Illustration Credit: Rebecca Kerzner
Halakhah הֲלָכָה
זָכ֛וֹר֩ אֶת־י֥֨וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֖֜ת לְקַדְּשֽׁ֗וֹ׃
Zakhor (remember) the Shabbat day and keep it holy.
What does it mean to “remember” Shabbat? How do we do that?
Our Rabbis suggest that the word “zakhor” doesn’t just involve thinking about Shabbat in your head. It refers to a specific action: reciting Kiddush.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: ״זָכוֹר אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת לְקַדְּשׁוֹ״—זוֹכְרֵהוּ עַל הַיַּיִן.
Our Rabbis taught: "Remember the Shabbat day and keep it holy”—remember it over wine.
Kiddush on Friday night includes pesukim from the Torah about Shabbat, and two בְּרָכוֹת (berakhot, blessings).
1. The berakhah for wine or grape juice.
2. A berakhah recognizing that God makes Shabbat holy.
We also recite Kiddush on Shabbat during the day, with different pesukim about Shabbat and without the second berakhah.
Here are some of the rules for Kiddush:
- On Friday night, say Kiddush before eating or drinking anything (Shulhan Arukh Orah Hayyim 271:4). The same is true after Shaharit on Shabbat morning (OH 289:1).
- Recite Kiddush together with your Shabbat meal, in the same place where the meal is, and at the time the meal is being started. So you should eat something suitable for a meal right away after hearing or saying Kiddush (273:1, 3)! This could be bread or something you’d make a מְזוֹנוֹת (mezonot) on, like crackers or cookies. If you hear Kiddush in shul, it’s still best to say it again with your Shabbat meal at home (Igrot Moshe OH 4:63).
R. Hayyim Na’eh (100 years ago) thinks you need at least about 3.3 fluid ounces in the cup (Shiurei Torah 3:6). R. Moshe Feinsetin (100 years ago) thinks it’s at least about 4.5 ounces for Friday night, but 3.3 for Shabbat day (Kol Dodi 2:6).
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