The Kiddush is recited while standing
A Psalm by David. Adonai is my shepherd; I shall lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters. He revives my soul; He directs me in the paths of righteousness for the sake of His Name. Even if I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff — they will comfort me. You will prepare a table for me before my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; my cup is full. Only goodness and kindness shall pursue me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the House of Adonai for many long years.
Prepare the meal of perfect faith, which is the delight of the holy King; prepare the meal of the King. This is the meal of the holy Ancient One and the holy Chakal Tapuchin, and Z'eir Anpin come to join Him in the meal.
And the children of Israel shall observe the Shabbat, establishing the Shabbat throughout their generations as an everlasting covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel for all time, for in six days Adonai made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He ceased from work and rested.
If you restrain your feet because of the Shabbat from attending to your affairs on My holy day, and you call the Shabbat, "delight," the day made holy by Adonai, "honored," and you honor it by not following your customary ways, refraining from pursuing your affairs and from speaking profane things, then you shall delight in Adonai, and I will make you ride on the high places of the earth, and I will nourish you with the heritage of Jacob your father; thus the mouth of Adonai has spoken.
"To make the Shabbat for their generations."
QUESTION: Why is the word "ledorotam" — "for their generations" — written without a vav?
ANSWER: The word
"ledorotam" without the
vav can be read
"ledirotam," meaning "their dwelling places." The Torah is teaching that
"la'asot et haShabbat" — the Jewish people should strive to make the
Shabbat beautiful and majestic,
"ledirotam" — in their dwelling places. Their homes should be permeated with a
Shabbat spirit.
"If you restrain your feet because of Shabbat from attending to your needs on My holy day."
QUESTION: Why the emphasis "raglecha" — "your feet" — wouldn't the same apply to attending one's needs with one's hands?
ANSWER: The rabbis of the Talmud (
Megillah 29b) suspended the performance of three
mitzvot when a Holiday falls on
Shabbat:
Shofar blowing, taking the
lulav on
Succot, and reading the
Megillah on
Purim. The reason is concern that one may take one of the three items used for these
mitzvot to an expert to learn how to properly perform the
mitzvah and inadvertently carry it
four amot through a public domain, which is a violation of Biblical law.
One who observes this decree is not lacking a mitzvah, because in merit of the extra stringency in the observance of Shabbat, the Shabbat itself accomplishes for him what he would have achieved for himself from the fulfillment of these mitzvot.
The word "mishavat" has the numerical value of seven hundred and forty-two, as do the words "shofar, lulav, Megillah." Thus, the prophet is saying, "If you will restrain mishavat — from doing the three mitzvot alluded by the numerical value of mishavat [because of] raglecha — concern that you may inadvertently 'walk' with them in a public domain — be assured that you will not lose by this. On the contrary, Hashem will reward you: 'I will make you ride on high places of the earth, and I will nourish you with the heritage of Yaakov your father.' "
This is the meal of the holy Ancient One.
Remember the Shabbat day to sanctify it. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is Shabbat for Adonai, your God; you shall not do any work — you, your son and your daughter, your slave and your maidservant, your cattle, and the stranger within your gates. For [in] six days Adonai made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and He rested on the seventh day.
Therefore Adonai blessed the Shabbat day and made it holy.
On wine:
Attention, gentlemen: Blessed are You, Adonai, our God, King of the universe, Who created the fruit of the vine.
On bread:
Attention, gentlemen: Blessed are You, Adonai, our God, King of the universe, Who brought forth bread from the earth.
The following berachah is added on Shabbat Chol HaMo'eid Succot immediately after making Kiddush in the Succah.
Blessed are You, Adonai, our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to dwell in the Succah.
A Kabbalistic song composed by the Arizal
I shall offer praise at the Shabbat morning meal, and shall herewith invite the holy Ancient One.
May the supernal light shine thereon through the great Kiddush and good wine that gladdens the soul.
May He send to us its resplendence and we shall behold its glory; may He reveal to us His hidden things which are said in secret.
May He disclose to us the reason for the twelve breads which symbolize a letter of His Name — both in the combined and the single form.
May we be united with the Supreme One in whom is the life of all things; may our strength be increased, and may [our prayer] ascend and become [a diadem] upon His head.
Field laborers [Torah scholars], rejoice with speech and voice, and speak the words [of Torah] which are sweet as honey.
Before the Master of the worlds you will reveal words in the secrets [of the Torah] and deliver new insights [in it];
To adorn the table with the precious secrets [of the Torah], profound and hidden, which are ordinarily not to be revealed.
And these words will become firmaments. Who will abide therein? None other than the [Shechinah which is allegorically called the] sun.
He will ascend to a more lofty level; and He will take to Himself His mate, [Israel,] from whom He was separated [during the week].
"And speak the words [of Torah] which are sweet as honey."
QUESTION: What is the significance of comparing Torah to honey?
ANSWER: The bee which makes the honey is a forbidden creature. Nevertheless, the honey which originates from a source which is
tamei — contaminated — is halachically pure for human consumption (see
Bechorot 6b).
Torah is compared to honey because of its power to elevate and purify even one who has fallen, G-d forbid, into a state of spiritual contamination.
Kiddush for Friday Evening