Introduction
Shabbat officially begins with sunset on Friday and continues until the emergence of three small stars on Saturday night. The period on Friday night after Shabbat begins is known as Leil Shabbat, “the night of Shabbat,” and the period after Shabbat ends on Saturday night, until dawn of Sunday morning, is known as Motzaei Shabbat, literally “the departure of Shabbat.”
Are you away from home? Are you in the north, in the south, or overseas? You can find out the exact times of the beginning and the end of Shabbat anywhere in the world. The times appear in various Jewish calendars, on the Internet, and, of course, on our website.
The Minchah Service
After the candles have been lit, every man should hurry to the synagogue in order to “accept Shabbat” at the proper time along with the congregation.
The Minchah service for Friday should be recited before sunset. Shabbat begins at sunset, and one should not recite a weekday prayer when Shabbat has already begun.
Preparing the Body and Clothes
- Before the prayer service begins, one should make sure that one’s body is clean and one does not have a need to use the lavatory.
- During the prayer services themselves, we are required to be attired in an appropriate and dignified way. A person should dress in the type of clothing he would wear to a meeting with an important person.
- It is customary among chassidim to wear a jacket and two head coverings (e.g., a kippah and hat) during prayer services. Married men also wear a special belt known as a gartel (avneit in Hebrew), which separates the upper and lower portions of the body.
- After the hands have been washed, one should take care to maintain their cleanliness throughout the prayer services (i.e., not to touch a covered part of the body).
- From a practical standpoint, it is best for a husband to give tzedakah at the same time as his wife, before she lights the Shabbat candles. In many families, it is customary for the husband and all the children to join the lady of the house in giving tzedakah together at that time.
- Psalm 107: “Give thanks to G-d for He is good, for His kindness is eternal.” This psalm discusses the four types of people who must give thanks to G-d when they are saved from distress.
- A portion of the Zohar, “Eliyahu began,” which speaks about the Ten Spheres, the “means” through which G-d interacts with the world.
- The liturgical composition Yedid Nefesh, which describes our longing for G-d and our attachment to Him.
- The chazzan recites Ashrei, followed by the Half Kaddish and the Shemoneh Esrei.
- The chazzan repeats the Shemoneh Esrei aloud, and the congregation recites Kedushah and Modim during the course of his repetition.
- Tachanun is not recited on Friday afternoons. After the chazzan’s repetition, the service continues with the Full Kaddish and Aleinu.
On Shabbat, chassidim customarily wear a special jacket made of silk, a special gartel designated for Shabbat, or a hat made partially of silk.
Netilat Yadyaim
There is a requirement to wash one’s hands prior to prayer services even if they are already clean. No blessing is recited on this special hand washing.
Tzedakah
It is customary to give tzedakah (charity) before Minchah. However, since Shabbat arrives immediately after Minchah on Friday afternoon, one should give tzedakah at home before going to the synagogue. It is customary to place two coins in the tzedakah box before Shabbat, even though the custom is to give only one on a regular day. The extra coin is for Shabbat itself, since it is prohibited to handle money on Shabbat because it is Muktzeh.
The Order of Prayers
The Minchah service is preceded every day by the passages related to the daily sacrificial offerings and to the daily incense offering. On Friday afternoon, we recite an additional three paragraphs, in honor of Shabbat:
The meaning of the “regular” passages recited every day is discussed at length in The Synagogue and Prayers.
After these passages have been recited, the prayer service begins “officially.”
In most synagogues, the interlude between Minchah and Kabbalat Shabbat is devoted to Torah study. In general, one of the congregants delivers a brief speech about the Torah portion of the week, and then the congregation proceeds with Kabbalat Shabbat.
