A Blessing for the Sabbath
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה. אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם. אֲשֶר קִדְשָנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶל שַׁבָּת. יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יְהוָה אֳלֹהַי וֵאלֹהַי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ.שֶיִּבָּנֶה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּש בִּמְהֵרָה בְיָמֵינוּ. וְתֵן חֶלְקֵנוּ בְּתוׄרָתֶך: וְשָם נַעֲבָדְ בְּיִרְאָה כִּימֵי עֹולָם וּכְשָנִים קַדְמוׄנִיוֹת: וְעָרְבָה לַיְהוָה מִנְחַת יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָלָיִם. כִּימֵי עֹולָם וּכְשָנִים קַדְמוׄנִיוֹת: יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יְהוָה אֳלֹהַי וֵאלֹהַי אֲבוֹתַי. שֶׁתְּחוֹנֵן אוֹתִי (וְאֶת אִישִׁי וְאֶת בָּנַי וְאֶת אָבִי וְאֶת אִמִּי) וְאֶת כָּל קְרוֹבַי. וְתִתֶּן לָנוּ וּלְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל חַיִּים טוֹבִים וַאֲרֻכִּים. וְתִזְכְּרֵנוּ בְזִכְרוֹן טוֹבָה וּבְרָכָה. וְתִפְקְדֵנוּ בִּפְקֻדַּת יְשׁוּעָה וְרַחֲמִים וּתְבָרְכֵנוּ בְּרָכוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת. וְתַשְׁלִים בָּתֵּינוּ. וְתַשְׁכֵּן שְׁכִינָתְךָ בֵּינֵינוּ. וְזַכֵּנִי לְגַדֵּל בָּנִים וּבְנֵי בָנִים חֲכָמִים וּנְבוֹנִים. אוֹהֲבֵי יְהוָה יִרְאֵי אֱלֹהים. אַנְשֵׁי אֱמֶת. זֶרַע קֹדֶשׁ. בַּיְהוָה דְּבֵקִים וּמְאִירִים אֶת הָעוֹלָם בַּתּוֹרָה וּבְמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים וּבְכָל מְלֶאכֶת עֲבוֹדַת הַבּוֹרֵא. אָנָּא שְׁמַע אֶת תְּחִנָּתִי בָּעֵת הַזֹּאת. בִּזְכוּת שָׂרָה וְרִבְקָה וְרָחֵל וְלֵאָה אִמּוֹתֵינוּ. וְהָאֵר נֵרֵנוּ שֶׁלֹּא יִכְבֶּה לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד וְהָאֵר פָּנֶיךָ וְנִוָּשֵׁעָה. אָמֵן.
Explanation For The blessing
Lighting Shabbat Candles is an important mitzvah, which benefits you and your family.
For generations, the lighting of the candles has been a time of intent – a woman's special hour. After lighting the candles and reciting the blessing, the woman prays to God, asking Him to make her spiritual and material wishes come true. Many women sense the grandeur of this moment, feeling the proximity of the Creator, who hears their prayer and answers. The Shabbat is said to be "the source of all blessings".
By resting on the Shabbat, we acknowledge our faith in God as Creator and Lord. When Shabbat the Queen descends, spreading her wings over creation and conferring her spiritual treasures, the woman stands by the flickering lights and prays to God with all her heart. During these moments, a woman draws riches from the fountains of holiness and blessing.
The Shabbat is considered the spiritual partner of the People of Israel, as it offers the Jews the opportunity to ascend to the proximity of the Almighty, radiates great light to the Jewish home and enriches it with numerous educational values. When the wife ushers in the Shabbat she unites with God, the sanctifier of the Shabbat, bestowing His Spirit on her family and expressing benevolence and faith in Him.
The speedy pace of modern existence leaves little room for contemplation, serenity and comfort but the Shabbat brings with it peace. The Shabbat is a station of calm and consideration, allowing the introspection required to feel His presence and re-fill one's batteries with the Holy Spirit.
As said, during the Shabbat's entrance into our world, each woman can feel her sanctity, with a song of faith in her heart – a song of gratitude to the Creator who was benevolent enough to give us the Shabbat. As He announced to the People of Israel: "I have a precious gift in my treasure house, Shabbat is its name". The light that emanates from the Shabbat candles is one of existential pleasure, with soul and signification – it is a spiritual light.
As the essence of the light cannot be extinguished, you will feel the spiritual radiance of the candles long after they have burned out. The force of the Jewish family, which has successfully traversed rivers of blood and tears throughout the centuries, stems from the glow of Shabbat. Finding rest at the Shabbat table can yield spiritual satisfaction, family bonding and a positive outlook, contributing much toward a brighter future.
The Shabbat table should serve as the crown jewel – a point in time that serves as the pivot of the home and the heart of the Jewish family. Even those who do not keep the Shabbat may uphold the mitzvah of lighting candles as a blessing for their family. Amen.
