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Shabbat - The Sabbath Day
Jews observe the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath: “And God
blessed the seventh day, and declared it holy, because on it God ceased
from all the work of creation which God had performed.” Shabbat begins at sundown on Friday. In the Biblical tradition, the day began at the sunset of the previous evening; in a pre-mechanical age the setting sun was the most dependable way to note the separation between the end of one day and the beginning of the next. In the Jewish tradition, Shabbat is associated with the creation of the universe and with the deliverance of the people of Israel from the slavery of ancient Egypt. As the end product of the six days of creation, its observance was intended to free humanity from the slavery of routine work. The word “Sabbath” means “rest and cessation” of struggle. The day was thus a break from the struggle for existence. In modern times, we emphasize the nature of Shabbat as a day of rest – a day that is distinct from the rest of the week and free from everyday routines. Typically, a person who observes Shabbat will not work, and may choose not to drive, cook, or do anything else that would violate the idea of a day of rest. The late Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, distinguished teacher and philosopher, described the purpose of Shabbat in these words: “To set apart one day a week for freedom, a day on which we would not use the instruments which have been so easily turned into weapons of destruction, a day for being with ourselves, a day of detachment from the vulgar, of independence of external obligations, a day on which we stop worshipping the idols of technical civilization, a day on which we use no money, a day of armistice in the economic struggle with our fellow humans and the forces of nature . . .” The Order And Description of The Shabbat Service There are five main sections in the traditional Shabbat service. Some of the content of these sections may change if Shabbat coincides with a Festival or with the beginning of a Hebrew month: A. The
Preliminary and Introductory Services B. Pe’sukay
D’zimrah - verses of Praise C. The
Shaharit (Morning) Service D. The
Torah Service E. The
Musaf (Additional) Service and Conclusion –––– A. The Preliminary and Introductory
Services –––– –––– B. Pe’sukay D’zimrah –––– –––– C. The Shaharit (Morning)
Service –––– The formal worship service begins here, with the Barhu, which is a call to worship. The Sh’ma (starting on page 242) Sh’ma Yisrael, Adonai Elohenu, Adonai Ehad This passage from Deuteronomy (chapter 6, verse 4 together with the three Biblical paragraphs that follow) is part of each daily, Shabbat, and Festival worship service. The verse is easily the most important single sentence in the liturgy. It is not a prayer in the conventional sense; it is a proclamation, and in the context of its declaration by Moses, it was a revolutionary statement. In its universal sense, the statement is the foundation upon which rests our hope for human unity and for a world of peace. The nature of God must lead inevitably to the acceptance of the unity of all God’s children. One who does not believe that all humanity is one really does not believe in the oneness of God, no matter how or where one prays. Sh’ma Yisrael was the last cry of Jewish martyrs who were put to death because of their faith. It was thus an expression of one's persistent belief that God is the Parent of all humanity and that all persons, even one's persecutors, are brothers and sisters. The Amidah (starting on page 255) Amidah means “standing,” suggesting prayers recited while standing. The first three and the last three benedictions of the Amidah are the same for each of their recitations during the various weekday, Shabbat, and holiday services. On Shabbat and holidays, the other paragraphs vary. The beginning portion of this prayer is led by the Cantor, and is followed by a period of silent prayer and meditation in which we declare the K’dushat Hayom - the sanctity of the day. Hallel (starting on page 287) Hallel means “praise.” These Psalms of Praise (pgs. 113-118) are recited only on festivals and days of Rosh Hodesh - the first day of each month by the lunar calendar.–––– D. The Torah Service –––– The Torah service is the highlight of the Shabbat Service. Several parts of this Service are done with specific actions and rituals, which highlight the importance of the Torah in Judaism. Individual and collective study of sacred text is regarded as a form
of worship. Torah in its most limited meaning is the Scroll containing
the Pentateuch (Five Books of Moses). It is written on parchment
and is painstakingly inscribed by hand in Hebrew letters that are written
without vowel points, punctuation, or division of sentences. that
are written without vowel points, punctuation, or division of sentences. The Torah is chanted by a reader using ancient melodies. These musical accents, or “tropes,” give dramatic interpretation to the text and represent the modulations and inflections necessary to give meaning and emphasis to each sentence. The chants must be learned by memory, since the signs and symbols of the tropes do not appear in the Sefer Torah (Torah scroll), though they are visible in the printed text in the large Etz Hayim or Hertz humashim (books containing the Five Books of Moses) available in the book racks at or near your seat. An announcement will be made about the page where the Torah reading can be found in those books, and these page numbers are also listed in the Shabbat program you will find on your seat. The Five Books of Moses are divided into fifty-four sidrot, or portions. Each year, the Torah is started anew beginning with Bereysheet (Genesis). The beginning is in the fall of the year, following the festival season that includes the High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The weekly portions are divided into three sections and each year a different third of each week’s assigned portion is read until completion. Each sidrah bears its own name that comes from the first important word of the week’s portion. For example, the first word of the first book of the Torah is Bereysheet ... “in the beginning...” and therefore the name of that portion is Bereysheet. Usually, only one Torah scroll is used on Shabbat morning. There are some special Shabbatot when two Torah scrolls are taken from the Ark, and rarely three scrolls are used. When additional Torah scrolls are used, the portion read in them deals with the special significance of the particular Shabbat or Festival. The Torah Blessings (page 322) When one is called to the Torah to recite the blessings before and after a section of the Torah is read, s/he has received an aliyah. Aliyah means “to go up” or “ascend” - to ascend to the bimah. Seven members of the congregation are thus honored on Shabbat, and five on the Festivals. The person called up to receive this honor may or may not actually read the portion (typically several sentences of text); the reading can be done by anyone who has learned how to do so. It is considered an honor to be called up for an aliyah, or for any other part of the service (e.g., opening or closing the doors of the Ark, or helping to dress the Torah after it is read.) The prayer recited by the person who is called to the Torah refers to the concept of the “Chosen People.” You will notice that the person first says one sentence, the congregation responds, the person repeats that sentence, and then continues the blessing. After the Torah reading has concluded, the person says one final blessing. Few concepts have been subject to greater misunderstanding and distortion than the term “Chosen People”. In ancient times each people felt that it had a relationship of “chosenness” to its God. Marduk chose the Babylonians, just as Zeus chose the Greeks, and Jupiter the Romans. Similarly, Adonai chose the People of Israel. The God-concept defined by the Israelites became the accepted God-concept of Christianity and Islam. The concept of the “Chosen People” survives from that era. The traditional idea of the “Chosen People” suggests obligation rather than privilege or superiority. It suggests moral responsibility, as clearly expressed by the prophet Amos: “You, alone, have I known of all the families of the earth: and therefore I will hold you responsible for all your iniquities.” Lifting and Dressing the Torah (page 324) At the conclusion of the reading of the Sefer Torah, two members of the congregation are called up to assist in preparing the Torah to be placed in the Ark once again. One lifts the Torah and carries it to a seat where it can be rolled and covered. That person is called the Magbeah, or if it is a woman, the Magbehah. When the Magbeah lifts the Sefer Torah, he/she unfurls it so that at least a section of three columns are visible, and holds it high so that all may see the written parchment. Simultaneously, the congregation stands and chants a phrase that translates as, “This is the Torah that Moshe placed before the Israelite people, at the command of God.” The second person re-rolls the Sefer Torah and replaces the mantle and its ornaments. That person is called the Golel, or if it is a woman, the Golelet. About the Maftir: The Concluding HonorThe concluding honor is the Maftir (the one who concludes), and is given to the individual who reads the Haftarah (reading from the Prophets). It is usually, though not exclusively, assigned to one who becomes a Bar Mitzvah (boy) or Bat Mitzvah (girl). About the Significance of Bar/Bat MitzvahWhen a young Jew reaches his or her thirteenth birthday, he or she is termed a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. The term is an idiom that means “a responsible person.” The implication is that at age thirteen a young person should become responsible for his or her Jewish and religious decisions. The public ceremony of Bat Mitzvah is a recent innovation, even though the concept behind it is as ancient as that of Bar Mitzvah for the male. At this age, the young person is included as one of the minyan, or ten people required for a public Jewish religious service. The Bar or Bat Mitzvah who is called to the Torah recites the appropriate blessings at the chanting of the Torah scrolls and chants a portion from the Haftarah (see next section). The experience of Bar/Bat Mitzvah is a powerful way in which ethical and moral principles can be taught, absorbed, and dramatized. The ceremony confirms the young person in his or her newly acquired adult role. Young people are thus encouraged to acquire skills that are valued by the adult community. When the Magbeah lifts the Sefer Torah, he/she unfurls it so that at least a section of three columns are visible, and holds it high so that all may see the written parchment. Simultaneously, the congregation stands and chants a phrase that translates as, “This is the Torah that Moshe placed before the Israelite people, at the command of God.” The second person re-rolls the Sefer Torah and replaces the mantle and its ornaments. That person is called the Golel, or if it is a woman, the Golelet. About the HaftarahAfter the Torah scroll has been lifted and dressed (following the reading of the weekly portion), the Ba’al/Ba’alat Maftir chants a portion from the Biblical Prophets, called the Haftarah. The chanting of the Haftarah is one of the highlights of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah service, and requires extensive preparation. Each Shabbat has a specific portion of the Prophets assigned to it. Usually the prophetic portion contains a theme that is related to the portion read from the Torah scroll. There are exceptions to this rule whenever a Shabbat has a special significance. The Haftarah is sung according to a traditional chant. While the accent marks used for both the Torah reading and the Haftarah are the same in appearance, their intonations are different. The theme relates either to the Torah portion or to the time of the year. –– E. Musaf (Additional Service)
and Conclusion –– Musaf means “additional.” The Musaf service corresponds to the additional Shabbat and Festival sacrifices of the ancient Biblical Temple Service. The Amidah is again recited during Musaf. Aleynu (page 402) It is for us to praise the creator of all… This prayer is an affirmation of our belief in God’s sovereignty. The prayer is basically a renunciation of idolatry, for it contains the prayer of gratitude that “God has not made us like the pagans of the world nor placed us as the heathen tribes of the earth.” It was composed long before the birth of Christianity. No reference to any other monotheistic religion was intended. Its concluding thought is that “We pray for the day when all God’s children will call upon God’s name.” We pray for the coming of that day when all humanity will be united in the service of one God. The Mourner’s Kaddish (page 410) The Kaddish is a prayer of praise of the name of God. It
is repeated several times during the service, but with differing melodies
and content. The version that appears on this page is referred
to as Kaddish Yatom, the “Mourner’s Kaddish,” and
it is recited by those who have experienced the loss of a family member
recently, or who are observing the yahrzeit, or anniversary
of the Hebrew date of the death of a family member. However, there
is no mention of death in the Kaddish. The Kaddish expresses
the hope that in the lifetime of those who are listening, God will establish
on earth the divine kingdom of righteousness and peace. The bereaved
are invited to recite the Kaddish because, in the midst of tragedy,
people are more tempted to challenge or question God’s justice
than at other times. Hence, in the face of bitter sorrow and disappointment
the mourner rises and, in effect, declares to the congregation that, “Despite
the grief which is mine, I will still proclaim, ‘Blessed and hallowed
be God’s great Name in the world’.” The congregation
responds, “Amen.”
Concluding the Shabbat Service (page 419) The Shabbat morning concludes with the Kiddush (the blessing over the wine), the ritual of washing the hands, and the Motzi (the blessing over the challah). Finally, all join in singing the closing hymn, Adon Olam, a song of praise to God, on page 412. In our congregation, the clergy invite children under the age of 13 to the bimah for Adon Olam, to join in the singing and to receive a treat. Following this conclusion, the congregation and guests are invited to the Lobby or the Social Hall for refreshments.
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