is the term for the time following the conclusion of Shabbat, until dawn of the following morning. After Shabbat concludes, we recite Havdalah over wine (as will be explained in the next chapter) and then have a special meal known as Melaveh Malkah.

• One should not eat or drink anything after the conclusion of Shabbat until hearing Havdalah.
• One should not perform any of the activities that are forbidden on Shabbat before Havdalah. If a person has an urgent need to perform a Melachah (after the conclusion of Shabbat itself) and he did not recite the passage of Atah Chonantanu in Maariv or he did not yet recite the Maariv service, he may say the words, “Blessed is He Who distinguishes between the sacred and the mundane,” and he may then perform whatever urgent activity he needed to do. Even in such a situation, he should still refrain from eating or drinking until after Havdalah.
• Even women, who do not need to recite Maariv (and therefore do not recite Atah Chonantanu) should recite this declaration on Motzaei Shabbat before they perform any Melachah.

Havdalah

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The Torah commands us to remember and “sanctify” Shabbat both when it arrives and when it departs. When Shabbat arrives, we recite Kiddush at the first meal, and after the conclusion of Shabbat, we recite the blessing of Havdalah, a special blessing whose purpose is to distinguish between Shabbat and the weekdays. We first recite Havdalah during the Shemoneh Esrei of Maariv after Shabbat (the passage of Atah Chonantanu), and then every person recites it for his family in his own home.

The Havdalah that we recite at home is recited over a cup of wine, just like Kiddush. In addition, we recite two other blessings: “Who creates types of herbs,” since we smell fragrant herbs at Havdalah, and “Who creates the lights of fire,” which is recited over a flame.

• When it is not possible to make or hear Havdalah over a cup of wine, one can rely on the Havdalah of Atah Chonantanu that was recited during Maariv. In any event, after the prayer service has ended, one should recite the declaration, “Blessed is He Who distinguishes between the sacred and the mundane.”
• A person who had no wine or was unable, for whatever reason, to recite Havdalah after Shabbat may recite Havdalah until Tuesday.

Why fragrant herbs?

On Shabbat, every Jew receives an additional soul (the neshamah yeteirah), which enables him or her to feel the sanctity of Shabbat. When Shabbat concludes, that special soul departs and we are left with only the regular, “weekday” soul.

Our Sages established a custom for us to smell fragrant herbs or spices every week after Shabbat in order to console the soul that remains within us, which is left feeling lonesome and sorrowful due to the departure of the “Shabbat soul.” We use the fragrance of the herbs to bring a touch of pleasure and joy to our souls, to console them for the loss of the neshamah yeteirah. The sense of smell has a direct connection with the soul, more so than other senses.

Why fire?

When the Torah lists the prohibitions associated with Shabbat observance, it cites fire as the paradigm of all the forbidden acts on Shabbat: “You shall not kindle a fire in your dwelling places on the Shabbat day.” Therefore, when Shabbat ends we light a fire in order to demonstrate that the forbidden labors of Shabbat are now permissible, although they were categorically forbidden on Shabbat itself.

There is another reason for this practice as well. After Adam was created on the sixth day of Creation, G-d caused the world to remain illuminated throughout the Shabbat day. After Shabbat ended and the world became dark for the first time, Adam was terrified and searched for some source of light. G-d caused him to find two stones and gave him the wisdom to rub them together, creating the first fire ever on the first Motzaei Shabbat in the history of the world. When Adam saw this, he lifted his gaze heavenward and thanked G-d for creating fire. We commemorate that event with the special blessing we recite on fire.

Before Havdalah

Before Havdalah, one should prepare a cup, wine of grape juice, a fragrant herb (such as mint leaves or cloves), and a candle or torch with at least two wicks. (When such a candle is not available, one may use two matches together instead.)

• As we have already mentioned, it is forbidden to eat or drink until after Havdalah.

• Unlike Kiddush, Havdalah may be recited over beer or a cup of coffee. From a strict halachic standpoint, one can make Havdalah using any beverage that is considered something respectful to serve to guests.
• It is customary for the head of the household or another adult to recite Havdalah for everyone present. Unlike with regard to Kiddush, there is no added benefit in each person reciting Havdalah individually.

The Havdalah Procedure

Aside from the distinctions that we have previously mentioned, the laws pertaining to Havdalah are identical to those pertaining to Kiddush; see above.

• It is customary to fill the Havdalah cup to the point that it overflows, symbolizing blessing and abundance.

The person reciting Havdalah grasps the cup of wine in the appropriate manner (as is done at Kiddush) and recites the first passage: “Behold, G-d is my salvation, I shall trust and shall not fear.”

• After he concludes the words, “May the King answer us on the day we call out,” everyone present recites the next words together: “The Jews had light, gladness, rejoicing, and honor; so may it be for us,” and then the person reciting Havdalah repeats those words and concludes the passage with the words, “I will lift the cup of salvation and cal out in the Name of G-d.”

He then recites the blessing, “Blessed are You … Who creates the fruit of the vine,” and places the cup on the table without drinking from it. Everyone present should respond “Amen” after the blessing.

The blessing over wine is followed by the next blessing, “Blessed are You … Who creates species of fragrant herbs.” Every individual present then repeats this blessing to himself and smells the fragrant herbs, holding them in his right hand.

The next blessing is “Blessed are You … Who creates the lights of fire.” Again, everyone present repeats this blessing and then places their hands close to the fire, gazing at them in such a way that the candlelight is reflected off their palms and nails.

The person reciting Havdalah now lifts the cup again and recites the blessing of Havdalah: “Blessed are You … Who distinguishes between the sacred and the mundane, between light and darkness, between Israel and the nations, between the seventh day and the six days of work. Blessed are You, G-d, Who distinguishes between the sacred and the mundane.”

• After this blessing, everyone present responds “Amen.”

At the conclusion of the blessing, the person who recited Havdalah sits and drinks a quantity of wine equal to at least a majority of a reviit.

Would you like a mnemonic device to help you remember the order of the blessings of Havdalah? Here are two:

1. If you speak Hebrew, you can remember the acronym YAVNEH, which is spelled Yud Bet Nun Heh. Yud stands for yayin, “wine,” on which the first blessing is recited. Bet is for besamim, “fragrant herbs.” Nun stands for ner, “candle.” And heh stands for havdalah, the fourth blessing.
2. Another way to remember it is to keep in mind that the blessings relate to the parts of our head, starting at the bottom and continuing until the top. The first blessing is the blessing on wine, which we drink with our mouths. The next blessing is recited on the fragrant herbs, and the sense of smell is based in the nose. The third blessing is on the fire, which we see with our eyes. And the fourth and final blessing, the blessing of Havdalah, relates to the wisdom of the mind.

After Havdalah

It is customary to extinguish the Havdalah candle by dipping the wicks lightly into the wine that spilled on the plate while pouring some of the wine remaining in the cup over the flames. The purpose of this is to make it apparent that the candle was lit for the sake of the mitzvah of Havdalah.

• After drinking the wine, the person who recited Havdalah should recite the after-blessing, “Blessed are You … on the vine and on the fruit of the vine.”
• Unlike the Kiddush wine, the wine of Havdalah is not distributed to others to drink.

There is a common custom to dip one’s fingertips in the pool of wine in the plate and then dab the wine on the eyes. This expresses love for the mitzvah and is also considered to have a healing effect on the eyes. Some people say the words “G-d’s commandments are pure, illuminating the eyes,” while they do so. Some also moisten their fingers with wine and place them in their pockets to create a good omen for their sustenance.

• In many communities, it is customary to sing special zemirot after the conclusion of Havdalah.

“V’yitain lecha”

After Havdalah, we recite several sets of verses, beginning with the passage of “V’yiten lecha Elokim—G-d should give you.” These passages are printed in prayer books after Havdalah.

The first set of verses is drawn from the blessings that Isaac bestowed on Jacob. We then continue with the blessings that Jacob pronounced over his grandsons, Menashe and Ephraim (“The angel who redeems me…”), and we quote from the blessings that G-d promises to the Jewish people when they conduct themselves properly (“You are blessed in the city…”). We then continue with another assortment of blessings (“Israel is saved by G-d …”) that concludes with the famous verse, “G-d will give strength to His nation; G-d will bless His nation with peace.”

We begin the new week with these verses so that our very first act of the week should be associated with sanctity and blessing. The recitation of these passages after Havdalah is considered a significant means to attain success and prosperity in the coming week.

• It is customary to recite these verses in groups of two people—e.g., two friends together, a father and son together, a husband and wife together, etc.—because the blessing of “G-d should give you” is written in the second person.
• Women and girls are not obligated to recite these passages, but a woman may recite them along with her husband.

Kiddush Levanah—The Blessing of the New Moon

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Kiddush Levanah is a special blessing that we recite once a month in honor of the “rebirth” of the moon. (Levanah is a term for the moon.) In this blessing, we thank G-d for having created the moon and for “renewing” it on a monthly basis.

The Jewish calendar revolves around the lunar cycle, so the dates of the Jewish holidays are always associated with specific parts of that cycle. That is why we ascribe particular importance to the birth of the moon, and that is why it is given a special blessing in our prayers.

The moon and its monthly renewal are symbolic of the Jewish people as a whole. Just as the moon waxes and wanes every month, the Jewish people also have experienced many ups and downs over the course of their long history.

In the Kiddush Levanah service, we “console” both the moon and ourselves with the fact that in the future, when the Messiah comes, we will return to our rightful place with respect to the nations of the world. The moon will then also return to its original state at the time of its creation, and it will illuminate the world with the same intensity as the sun.

When to Recite Kiddush Levanah

Kiddush Levanah is recited once a month and may be recited anytime after the moon first appears in the sky. Some have the custom of reciting it after the first three days of the month have passed, but those who follow the teachings of Kabbalah have the custom of waiting until seven days after the molad, when the moon is bright and it is possible to benefit from its light.

Kiddush Levanah may be recited on any night between the seventh of the month and the fourteenth, but it is customary to recite it after Shabbat, when we are still dressed in our Shabbat finery.

• During the winter months, when the moon is obscured by clouds on Motzaei Shabbat, one may recite Kiddush Levanah on a different night, but only until the fourteenth of the month.

Question: In the past, many pagan nations used to worship the sun or the moon? Isn’t Kiddush Levanah reminiscent of their reprehensible practices?

Answer: It is exactly the opposite! In Kiddush Levanah, we express our recognition that G-d created the moon. The blessing is a blessing on the moon, but we are not praying to it. It is important to recognize that Judaism forbids us to pray to or worship any being (including heavenly bodies such as the sun, moon, or stars) other than G-d.

It is precisely for this reason that there is a custom to grasp the fringes of the tallit katan after the blessing, in order to sharpen our awareness of the fact that we are praying to the Creator of the universe, Who gave us His commandments, including the commandment of tzitzit.

The Order of Kiddush Levanah

• Kiddush Levanah is recited outdoors, under the open sky. One should be standing and should face eastward (and not in the direction of the moon).

The Kiddush Levanah service begins with the Psalm “Halleluy-ah, praise G-d from the heavens,” the Psalm that describes how the heavens and all of the celestial bodies sing the praises of G-d: “Praise Him, all of His angels. Praise Him, all of His legions. Praise Him, sun and moon. Praise Him, all the stars that give light.”

• Before the actual blessing over the moon, one should place both feet together and look at the moon briefly.

We then recite the blessing over the moon: “Blessed are You … Who created the heavens with His word.” In this blessing, we describe how G-d allotted a specific task and time period to each of His creations in the sky and none of them have the ability to change the routes in which they travel, but they perform their tasks out of great job because they know that it is G-d’s Will.

• During the actual recitation of the blessing, one should not look at the moon. Instead, one should read the text from a prayer book or other source.

During the paragraph beginning with “Blessed is your Maker,” which concludes with, “Dread will fall upon them,” we use our heels to lift our bodies upward three times. We repeat this entire procedure, raising ourselves on our heels and reciting the same paragraph, another two times, for a total of three repetitions.

In this passage, we bless G-d for having created the moon and proclaim that just as we “dance” before the moon and are unable to touch it, so too all of our enemies should be unable to “touch” us or cause us any harm.

We then recite the following passages three times each, as a sign of strength:

• “David the king of Israel is alive and well.”
• We greet three people with the words “Shalom Aleichem.” The greeting is returned with the words “Aleichem Shalom.”
• “A good sign and good fortune should be upon us and all of Israel, Amen.”

This is followed by a passage from Song of Songs, which was authored by King Solomon. The passage begins with the words, “Behold, the voice of my beloved is coming.” In this lyrical passage, King Solomon compares the King Messiah to a beloved spouse who is coming quickly and whose speed is similar to that of a deer or gazelle. The Redemption is essentially waiting in the wings for us, and the Messiah is looking out at us through the windows and “peeking” through the openings in the wall to see if we are ready for him to come.

We then add two chapters of Psalms: “A song of ascents, I lift my eyes up to the mountains” and “Halleluy-ah, praise G-d in His sanctity.” These Psalms are followed by a passage from the Talmud in Tractate Sanhedrin, “It was taught in the house of Rabbi Yishmael,” which describes the special nature of the blessing over the moon. The Talmud states that even if the Jewish people had only this one single mitzvah of Kiddush Levanah, that would be enough for them, for this mitzvah is equivalent in its significance to greeting the Divine Presence itself.

We pray to G-d to restore the light of the moon to its original intensity, to the point that it is equivalent to the light of the sun at the time of Creation. At the same time, we also pray that the Jewish people, who are often compared to the moon, be restored to their original standing and that all the nations of the world recognize their special status.

We then recite Psalm 67 and conclude with Aleinu.

• When Kiddush Levanah is recited with a minyan, an orphan or mourner recites the Orphans’ Kaddish at this point.
• At the end of the service, we shake out the corners of the tallit katan.

Because Kiddush Levanah is recited outdoors at night, when there is generally insufficient light, the passages are generally printed in prayer books in particularly large letters to make them easy to read.

Many synagogues also have special pamphlets in which the passages are printed in large letters, or a poster on the wall on which the prayer is printed in easy-to-read print.

In Hebrew, there is a common figure of speech, “Kiddush Levanah letters,” which is derived from this phenomenon.

Shabbatot

Certain Shabbatot have special names, after a Torah portion that is read that week, the particular week when that Shabbat occurs, or an event that took place on that Shabbat. The following is an overview of those unique Shabbatot, in the order in which they occur during the calendar year:

Shabbat Mevarchim

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This is the Shabbat that precedes every Rosh Chodesh (the beginning of the Hebrew month), when we recite the Blessing of the New Month and announce the day of the week when Rosh Chodesh will take place.

• On these weeks, it is customary to arise earlier in the morning than on a regular Shabbat and to recite the entire Book of Psalms before Shacharit. This custom has a unique power to bring about prosperity and success for the one who recites them, as well as for his children and grandchildren.
• It is customary to have a Kiddush in the synagogue on these weeks, following the conclusion of Mussaf.

Shabbat Shuvah

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This is the Shabbat between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The name of this Shabbat is derived from the Haftarah that is recited on this Shabbat after the Torah reading, which begins with the words, “Shuvah Yisrael ad Hashem Elokecha—Return, Israel, to G-d, your L-rd.”

This Shabbat is also sometimes known as “Shabbat Teshuvah” since it takes place during the Ten Days of Repentance between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. (Teshuvah is the Hebrew word for repentance.)

Shabbat Bereishit

This is the Shabbat that follows Simchat Torah. It is the last Shabbat in the Hebrew month of Tishrei, and it is the Shabbat when we begin the new yearly cycle of the Torah reading with the first portion of the Torah, Bereishit.

Shabbat Shirah

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This is the Shabbat when we read the Torah portion of Beshalach, which contains the Song of the Sea (“Then Moses sang…”). This Shabbat generally occurs around Tu B’Shevat.

The Song of the Sea

On the Shabbat between the 10th and 17th of Shevat, the Torah portion “Beshalach” is read in the synagogue, and this Shabbat is called “Shabbat Shirah” because the “Song of the Sea” – the song that the children of Israel sang after the miracle of the parting of the Red Sea: “Then Moses and the children of Israel sang” is read.

We recite the Song of the Sea every morning during the Shacharit prayer, as part of “Praise Verses.” Here is a brief overview of this song:

After the Exodus from Egypt, Pharaoh chases the children of Israel, ‘closing’ the road behind them and trapping them: ahead – the Red Sea, on both sides – mountains and hills, and behind them – the mighty Egyptian army. God commands Moses: “Tell the children of Israel to move on!”

The entire nation enters the sea, and the most famous miracle in history occurs: the sea ‘splits’, ‘tears’ into two, and a dry passage is formed in which the children of Israel pass. After the miracle of the parting of the Red Sea, all the children of Israel stand together with Moses, break into song and offer a prayer of gratitude and praise to the Creator of the World for saving them from the Egyptians.

• In some communities, the song is read during the Torah reading in a special melody, and it is customary for the Rabbi to be called to the Torah for the reading of “Then sang.”

The Bird Custom

On Friday, the eve of this Shabbat, it is customary to scatter seeds or leftover food for the birds to eat during Shabbat.

There are several explanations for this interesting custom, and below are two main ones:

Remembering the Manna

In the Torah portion of “Beshalach”, we also read about the story of the Manna – the heavenly food that descended from the heavens every day for forty years of Israel’s wanderings in the desert after their exodus from Egypt.

The Manna would fall every weekday, and Moses told the people that the Manna would not descend on the Sabbath day, and on Friday double the amount would descend – also for the Sabbath day.

In that generation, there were two wicked men named Dathan and Abiram, who were prominent opponents of Moses, and they sought to refute his words. What did these wicked men do? On the Sabbath at dawn, they quietly left their homes and scattered the Manna they had from Friday across the desert, in order to show everyone that indeed, Manna also falls on the Sabbath!

The birds flying in the air ‘picked up’ the scattered bounty below, descended in droves, and ate all the Manna without leaving a single crumb. Meanwhile, Dathan and Abiram roused the people from the camp so that they could see with their own eyes how Moses had deceived them, but when they arrived at the place they found nothing, and all the people declared: “Moses is true and his Torah is true.”

As a reward for the birds ‘helping’ and ‘defending’ the honor of Moses, we ‘reward’ the birds, and ensure (especially) on this Sabbath that they have enough food.

Remembering the Splitting of the Red Sea

According to Jewish legend, at the time of the miracle of the splitting of the Red Sea, after all the Jews had passed through the sea, the birds chirped joyously and ‘sang’ along with the ‘Song of the Sea’ sung by Moses and the children of Israel.

God performed a miracle and within the ‘dry path’ that was created in the sea, trees with sweet fruits grew rapidly, and the small children picked from them and fed the birds that ‘sang’ and ‘danced’ above them…

In remembrance of this, it is customary in certain communities to gather the children on “Shabbat Shira” in the courtyard of the synagogue, to tell them the story of the splitting of the Red Sea, and to give the children seeds or other foods so that they can feed the birds.

Shabbat Shekalim

This is the first Shabbat in the series of the four special Torah readings that take place, in addition to the weekly Torah portion, beginning on the Shabbat before the month of Adar, until the Shabbat before the month of Nissan.

Shabbat Shekalim always either coincides with the Rosh Chodesh of Adar or takes place on the Shabbat prior to the first day of Adar. On this Shabbat, we read the Torah portion of the “shekalim,” which deals with the obligation of every Jew to bring a “half shekel” as his donation toward the communal sacrifices offered in the Holy Temple.

In a Hebrew leap year, when there are two months of Adar, this Shabbat is associated with the second.

Shabbat Zachor

This is the second in the series of the “Four Parshiyot.”

On the Shabbat before Purim, we read the section of the Torah that begins, “Remember what Amalek did to you.” The Torah there teaches that we are obligated to remember the war against Amalek that took place shortly after our Exodus from Egypt, and that we are obligated to wipe out the memory of Amalek.

This portion of the Torah is read before Purim because the wicked Haman was a direct descendant of Agag, the king of Amalek, and on Purim Haman and his ten sons were hanged.

Shabbat Hachodesh

This is the fourth and last Shabbat in the series of the “Four Parshiyot.”

When the first day of the Hebrew month of Nissan coincides with Shabbat, that is Shabbat Hachodesh. Otherwise, Shabbat Hachodesh takes place on the Shabbat preceding the first day of Nissan. On this Shabbat, we read the Torah portion that begins, “This month is the beginning of months for you.” Among other things, this Torah portion teaches us that the month of Nissan is defined as the first month in the Hebrew calendar.

Shabbat Hachodesh

This is the Shabbat prior to the holiday of Passover. It is called Shabbat Hagadol, “the great Shabbat,” because a great miracle happened on this Shabbat before the Jews left Egypt: the firstborn Egyptians fought with and killed their fathers, who were refusing to free the enslaved Jewish people.

The Haftarah of this Shabbat also concludes with the words, “before the coming of the great [hagadol] and awesome day of G-d.”

• On this Shabbat, the rabbi delivers an address dealing with the laws of the holiday of Passover.

Shabbat Chazon

This is the Shabbat before Tishah B’Av, on which the Haftarah begins with the words “Chazon Yeshayahu ben Amotzi—the vision of Isaiah, the son of Amotz.” The Haftarah describes the difficult spiritual state of the Jewish people during the time of the First Temple, which led to the exile of the Ten Tribes from the land and then to the destruction of the Temple.

Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev used to say that this Shabbat is called Shababt Chazon because on this Shabbat, the soul of every Jew is shown a vision of the Third Temple in order to awaken them to improve their actions so that the Temple will be rebuilt during their lives.

Shabbat Nachamu

This is the Shabbat after Tishah B’Av, when the Haftarah begins with the words “Nachamu, nachamu ami—Comfort, comfort My people.” This Haftarah, which is drawn from the Book of Isaiah, describes a vision of consolation and redemption.