Shabbat Yahushua put the heart of the Father back into Shabbat. Man and man- made doctrines had made the Shabbat a burden ... putting Yahueh's people into bondage to many rules and regulations designed by man to prevent the breaking of the Sabbath but resulting in legalism. The religious system had put so many "Don'ts!" on Shabbat that it was no longer a joy, a delight, a time of feasting, restoration and liberation. Yahushua reinstitutes the Spirit of the Torah and removes the "Letter of Torah" as interpreted and enforced by the religious system - understood by Messianic Rabbis to be the Babel the great referred to in Revelation. In the Apostle Shaul's words, "the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." (http://www.hebroots.org/hebrootsarchive/0108/0108am.html) When I first started studying the Jewish roots of the Bible, my husband, Tom, was not in agreement with me. But I discovered the sabbath! So I would send him off to work on Fridays, and then clean the house (a rare thing around here sometimes), bake the bread (never did it before!), and have a nice romantic evening waiting for him. He would walk through the door and discover the wonderful smell of homemade bread, a wife smiling, and a homecooked meal waiting! I didn't push the lighting of the candles or any formal service at the beginning. I just treated my husband to a rare treat---his home as his castle! Eagerly he would come home on Friday to see if I had done it once again, or not each week! With a big sigh as he walked through the door each week, he would lovingly lean against the door as he shut it and say, "Man! I really love coming home to this!" Who wouldn't? As we sat lingeringly over the meal, I would bring out my bible and would ask if we could study together. With joy in his eyes, he would answer, "yes!" and we were off on our adventure with Messiah for the evening! Wow! Who would go back to the old way? Not us! (http://www.hebroots.org/hebrootsarchive/9806/980624_e.html) www.hebrew4christians.com

Shabbat Evening Home Ritual Shabbat Meal Shabbat Evening Home Ritual Shabbat, like all Jewish days, begins at sunset, because in the story of creation in Genesis Ch. 1, you will notice that it says, "And there was evening, and there was morning, one day." From this, we infer that a day begins with evening, that is, sunset.. [Candle lighting time for June 8 – 8:16 pm] Shabbat candles are lit and a blessing is recited no later than eighteen minutes before sunset. This ritual, performed by the woman of the house, officially marks the beginning of Shabbat. Two candles are lit, representing the two commandments: zakhor (remember) and shamor (observe).. The family then attends a brief evening service (45 minutes - that's brief by Jewish standards )

Shabbat Evening Home Ritual Shabbat Meal page 2 Shabbat Evening Home Ritual After services, the family comes home for a festive, leisurely dinner. Before dinner, the man of the house recites Kiddush, a prayer over wine sanctifying Shabbat. The usual prayer for eating bread is recited over two loaves of challah, a sweet, eggy bread shaped in a braid. The family then eats dinner. Although there are no specific requirements or customs regarding what to eat, meals are generally stewed or slow cooked items, because of the prohibition against cooking during Shabbat. (Things that are mostly cooked before Shabbat and then reheated or kept warm are OK). After dinner, the birkat ha-mazon (grace after meals) is recited. Although this is done every day, on Shabbat, it is done in a leisurely manner with many upbeat tunes. Setting the Table The sabbath table should be set with at least two candles (representing the dual commandments to remember and observe the sabbath), a glass of wine, and at least two loaves of challah (representing the dual portion of manna that God provided for the Israelites in preparation for Shabbat in the desert). The challah loaves should be whole, and should be covered with a bread cover, towel or napkin. The microwave uses electricity. If the electric stove is approved then should not be the microwave? In the time of the wanderings, when G-d provided food for the Israelites, he made sure that they would have enough food on Friday, so that the people would have enough to eat on the Shabbat. My wife and I have just recently discussed this issue and have come to the conclusion that we are not to cook (using any means) from Friday evening until Saturday evening. If this means eating a cold meal we will do so. G-d's intention was not to deny us the means of sustaining our bodies, but to teach us that no work was to be done on the Shabbat. And cooking is work, though to some it is a pleasure, we need to focus on Him and our families and our congregations where we worship. Focus on the things of G-d. That is what He intended along with giving us time to rest from the week's labor's. Rabbi Mordecai -- Rabbi Michael Silver (Rav Mordecai Ben-Baruch) Etz Chayim - Tree of Life Messianic Jewish Congregation

Shabbat Evening Home Ritual Shabbat Meal page 3 Shabbat Evening Home Ritual Lighting the Candles After lighting, [the woman] waves her hands over the candles, welcoming in the sabbath. Then she covers her eyes, so as not to see the candles before reciting the blessing, and recites the blessing below. The hands are then removed from the eyes, and she looks at the candles, completing the mitzvah of lighting the candles. Normally in Judaism, a blessing is given before an activity is enjoyed. However in the case of the Sabbath, the candles are lit first then the blessing is said, for it is a violation of Scripture to kindle a fire on the Sabbath. Some rabbinic authorities believe that Shabbat begins with the lighting of the Sabbath candles. I am in agreement with this thought. Therefore, my wife concludes her week of work by kindling the Sabbath candles and then says the blessing which ushers in the Sabbath in our house. As for the covering of the eyes and the passing of the hands three times over the candles, you've probably noticed that when this is done, it's as if the light is being drawn toward the woman. Our sages of blessed memory tell us that because of Eve's disobedience, the light went out of the world. Therefore it is fitting that her decendants be responsible for bringing His light back into the world. This is done symbolically each Sabbath which symbolizes our rest in Him. With the first passing of the hands the woman brings the light into her home, the second pass she brings the light to her family, and the third and final pass she brings the light to herself. The woman's head is usually covered as a sign of her submission to G-d's commandments.

Shabbat Meal page 4 Shabbat Evening Home Ritual Blessing over the Candles Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam Blessed are you, Lord, our God, sovereign of the universe asher kidishanu b'mitz'votav v'tzivanu Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us l'had'lik neir shel Shabbat. (Amein) to light the lights of Shabbat. (Amen)

Shabbat Evening Home Ritual Shabbat Meal page 5 Shabbat Evening Home Ritual Evening Service Evening services (Kabbalat Shabbat and Ma'ariv) should be attended in the synagogue or performed in the home between candle lighting and dinner on the evening of the sabbath.

Shabbat Evening Home Ritual Shabbat Meal page 6 Shabbat Evening Home Ritual Kiddush Kiddush is recited while holding a cup of wine or other liquid, no less than 3.3 ounces. Vay'hi erev vay'hi voker yom hashishi And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day vay'khulu hashamayim v'ha'aretz v'khol tz'va'am The heavens and the earth were finished, the whole host of them vay'khal elohim bayom hash'vi'i m'la'kh'to asher asah And on the seventh day God completed his work that he had done Vay'varekh Elohim et yom hash'vi'i vay'kadeish oto And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it ki vo shavat mikol m'la'kh'to asher bara Elohim la'asot because in it he had rested from all his work that God had created to do

Shabbat Meal page 7 Shabbat Evening Home Ritual Kiddush Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha-olam Blessed are you, Lord, our God, sovereign of the universe borei p'ri hagafen (Amein) Who creates the fruit of the vine (Amen) shehakol nih'yeh bid'varo (Amein) Who made all things exist through His word (Amen) Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha-olam Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the Universe asher kid'shanu b'mitz'votav v'ratzah vanu who sanctifies us with his commandments, and has been pleased with us v'shabat kad'sho b'ahavah uv'ratzon hin'chilanu zikaron l'ma'aseih v'rei'shit You have lovingly and willingly given us Your holy Shabbat as an inheritance, in memory of creation

Shabbat Evening Home Ritual Shabbat Meal page 8 Shabbat Evening Home Ritual Kiddush ki hu yom t'chilah l'mik'ra'ei kodesh zeikher litzi'at Mitz'rayim because it is the first day of our holy assemblies, in memory of the exodus from Egypt ki vanu vachar'ta v'otanu kidash'ta mikal ha'amim because You have chosen us and made us holy from all peoples v'shabat kad'sh'kha b'ahavah uv'ratzon hin'chal'tanu and have willingly and lovingly given us Your holy Shabbat for an inheritance Barukh atah Adonai m'kadeish hashabat (Amein). Blessed are You, who sanctifies Shabbat (Amen)

Shabbat Evening Home Ritual Shabbat Meal page 9 Shabbat Evening Home Ritual Washing Hands After Kiddush and before the meal, the kohen (priest) of the household should wash his hands by filling a cup with water and pouring it over the top and bottom of the right hand and then the left hand. Before wiping the hands dry on a towel, the following blessing should be recited. Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha-olam Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the Universe asher kidishanu b'mitz'votav v'tzivanu Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us al n'tilat yadayim. concerning washing of hands. The n'tilat-yadayim, ritual washing of hands on Shabbat, is based upon the Torah commands for the kohenim in the Mishkan.Since the Temple (BeitHaMikdash) no longer stands, then the father of the home now takes the place of the Kohen. His home is his miniature Temple for Yahweh and the table becomes the altar. The food is a symbol of the sacrifice and since the Torah commands the Kohen to wash before attending the altar, the father washes his hands before breaking the bread on Shabbat. The tradition has a Torah basis for its institution at the Shabbat table. It also reminds us of the "washing of the water of the Torah " from Ephesians 5:26 as the Bride of Yahweh (Yisrael). So the water symbolizes Torah, my hands symbolize my actions, and the bread symbolizes the staff of life. It reminds me that all my actions must be wise and Torah based and that the table is set-apart and I as the Kohen of the home should be set-apart to Yahweh and His Torah. This short symbolic act of washing helps us to do an action that connects us to Yahweh, His Torah, and others

Shabbat Evening Home Ritual Shabbat Meal page 10 Shabbat Evening Home Ritual Ha-Motzi Immediately after washing hands and before eating, the head of the household should remove the cover from the two challah loaves, lifting them while reciting the following blessing. The challah is then ripped into pieces or sliced and passed around the table, so that each person may have a piece. [The challah is usually dipped in salt.] The family meal may then begin. Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha-olam Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the Universe hamotzi lechem min ha'aretz. (Amein). who brings forth bread from the earth. (Amen)

Shabbat Evening Home Ritual Shabbat Meal page 11 Shabbat Evening Home Ritual Birkhat Ha-Mazon Ha-Motzi

Shabbat Evening Home Ritual Shabbat Meal page 12 Shabbat Evening Home Ritual .     Arrival time : 8 to 8:15 pm Place – Fellowship Hall Candle lighting time : 8:16pm Shabbot service [30 minutes] Reading from Tanakh                                           i.  Numbers 15:7,8,9 ii Reading from Matthew 18 b. Meaning of Shabbot c. Song(?) Message – Eric Kramer 5. Kiddush – blessing of wine 6. Washing Hands – kohen of the home 7. Ha-Motzi – blessing of challah 8. Dinner followed by Birkat HaMazon

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