As a continuation of last installment on the topic of Shabbos, I want to share the standard schedule of an Orthodox Jew on Shabbos.

The first thing on Shabbos is to have everything ready before Shabbos starts. Everything needs to be bought and set in place before Shabbos because on Shabbos any work that involves creating or manipulating nature is not allowed.

It is permitted to carry a heavy table from one floor to the other even if it’s difficult and a person can be sweating away. Carrying a table indoors is not called work because nothing is created or changed. Whereas turning on a flame is creating a flame and cooking changes a food from being inedible to edibile. Turning on electricity brings to life an appliance or device that didn’t work properly before. That’s why the house lighting needs to be set and everything needs to be cooked and bought before Shabbos.

Shabbos comes in at sunset. Fifteen to 20 minutes before sunset the Shabbos candles are lit. The candles carry many significances. In the past, candles were the main source of lighting, but even today candles add light and, more importantly, it creates an aura of elegance in the house.

The candle lighting is an obligation on all adults at home, but it is assigned to the woman of the house. Since the women keep house, they are assigned the Mitzvah (commandment) to make sure the house is lit and ready. Also, Shabbos is referred to in the feminine; it is called the Shabbos Queen. Shabbos is the feminine dimension of time. I touched upon this in the last article.

For millennia women have cherished their Mitzvah of lighting the candles before the onset of Shabbos. It is their special time. She prays at that time for the physical and spiritual well-being of all her children.

The men go to Shul (Synagogue) for evening prayers and some study to usher in the Shabbos. There are special songs for Shabbos in the prayers. Afterwards there is a meal with the family. This is a very special time and one of the highlights of the week. For me, in my stage in life, it can become a bit challenging because all ages of kids are together at one time at the table. Each age is different and requires their unique attention.

Generally, the younger children get the attention at night and the older ones in the morning. They come home from school with stories and short ideas on the Torah portion of that week to share. I also prepare a few stories and thoughts, but I learned to allow it to happen as it goes. It is not productive to try to control the atmosphere. Just to sit around the table together is great and however it works out is fine.

The morning also starts with prayer and study and then a meal at lunchtime. At about sunset on Saturday there is short prayers and a short meal. The day is spent each to their own. Some people would study, read, catch up on some sleep, etc.

At Sundown there is the Havdalah recital and then one enters the new week and work is permitted like all week.

I’m fascinated how the mind can see things so differently with a changed setting. After doing Shabbos a while the day starts to feel differently. It is the same morning as every day, the same sun rises, but it’s still vastly different. Time is a creation, and it is a really fascinating creation.

Comments? Email me: moshe@mosheunger.com.