This page contains general information about Shabbos observance and is by no means exaustive. As always, one should consult an Orthodox Rabbi for more information.

I have tried to present the information I have learned from the Mishneh Torah, Kitzur Shulchon Oruch, Mishnah Berurah, my teachers and other sources in a clear and concise manner.

Shabbos is a reminder of HaShem's creation of earth as well as His leading us out of Mitzrayim (Egypt). Therefore one who desecrates the Shabbos in front of, or with the knowledge of, ten Jews is denying these important principals of Judaism. He is therefore considered as an idol worshiper. His wine is forbiden and the food he cooks and bread he's baked has the status of that baked by a non Jew.

Shabbos is one of the commandments which intentional transgression is punished by death at the hands of the earthly Beis Din and Kares (spiritual death) at the hands of the heavenly Beis Din. We are told to observe "the Shabbos" not "a Shabbos". The definite article means it is a specific day, i.e. Friday night through Saturday night. The Torah clearly didn't mean we were to pick one day a week to refrain from work.

"Keep the Shabbos day to sanctify it." Dueteronomy 5:12.

"Call the Shabbos a delight and HaShem's sacred day an honor" Isaiah 58:13

Shabbos isn't defined by what we are not supposed to do, but what we are. To be sure actions classified as melachah are forbiden, but one isn't "Shomer Shabbos" if he sleeps from Friday night to Saturday night. The Torah commands us to "Remember", "Keep", and "Sanctify" the Shabbos. Our Sages tell us to call Shabos a delight and an honor. Our Shabbos observance must be proactive.

Another way we "Remember the Shabbos" is by reciting the Psalm of the day after Shacharis. The Psalm is introduced by saying "Today is the X day of the Shabbos, on which the Levi'im would say in the Temple..." By reciting this, we establish Shabbos as the core of our week.

We are supposed to trim our fingernails in honor of Shabbos. We do not trim them earlier because they will begin to grow back on Shabbos. Do not trim them in order. They trimmed nails should not be allowed to fall on the floor, rather they should ideally be burned or burried. Do not trim them on the day you trim your toenails or on Rosh Chodesh even if it falls on Friday.

One should wear fine clothes on Shabbos even if one spends Shabbos alone. Our clothes are to honor Shabbos, not impress our neighbors. These clothes should be set aside specifically for Shabbos. I remember that when my oldest daughter first was learning to speak she would call my neck tie a "Shabbos" because that was the only time I wore one.

Be sure to brush ones hair since this can only be done in a limited fashon after Shabbos (we will discuss this further later G-d willing).

House Cleaning

Ones house should be cleaned. In general we should prepare for Shabbos as one prepares for a dignitary as a guest, Shabbos is likened to a Queen.

We are to place a table cloth on the table in honor of Shabbos. This is to remain there even in between meals, I understand it is customary to change tableclothes during Shabbos and I assume there is no problem with this. Garbage should be taken out and new trash bags opened.

Meals

We are to eat three warm meals on Shabbos. Meals have to be prepared before hand since cooking in a normal fasion prohibited on Shabbos. Food that has been cooked to the point it is edible may be kept warm by placing it onto a blech, a sheet of aluminum or other metel placed on top of ones burner. It is not permisable to place them directly on the burner.

Bread should be cooked at home in honor of Shabbos, especially when bread is purchased from a Gentile baker during the week as many tend to do today. Even if we purchase bread from a Jewish baker we should still make bread at home for Shabbos and so we can fulfill the mitzvah of taking challah. It is customary to cook an egg bread known as Challah for Shabbos (Challah technically refers to the ammount of bread seperated for the Kohanim (priests). Since it must be eaten in a state of ritual purity, it is unable to be eaten nowadays and must be burnt). Three loaves should be baked, small medium and large. The medium for Friday night, the large for the Saturday meal and the small one for the third meal. One should have meat on Shabbos.

It is customary for those who enjoy fish to eat it on Shabbos but if one does not enjoy it other meat is more appopriate. One should serve fine wine, meat, and other delicacies to the best of their ability in honor of Shabbos.

Babies

Those of us with babies in diapers need to make sure to open and close the tape on the disposable diapers we will need for Shabbos. This should permit thier use on Shabbos, some authorities are stricter however, and some such as mine do not require even opening them before Shabbos. Consult your Rabbi.

As a practicle concern, if their is no eruv where you live one may keep in mind that one can not carry a child outside or pull him or her along as they walk. Therefore one may want to take them outside to play for a while so they aren't homebound for to long. If there is an eruv, then keep in mind you may not add hoods or flynets on strollers and carriages on Shabbos but if they are already on they you may open and close them.

Pets Pets can be feed on Shabbos but not touched, one may not walk a dog on the street. One should make sure to take any steps necessary to prepare one's pet for Shabbos. If you have an "exotic pet" should speak to a Rabbi about whether one may handle thier food on Shabbos.

No food should be eaten after the 9th season hour and no regularly schedualed work should be done after the 9 and a half sesonal hours of the day. A sesonal hour is 1/12th of daylight. Work may be done on occasion and the poor may work to earn money for Shabbos as can a barber if he cuts the hair of another Jew since the haircut is in honor of Shabbos

The above should set a good ground work for preparing a Shabbos within the framework of Torah.

Sanctify To "sanctify" something means to set something apart (usually to G-d). We sanctify Shabbos by lighting candles at the begining and end of it and reciting Kiddush.

Kabbalas Shabbos There are two ways that Jews typically accept Shabbos upon themselves, by Candlelighting by women and men by reciting Mizmor Shir l'yom haShabbos, Pslam 92, in Shul.

Candlelighting In his Mishneh Torah, The Rambam stresses that whether or no one lights candles or how one does so ins't optional. Men and Women are both obligated to have lamps burning in their home on the night of Shabbos. Even if one is without food it is necessary to beg in order to purchase oil to light the Shabbos lamps. It is traditionally the woman of the house's perogative to light the Shabbos lights and fulfill the obligation of her household. It is appropriate for the man of the house to take part in the mitzvah however by placing the candles firmly in the candlesticks and by making sure they will light. Furthermore, he should lit them if his wife will not be able to do so in time. Some also have the custom of girls of three years and up lighting a single candle. It is customary to light two, and then add one for each child one has. If one forgot to light candles she should light an additional candle each week from then on. If one wishes to light many candles on one Shabbos one should state that they do not intend on making this their custom lest they become forbidden from diminshing the number they light. The ideal way to perform this mitzvah is with olive oil. Other oils and candles are also acceptable but one must be careful since some things are not appropriate for the mitzvah. Likewise the wick should be from cotton, hemp, or spun flax since some materials are not appropriate for the mitzvah. Many supermarkets with Kosher food isles sell boxes of candle intended for Shabbos use and unless one knows more about the laws of what may and may not be used for Shabbos candles I advise these. Candlelighting should take place 20 minutes before sunset, usually your local synogogue can provide you with the appropriate time. Ideally a woman should be bathed and dressed in her Shabbos clothing when she lights but if this would cause her to delay the lighting and violate the Shabbos she should light them as she is. The best place for the lights is on the dinner table but if this is a hazard anywhere in the same room is fine. Ideally one should place the loaves of Challah on the table before candlelighting. Typically one says the blessing for a mitzvah before they perform the mitzvah. However since a woman accepts the Shabbos by saying the blessing for the lights she is forbiden to light a fire after she says the blessing. Therefore she lights, covers her eyes, and says the blessing. When she opens her eyes and benifits from the light it is as if she had just lit them. This is not necissary when a man lights candles since a man typically accepts Shabbos while davening at Shul. The candles must burn long enough to eat the Shabbos meal. Even if one is visiting another's house for Shabbos dinner, he has not fulfilled his obligation unless he benifited from his own lights at home.