Kabbalat Shabbat
The first portion of the Friday night service is called “Kabbalat Shabbat.” The word kabbalah means “receiving.” This service is the first portion of the prayers recited on Shabbat, so in essence, we “receive” the Shabbat with these prayers.
In some congregations, it is customary to recite Song of Songs, which was authored by King Solomon, either before or after Kabbalat Shabbat. It is also customary in some congregations to read the second chapter of the Mishnah in Tractate Shabbat. The subject of that chapter is the laws pertaining to the Shabbat candles.
Opening Psalms
Kabbalat Shabbat begins with a series of six chapters of Psalms, corresponding to the six days of the work week, which deal with three primary subjects:
- Joy: These chapters of Psalms are infused with a sense of joy and cheerfulness that helps us receive the Shabbat in the proper frame of mind, with true joy and an elevated spirit.
- The Creation of the World: Shabbat is the crown of creation, the day when G-d ceased His “activity” after having fashioned an entire world filled with a wide array of creatures. These Psalms express our profound gratitude to the Creator for His amazing “handiwork,” a gratitude that is accompanied by an attitude of reverence and humility before Him.
- Yearning for the Messiah: The six days of the work week correspond to the six millennia of world history. Our Sages teach us that the seventh millennium will be like an extended “Shabbat,” in which the world will reach a state of perfection and a new world order till take shape during the era of the Messiah, propelling us into the World to Come. These Psalms describe our yearning for that future era, when the world will be pervaded by sanctity and purity.
- During the recitation of the sixth Psalm in the series, “A song for David,” it is customary to stand in preparation for Lecha Dodi.
Lecha Dodi / Come, My Beloved
We are all familiar with the ancient, stirring liturgical composition known as Lecha Dodi, which is an intrinsic part of Kabbalat Shabbat.
Lecha Dodi was composed by a great Kabbalistic master and pious man by the name of Rabbi Shlomo Alkabetz. Rabbi Alkabetz was one of the great masters of Kabbalah who lived in the holy city of Safed approximately 500 years ago. He “signed” his name, in a sense, in each of the eight stanzas of the song; the first letters of each stanza combine to form the words Shlomo HaLevi (Shlomo the Levite).
The central refrain that is repeated after the end of each stanza is “Lecha Dodi likrat kallah pnei Shabbat nikablah— Come my Beloved toward the bride; let us greet Shabbat.” In this song, the Jewish people are compared to a groom and the Shabbat is presented as the “bride” that we are going out to “greet.”
- Before reciting the final stanza (“Come in peace”), the entire congregation turns to the left and faces the back of the synagogue.
- At the end of the stanza, we recite the words Bo’i kallah, “Come, bride,” three times, turning our heads to the right at the first mention of the words and to the left at the second mention, then turning around fully to face the Ark for the third time. We conclude the stanza in a whisper, with our heads inclined slightly forward, and the entire song concludes with one last repetition of the refrain.
Mizmor Shir L’Yom HaShabbat/A Musical Song for the Sabbath Day
After Lecha Dodi, we recite Psalm 92, the Psalm that the Levites used to sing in the Holy Temple every Shabbat.
One of the themes of this Psalm is the fact that the success and prosperity enjoyed by the wicked in this world will ultimately give way to their eternal destruction. The relationship between Shabbat and the other days of the week, like the relationship between exile and redemption, is analogous to the distinction between day and night. The light of daytime enables us to see the objects around us, while the darkness of the night conceals them from our view. Similarly, there are times when we can attain a clear perception of G-d’s all-encompassing kindness, but at other times, we must exercise our faith and believe in it even though it is not apparent to us. Shabbat is a day when we have the ability to see past the superficial nature of events in the world and perceive the Divine design hidden behind them, a design of mercy and kindness. In the “darkness” of the week, we sometimes feel frustrated when we watch evildoers flourish, but when we look past the surface, we will recognize that their many achievements in this world are actually a punishment for them. G-d rewards the wicked in this world for any good deeds they may have performed, so that their merits will be depleted in the world to come.
The Psalm goes on to compare a righteous man to a palm tree and a cedar tree. “The righteous man will blossom like the palm tree; like a cedar in Lebanon he will flourish.” The uniqueness of the palm tree lies in the fact that all of its parts serve a purpose. Its fruit is both a nourishing food item and a source of date honey, while its branches provide shade and can be used for weaving baskets and mats; they also provide us with the Lulav, one of the Four Species used on the holiday of Sukkot. The cedar tree is distinguished by its towering height and strength. Cedar trees are also a type of evergreen tree, have an impressive appearance, and give off a pleasant fragrance. These are some of the reasons that King David, the author of Psalms, likens a righteous man to these two species of trees.
The theme of the righteous man’s qualities is also appropriate for Shabbat. A righteous man is distinguished among his peers just as Shabbat is distinguished from the other days of the week. The righteous man is the most perfect human being, existing on a plane of sanctity and purity beyond his fellow men. In this Psalm, we pray that the entire world should witness the reward allotted to the righteous and the punishments meted out to the wicked, which will lead them all “to declare that G-d is just.”
G-d Has Reigned; He Has Worn Pride
This next Psalm begins with a discussion of the future era of the Redemption, when all the nations of the world will recognize that G-d is the eternal Ruler of the world. At this point in history, however, we are still in exile, facing intimidation from hostile forces. All we can do is believe in the promises of the Torah and the prophets that the Third Temple will be rebuilt when the Messiah comes. By clinging to that faith, we remain loyal to G-d forever.
- At this point, when ten adult males are present, a mourner or orphan recites the Orphan’s Kaddish.
K’Gavna
Before we conclude Kabbalat Shabbat and proceed to the “regular” Maariv service, we recite two paragraphs from the Zohar, which begin with the words K’gavna and Raza d’Shabbat.
These paragraphs deal with the mystical nature and spiritual essence of Shabbat.
They explain its unique status of sanctity and describe how the “forces of impurity,” which are present during the remainder of the week, are repelled by the sanctity of Shabbat and disappear.
These paragraphs also deal directly with the existence of the “additional soul” that every Jew receives when Shabbat arrives. This “additional soul,” as we explained earlier, is a deeper layer of the soul through which we can perceive the special sanctity of Shabbat.
- It is customary to remain standing during the recitation of these paragraphs, until the conclusion of Barchu.
The actual Maariv service, which we recite every night, begins after the conclusion of the second paragraph of the Zohar.
- A person who is praying alone, or who sees that he will not be able to pray along with the congregation, should recite the words “and say, ‘Blessed is G-d, the blessed One,’” which appear in the siddur before Barchu of the Maariv service of Shabbat.
- During a communal prayer, the chazzan recites the Half Kaddish and the congregation responds “Amen.” Then the chazzan recites Barchu and the congregation responds appropriately.
The Seventh Blessing—the Sanctity of the Day
- A person who is praying alone, or who sees that he will not be able to pray along with the congregation, should recite the words “and say, ‘Blessed is G-d, the blessed One,’” which appear in the siddur before Barchu of the Maariv service of Shabbat.
- During a communal prayer, the chazzan recites the Half Kaddish and the congregation responds “Amen.” Then the chazzan recites Barchu and the congregation responds appropriately.
The Blessings of the Shema
The recitation of the Shema is preceded by two blessings: “He Who brings on evening” and “Eternal love.” These blessings arouse us to feel G-d’s love for us by contemplating His wondrous control of the heavens, which reminds us of His great love for His chosen nation, the Jewish people.
The Shema
- While reciting the first verse of the Shema, the eyes should be closed and covered with the right hand in order to maintain a state of complete, undisturbed concentration.
- The verse should be recited with great intent and contemplation of the meaning of every word. Kavanah, mental intent, is critical; if a person did not have the appropriate intent while reciting the verse, he is required to repeat it.
- The next sentence, “Blessed is the Name of the honor of His kingship forever,” should be recited in a whisper.
- One should recite the Shema slowly and deliberately, contemplating the meaning of every word. One should also be careful to enunciate each word properly and not to slur words together.
- At night, the tzitzit are not held during the recitation of Shema and are not kissed at the word “tzitzit.”
The Shema is followed by two blessings.
- The first is Emet v’Emunah, “True and faithful,” a blessing that deals with the wonders that G-d performed at the time of the Exodus from Egypt and the Splitting of the Red Sea.
- The second is Hashkiveinu, “Lay us down,” a very special blessing that expresses our feelings as the “children” of our Father in Heaven. In the morning, our emotions are still cold and we relate to G-d as our King since we are not sufficiently open to the world of sanctity. At night, however, after a day packed with hidden miracles and in the third of three prayer services filled with thought and emotion, we are able to view G-d as our Father, a kind and merciful Father Who loves His children.
This blessing differs from the version we recite during the weekday Maariv. During the week, we conclude the blessing with a plea for G-d to extend us special protection during the nighttime hours. On Shabbat, however, we are confident that the power of Shabbat itself will shield us from any harm. The blessing concludes with the words, “Blessed are You, G-d, Who spreads the canopy of peace over us and over His entire nation Israel, ad over Jerusalem.”
- In a minyan, the chazzan recites the Half Kaddish at this point. The congregation then proceeds to Shemoneh Esrei.
Shemoneh Esrei
The Shemoneh Esrei of Friday nights begins and ends with the same blessings as the weekday Shemoneh Esrei:
- The first three blessings are blessings of praise: the blessings over our forefathers, G-d’s might, and sanctity.
- The final three blessings relate to the Temple service, thanksgiving to G-d, and peace.
Shabbat is a day of sanctity, joy, and tranquility. Therefore, on Shabbat we omit all of the 13 middle blessings of the daily Shemoneh Esrei, which deal with material matters, concern over our livelihoods, entreaties for things that we need in the course of our regular daily routine, and so forth.
The Blessing for Shabbat
The 13 daily blessings of the Shemoneh Esrei are replaced on Shabbat by a single blessing dealing with the sanctity of the day.
With the addition of this blessing, the Shemoneh Esrei of Shabbat becomes a unit of seven blessings. The number seven symbolizes a certain type of perfection in creation. It is both natural and fitting that the seventh day of the week is observed with a prayer consisting of seven blessings.
This blessing consists of several paragraphs, each of which focuses on that same topic. On Friday night, the blessing is structured as follows:
- Atah Kidashta – “You Have Sanctified”: This paragraph serves as a sort of introduction to an excerpt of the Torah’s first description of Shabbat, at the end of its account of the creation of the world. In this paragraph, we relate that G-d sanctified the Shabbat day and made it a special period of time that represents the ultimate purpose of creation, a day that is dedicated to spiritual growth and promoting awareness of G-d as the Creator and Ruler of the world.
- Vayichulu Hashamayim – “The Heavens Were Completed”: These are the words with which the Torah concludes the incredible story of the creation of the world. Heaven and earth, land and sea, the plant and animal kingdoms, the celestial bodies, and the first human beings, Adam and Eve, were all created over the course of six days of Divine “work,” as G-d displayed a tiny fraction of His infinite might and created an entire world filled with life.
At the end of the sixth day, when the creation of the world had concluded, G-d designated the seventh day as a time of rest, holiness, and spiritual elevation. Shabbat is a day when G-d’s beloved creations can become aware of Him. It is a time for them to cleanse themselves of their material existence and, at least for a single day, to live more spiritual lives, lives that possess meaning.
When a Jewish person recites this paragraph, he becomes a “living witness” bearing testimony to the fact that G-d created the entire world, with all of the life in it, over the course of six days, and that He established the seventh day as a holy day of rest.
We must recognize the tremendous, unique privilege that we have on Shabbat. We are part of a living, unbroken chain that has passed this testimony down from generation to generation.
- Yismechu B’malchutcha – “Let them rejoice in Your Kingship”: The next paragraph of the blessing begins with the words, “Let those who keep the Shababt and call it a delight rejoice in Your Kingship.” With these words, we express our own joy and delight over the sanctity of the Shabbat day, which serves as a “remembrance of the act of creation,” a day that will forever commemorate G-d’s creation of the world.
- Elokeinu V’Elokei Avoteinu – “Our G-d and the G-d of Our Fathers”: This is a special prayer in which we ask G-d to be pleased with our “day of rest” and beseech him to grant us the ability to study His Torah and to cleanse our hearts so that we can form a true, sincere bond with Him.
The passage dealing with the sanctity of Shabbat concludes with the words, “Blessed are You, G-d, Who sanctifies the Shabbat.” The Shemoneh Esrei continues with the final three blessings.
When Rosh Chodesh coincides with Shabbat, the passage of Yaaleh V’yavo is added during the third and final section of the Shemoneh Esrei.
After Shemoneh Esrei
Vayichulu Hashamayim / “The Heavens Were Completed”
At Maariv, the chazzan does not repeat the Shemoneh Esrei. Instead, the chazzan begins a second recitation of the passage of Vayichulu immediately after Shemoneh Esrei, and the entire congregation recites it aloud and in unison, while standing. Even though this passage has already been recited in the Shemoneh Esrei, we repeat it for the benefit of those who have difficulty reading it during the Shemoneh Esrei or who are not yet proficient in their prayers and did not say it during the Shemoneh Esrei. This repetition gives every member of the congregation a chance to fulfill the obligation to recite this passage.
Why do we stand for Vayichulu?
As we mentioned above, the recitation of Vayichulu is, in a sense, our testimony that G-d created the world. It has always been the practice in Jewish courts—and it is the practice in contemporary secular courts as well—for witnesses to stand while they deliver testimony. For this reason, it is also preferable to recite this passage along with at least one other individual, since the testimony of two witnesses has greater force in Jewish law.
- A person who is praying alone recites only the passage of Vayichulu, until the words “that G-d created to do,” and the paragraph beginning with the words “Who shields our forefathers” until “a remembrance of the act of creation.” Even if a minyan is not available, however, it is always preferable to recite Vayichulu along with one other person.
Birkat Me’ein Sheva / The Seven-Faceted Blessing
After Vayichulu, the chazzan begins a special blessing known as the “Seven-Faceted Blessing,” which consists of an abridged version of the seven blessings that make up the Friday night Shemoneh Esrei.
The chazzan begins this blessing by reciting, “Blessed are You, G-d, our L-rd and the L-rd of our forefathers … the great, mighty, and awesome supreme G-d, Who owns the heavens and the earth.” The congregation then recites aloud The chazzan then recites aloud the central passage in this blessing, which the congregation may recite along if they wish. This passage consists of a brief review of the seven blessings of the Shemoneh Esrei:
- “Who shields our fathers with His word” corresponds to the blessing of the Patriarchs (“Shield of Abraham”).
- “Who resurrects the dead with His speech” corresponds to the blessing relating to G-d’s might (“Who resurrects the dead”).
- “The Holy G-d, that there is no one like Him” corresponds to the blessing over G-d’s holiness (“the Holy G-d”).
- “Who gives His nation rest on His holy Shabbat day, because He desired them to give them rest” corresponds to the blessing over the sanctity of the day (“Desire our rest”).
- “We shall serve Him with awe and fear” corresponds to the blessing over the sacrificial service.
- “And we will give thanks to His Name every day, always” corresponds to the blessing of thanksgiving (Modim).
- “Master of peace” corresponds to the blessing over peace.
This section of the Seven-Faceted Blessing concludes with the words “a remembrance for the act of creation.” The chazzan recites the conclusion of the blessing on his own: “Our G-d and the G-d of our forefathers, please desire our rest … and purify our hearts to serve You truly…. Blessed are You, G-d, Who sanctifies the Shabbat.”
The Seven-Faceted Blessing was introduced into our prayers during a period when synagogues were located outside the city limits, in forests or fields, in order for them to be isolated from the tumult of the city. The blessing was added to the prayer service in order to provide time for the congregants who spent additional time over their prayers to finish praying before the service concluded entirely. This was intended to prevent those individuals from being left alone in the synagogue after the others had concluded their prayers, which would force them to walk home alone through a dangerous forest or deserted field.
Today as well, even though our synagogues are now located within our cities, the requirement to recite the Seven-Faceted Blessing remains in force.
The Seven-Faceted blessing is followed by Psalm 23, “A Song for David, G-d is my Shepherd; I will not lack.” The chazzan then recites the Half Kaddish, followed by Barchu, and the service concludes with Aleinu.
During the period between Passover and Shavuot, we count the Omer before Aleinu.
The counting of the Omer is explained at length in Count of the Omer.
After the conclusion of the prayer service, the congregants wish each other “Shabbat Shalom” and then go home for the Shabbat meal.
