What is Shabbat?

Its source

The Torah tells that God finished creation in six days “and rested on the seventh day… and God blessed the seventh day and made it holy” (Genesis 2:2–3). The fourth of the Ten Commandments says “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8), and the second version adds the reminder that we were slaves in Egypt (Deuteronomy 5:15) – a free person can stop working.

The day

Shabbat begins with candle lighting about 18 minutes before sunset on Friday (in Jerusalem 40). The evening service welcomes Shabbat as a queen and bride, followed by kiddush over wine and a meal with two challah loaves. Saturday has morning prayers with the weekly Torah reading, a second meal, a third meal in the afternoon, and ends after nightfall with havdalah over wine, spices and a braided candle.

Rest

The Mishnah lists 39 categories of creative labour – the tasks used to build the Tabernacle – that are not done on Shabbat, including cooking, writing, lighting fire and carrying in public. The idea is not physical inactivity but stopping to create and control, and giving the day to family, prayer, learning and joy.

Shabbat for everyone

Guests are part of the tradition, and non-Jewish guests are welcome at a Shabbat table. People who are not observant often begin with one element – lighting candles, a Friday night family dinner, or turning off phones – and the sources encourage every step: the Talmud says that whoever delights in Shabbat is granted his heart’s desires.