How to Prepare for Shabbat

The Jewish Sabbath, or Shabbat, is a time to relax and reflect, so prepare ahead of time to minimize the amount of work you have to do on Shabbat, which lasts from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Havdalah Candles
• Shabbat Candles
• Candlesticks
• Cleaning Supplies
• Grape Juices
• Spice Boxes
• Kiddush Wines
• Wine Goblets

1. Prepare food for the three meals eaten during Shabbat, especially if you want to take a break from cooking during that day.
2. Make the day feel special by cleaning up around the house in advance and choosing a nice or comfortable outfit.
3. Buy kosher Shabbat candles and havdalah candles from a Judaica store and make sure you have at least one pair of candlesticks.
4. Purchase a spicebox or find something else that smells sweet for the havdalah service that ends Shabbat.
5. Make sure you have wine (and grape juice if you need a substitute for children to drink).
6. Bake or buy two loaves of challah, the traditional braided bread of Shabbat. It is an easy bread to make yourself, and you can find the recipe on a Jewish Web site or in a Jewish cookbook.
7. Arrange for everyone to be home before sunset on Friday to light the candles and eat Shabbat dinner together.

Tips & Warnings

• Orthodox, Conservative and Reform customs vary, and even within each tradition, every family maintains its own way of observing Shabbat. However, Jewish law does forbid work, errands and household chores, among other things, on the Sabbath.
• Read the Torah portion for the week if you want to find out what it is about before attending Shabbat services Saturday morning.