View source for Shabbat

{{Short description|Judaism's day of rest}}
{{About|the day of rest in Judaism|the general day of rest in Abrahamic religions|Sabbath|Sabbath in the Bible|Biblical Sabbath|the Talmudic tractate|Shabbat (Talmud)}}
{{redirect|Shabbos}}
{{redirect|Sabbath Queen}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox Halacha
| image = Shabbat Candles.jpg
| caption = <small>[[Kiddush cup]], [[Shabbat candles]] and [[challah cover]]</small>
| verse = {{bibleverse||Exodus|20:7-10|HE}}, {{bibleverse||Deut|5:12–14|HE}}, numerous others.<ref>Other Biblical sources include:  {{bibleverse||Exodus|16:22–30|HE}}, {{bibleverse||Exodus|23:12|HE}}, {{bibleverse||Exodus|31:12–17|HE}}, {{bibleverse||Exodus|34:21|HE}}, and {{bibleverse||Exodus|35: 12–17|HE}}; {{bibleverse||Leviticus|19:3|HE}}, {{bibleverse||Leviticus|23:3|HE}}, {{bibleverse||Leviticus|26:2|HE}} and {{bibleverse||Numbers|15:32–26|HE}}</ref>
| mishnah = [[Shabbat (Talmud)|Shabbat]], [[Eruvin (Talmud)|Eruvin]]
| talmud = [[Shabbat (Talmud)|Shabbat]], [[Eruvin (Talmud)|Eruvin]]
| talmudy = [[Shabbat (Talmud)|Shabbat]], [[Eruvin (Talmud)|Eruvin]]
| rambam = ''Sefer Zmanim'', Shabbat 1–30; Eruvin 1–8
| sa = ''[[Orach Chayim]]'', Shabbat 244–344; Eruvin{{nbsp}}345–395; Techumin 396–416
| codes = ''[[Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (book)|Kitzur Shulchan Aruch]]'' ch. 72–96
}}
{{Judaism}}

'''Shabbat''' ({{IPAc-en|UK|ʃ|ə|'|b|æ|t}}, {{IPAc-en|US|ʃ|ə|'|b|ɑː|t}}, or {{IPAc-en|ʃ|ə|'|b|ʌ|t}}; {{langx|he|{{Script/Hebrew|שַׁבָּת|Šabbāṯ}}}}, {{IPA|he|ʃa'bat|}}, {{literal translation|rest' or 'cessation}}) or the '''Sabbath''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|æ|b|ə|θ}}), also called '''Shabbos''' ({{IPAc-en|UK|ˈ|ʃ|æ|b|ə|s}}, {{IPAc-en|US|ˈ|ʃ|ɑː|b|ə|s}}) by [[Ashkenazi Hebrew|Ashkenazim]], is [[Judaism]]'s day of rest on the seventh day of the [[seven-day week|week]]—i.e., [[Friday prayer|Friday]]–[[Saturday]]. On this day, religious [[Jews]] remember the biblical stories describing the [[Genesis creation narrative|creation of the heaven and earth in six days]] and the redemption from slavery and [[the Exodus]] from Egypt. Since the [[Hebrew calendar|Jewish religious calendar]] counts days from sunset to sunset, Shabbat begins in the evening of what on the [[civil calendar]] is [[Friday]].

Shabbat observance entails refraining from [[39 Melachot|work activities]], often with [[shomer Shabbat|great rigor]], and engaging in restful activities to honor the day. Judaism's traditional position is that the unbroken seventh-day Shabbat originated among the Jewish people, as their first and most sacred institution. Variations upon Shabbat are widespread in Judaism and, with adaptations, throughout the [[Abrahamic religions|Abrahamic]] and many other [[religions]].

According to ''[[halakha]]'' (Jewish religious law), Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before the sun sets on Friday evening until the appearance of three stars in the sky on Saturday night, or an hour after sundown.<ref>[[Shulchan Aruch]], [[Orach Chayim]] 293:2</ref> Shabbat is ushered in by lighting candles and reciting blessings over wine and bread. Traditionally, three [[Seudat mitzvah#Seudat Shabbat and Seudat Yom Tov|festive meals]] are eaten: The first one is held on Friday evening, the second is traditionally a lunch meal on Saturday, and the third is held later Saturday afternoon. The evening meal and the early afternoon meal typically begin with a blessing called ''[[kiddush]]'' (''sanctification''), said over a cup of wine.

At the third meal a ''kiddush'' is not performed, but the ''hamotzi'' blessing is recited and ''[[challah]]'' (braided bread) is eaten. In many communities, this meal is often eaten in the period after the afternoon prayers ''([[Minchah]]'') are recited and shortly before Shabbat is formally ended with a ''[[Havdalah]]'' ritual.

Shabbat is a festive day when Jews exercise their freedom from the regular labours of everyday life. It offers an opportunity to contemplate the spiritual aspects of life and to spend time with family. The end of Shabbat is traditionally marked by a ritual called [[Havdalah]], during which blessings are said over wine (or grape juice), aromatic spices, and Havdalah candle lighting, separating Shabbat from the rest of the week.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://18doors.org/jewish_holidays_cheat_sheet/ | title=The Ultimate Guide to Jewish Holidays |date=8 January 2020 }}</ref>

==Etymology==
{{Main|Biblical Sabbath#Etymology}}

The word ''Shabbat'' derives from the Hebrew root [[wiktionary:ש־ב־ת#Hebrew|ש־ב־ת]]. Although frequently translated as "rest" (noun or verb), another accurate translation is "ceasing [from work]."<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Sabbath-Judaism |title=Sabbath &#124; Judaism |date=April 18, 2023 |website=Britannica }}</ref> The notion of active cessation from labour is also regarded{{by whom|date=October 2018}} as more consistent with an [[omnipotent]] [[Names of God in Judaism|God]]'s activity on the seventh day of [[Genesis creation narrative|creation according to Genesis]].

==Origins==

===Babylon===
{{See also|Babylonian calendar}}

A number of scholars propose a [[cognate]] [[Akkadian language|Akkadian]] word ''šapattu'' or ''šabattu'', which refers to the day of the [[full moon]]. A lexicographic list found in the [[library of Ashurbanipal]] glosses ''šabattu'' as "[the gods'] day of the heart's rest" (''ūm nûḫ libbi''), although this probably refers to the appeasement of the gods' anger.<ref>{{cite book |title=Israel's Day of Light and Joy: The Origin, Development, and Enduring Meaning of the Jewish Sabbath |last=Levenson |first=Jon D. |publisher=Penn State Press |year=2024 |isbn=978-1-64602-286-1 |pages=24–25 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BNINEQAAQBAJ&pg=PA24}}</ref> Other scholars doubt that there is a connection between the biblical Sabbath and the Akkadian ''šapattu''/''šabattu'', as the two words may not have a common etymology and ''šapattu'' refers almost exclusively to the fifteenth day of the month or the phenomenon of lunar alignment, not to the seventh day of a week.<ref>{{cite journal |title=The Sabbath in Judean Communities during the Mid-fifth Century BCE: Onomastic Evidence |journal=Journal of Ancient Judaism |last1=Ganzel |first1=Tova |volume=16 |issue=1 |pages=29–42 |last2=Safford |first2=Jan |year=2025 |doi=10.30965/21967954-bja10067 |issn=2196-7954 |doi-access=free}}</ref>{{rp|32–33}}

Connection to Sabbath observance has been suggested in the designation of the seventh, fourteenth, nineteenth, twenty-first and twenty-eight days of a lunar month in an Assyrian religious calendar as a 'holy day', also called 'evil days' (meaning "unsuitable" for prohibited activities). The prohibitions on these days, spaced seven days apart (except the nineteenth), include abstaining from chariot riding, and the avoidance of eating meat by the King.  On these days officials were prohibited from various activities and common men were forbidden to "make a wish", and at least the 28th was known as a "rest-day".<ref>"Histoire du peuple hébreu". [[André Lemaire]]. Presses Universitaires de France 2009 (8e édition), p. 66</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=The Seven Day Circle: The History and Meaning of the Week|first=Eviatar |last=Zerubavel|publisher=University of Chicago Press|date=1985|isbn=0-226-98165-7}}</ref> This theory has also been challenged on the grounds that the 'evil days' did not always fall every seven days and did not entail a general cessation of work.<ref>{{cite book |title=The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia |last=Bromiley |first=Geoffrey William |publisher=Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing |year=1979 |isbn=978-0-8028-3784-4 |page=248 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6OJvO2jMCr8C&pg=PA248 |volume=4}}</ref>

The ''[[Universal Jewish Encyclopedia]]'' advanced a theory of [[Assyriologist]]s like [[Friedrich Delitzsch]]<ref name=landau/> (and of [[Marcello Craveri]])<ref>{{cite book|author=Craveri, Marcello|title=The Life of Jesus|publisher=Grove Press|date=1967|page=134}}</ref> that Shabbat originally arose from the [[lunar cycle]] in the [[Babylonian calendar]]<ref>{{cite book|date=1943|title=The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia: An authoritative and popular presentation of Jews and Judaism since the earliest times|volume=5|page=410|editor=Landman, Isaac|chapter=Holidays|author=Joseph, Max|others=Cohen, Simon, compiler|publisher=The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia, Inc|editor-link=Isaac Landman}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|date=1943|title=The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia: An authoritative and popular presentation of Jews and Judaism since the earliest times|volume=9|page=295|editor=Landman, Isaac|chapter=Sabbath|author=Joseph, Max|others=Cohen, Simon, compiler|publisher=The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia, Incv|editor-link= Isaac Landman}}</ref> containing four weeks ending in a Sabbath, plus one or two additional unreckoned days per month.<ref>{{cite book|date=1943|title=The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia: An authoritative and popular presentation of Jews and Judaism since the earliest times|volume=10|page=482|editor=Landman, Isaac|chapter=Week|author=Cohen, Simon|others=Cohen, Simon, compiler|publisher=The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia, Inc |editor-link= Isaac Landman}}</ref>  The difficulties of this theory include reconciling the differences between an unbroken week and a lunar week, and explaining the absence of texts naming the lunar week as Sabbath in any language.<ref name="orr" />

===Egypt===
Seventh-day Shabbat did not originate with the [[Ancient Egypt|Egyptians]], to whom it was unknown;<ref>{{cite book |chapter-url= http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13287b.htm|title=[[The Catholic Encyclopedia]]|author=Bechtel, Florentine|chapter=Sabbath|volume=13|location=[[New York City]]|publisher=Robert Appleton Company|date=1912 |access-date= 2009-03-26}}</ref> and other origin theories based on the day of [[Saturn]], or on the [[planets]] generally, have also been abandoned.<ref name="orr">{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_Tn4PAAAAYAAJ|title=The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia|editor=Orr, James|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_Tn4PAAAAYAAJ/page/n536 2630]|chapter=Sabbath: Critical Theories|author=Sampey, John Richard|publisher=Howard-Severance Company|date=1915 |access-date= 2009-08-13| editor-link=James Orr (theologian)}}</ref>

===Hebrew Bible===
{{Main|Biblical Sabbath}}

Sabbath is given special status as a holy day at the very beginning of the [[Torah]] in Genesis 2:1-3.<ref>{{Bibleverse||Genesis|2:1–3|HE}}</ref> It is first commanded after [[The Exodus]] from Egypt, in Exodus 16:26<ref>{{Bibleverse||Exodus|16:26|HE}}</ref> (relating to the cessation of [[manna]]) and in Exodus 16:29<ref>{{Bibleverse||Exodus|16:29|HE}}</ref> (relating to the distance one may [[Biblical mile|travel by foot]] on the Sabbath), as also in Exodus 20:8-11<ref>{{Bibleverse||Exodus|20:8–11|HE}}</ref> (as one of the [[Ten Commandments]]). Sabbath is commanded and commended many more times in the Torah and [[Tanakh]]; double the normal number of animal [[korban|sacrifices]] are to be offered on the day.<ref>''Every Person's Guide to Shabbat'', by Ronald H. Isaacs, Jason Aronson, 1998, p. 6</ref> Sabbath is also described by the prophets [[Isaiah]], [[Jeremiah]], [[Ezekiel]], [[Hosea]], [[Amos (prophet)|Amos]], and [[Nehemiah]].

[[File:Шабатна кибритна кутија - Shabbat matchbox holder.jpg|right|thumb|A silver matchbox holder for Shabbat from [[North Macedonia]] ]]
The longstanding Jewish position is that unbroken seventh-day Shabbat originated among the Jewish people, as their first and most sacred institution.<ref name=landau>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/stream/sabbath00land/sabbath00land_djvu.txt|title=The Sabbath|author=Landau, Judah Leo|publisher=Ivri Publishing Society, Ltd |access-date= 2009-03-26|location=[[Johannesburg, South Africa]]|pages=2, 12}}</ref> The origins of Shabbat and a seven-day week are not clear to scholars; the [[Moses|Mosaic]] tradition claims an origin from the Genesis creation narrative.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pcea.org.au/articles/the_westminster_confession/the_origin_of_the_sabbath/|title=The Origin of the Sabbath|author=Graham, I. L.|publisher=[[Presbyterian Church of Eastern Australia]]|date=2009 |access-date= 2009-03-26 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081203162529/http://www.pcea.org.au/articles/the_westminster_confession/the_origin_of_the_sabbath/ |archive-date= December 3, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |chapter-url= http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/303554/Jewish-religious-year/34908/The-Sabbath|title=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]|chapter=Jewish religious year: The Sabbath|date=2009 |access-date= 2009-03-26|publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica Online|quote=According to biblical tradition, it commemorates the original seventh day on which God rested after completing the creation. Scholars have not succeeded in tracing the origin of the seven-day week, nor can they account for the origin of the Sabbath.}}</ref>

The first non-Biblical reference to Sabbath is in an [[ostracon]] found in excavations at [[Mesad Hashavyahu]], which has been dated to approximately 630 BCE.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cojs.org/cojswiki/Mezad_Hashavyahu_Ostracon%2C_c._630_BCE|title=Mezad Hashavyahu Ostracon, c. 630 BCE |access-date=2012-09-12 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130130125324/http://www.cojs.org/cojswiki/Mezad_Hashavyahu_Ostracon%2C_c._630_BCE |archive-date= 2013-01-30}}</ref>

==Status as a Jewish holy day==
[[File:Покривка за хала (леб) - כיסוי החלות - Challah cover.JPG|thumb|A challah cover with [[Biblical Hebrew|Hebrew inscription]]]]

The Tanakh and [[siddur]] describe Shabbat as having three purposes:{{citation needed|date=June 2021}}
# To commemorate [[Names of God in Judaism|God's]] creation of the universe, on the seventh day of which God rested from (or ceased) his work;
# To commemorate the Israelites' Exodus and redemption from slavery in [[ancient Egypt]];
# As a "taste" of [[Olam Haba]] (the [[Messianic Age]]).

Judaism accords Shabbat the status of a joyous holy day. In many ways, [[Halakah|Jewish law]] gives Shabbat the status of being the most important holy day in the [[Hebrew calendar]]:<ref>One measure is the number of people called up to Torah readings at the Shachrit/morning service. Three is the smallest number, e.g. Mondays and Thursdays. Five on the Holy days of Passover, Shavuoth, Succoth. Yom Kippur: Six. Shabbat: Seven.</ref>
* It is the first holy day mentioned in the Bible, and God was the first to observe it with the cessation of creation (Genesis 2:1–3).
* [[Jewish services|Jewish liturgy]] treats Shabbat as a "bride" and "queen" (see [[Shekhinah]]); some sources described it as a "king".<ref>The [[Talmud]] (Shabbat 119a) describes rabbis going out to greet the Shabbat Queen, and the [[Lekhah Dodi]] poem describes Shabbat as a "bride" and "queen". However, [[Maimonides]] ([[Mishneh Torah]] Hilchot Shabbat 30:2) speaks of greeting the "Shabbat King", and two independent commentaries on Mishneh Torah (Maggid Mishneh and R' Zechariah haRofeh) quote the Talmud as speaking of the "Shabbat King". The words "King" and "Queen" in Aramaic differ by just one letter, and it seems that these understandings result from different traditions regarding spelling the Talmudic word. See [https://www.maharitz.co.il/?CategoryID=174&ArticleID=672 full discussion].</ref>
* The [[Sefer Torah]] is read during the [[Torah reading]] which is part of the Shabbat morning services, with a longer reading than during the week. The Torah is read over a yearly cycle of 54 ''[[parashioth]]'', one for each Shabbat (sometimes they are doubled). On Shabbat, the reading is divided into seven sections, more than on any other holy day, including [[Yom Kippur]]. Then, the [[Haftarah]] reading from the Hebrew prophets is read.
* A tradition states that the [[Jewish Messiah]] will come if every Jew properly observes two consecutive Shabbatoth.<ref>[[Shabbat (Talmud)|Shabbat]] 118</ref>
* The punishment in ancient times for desecrating Shabbat ([[stoning]]) is the most severe punishment in Jewish law.<ref>See e.g. Numbers 15:32–36.</ref> In addition, the divine punishment for desecrating Shabbat, ''kareth (''spiritual excommunication), is the most severe of divine punishments in Judaism.<ref>[https://he.m.wikisource.org/wiki/%D7%A8%D7%9E%D7%91%22%D7%9D_%D7%A2%D7%9C_%D7%90%D7%91%D7%95%D7%AA_%D7%91#%D7%9E%D7%A9%D7%A0%D7%94_%D7%90 Rambam's commentary on the Mishna, tractate of Avot, Chapter 2 a]. (he)</ref>
* On Shabbat an offering of two lambs was brought in the temple in Jerusalem.<ref>Numbers 28:9.</ref>

==Rituals==
{{Redirect|Shabbat dinner|the film|Shabbat Dinner}}

===Welcoming Shabbat===
[[File:GOOD SHABBES -.jpg|thumb|upright|Jewish woman reciting blessing over [[Shabbat candles]]]]

Honoring Shabbat (''kavod Shabbat'') on Preparation Day (Friday) includes bathing, having a haircut and cleaning and beautifying the home (with flowers, for example).
Days in the Jewish calendar start at nightfall, therefore many [[Jewish holidays]] begin at [[Zmanim|such time]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Moss|first1=Aron|title=Why do Jewish holidays begin at nightfall?|url=https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/160961/jewish/Why-do-Jewish-holidays-begin-at-nightfall.htm|website=Chabad.org|access-date=25 September 2020}}</ref> According to Jewish law, Shabbat starts a few minutes before sunset. Candles are lit at this time. It is customary in many communities to light the candles 18 minutes before sundown (''tosefet Shabbat'', although sometimes 36 minutes), and most printed Jewish calendars adhere to this custom.

The [[Jewish prayer#Friday night|Kabbalat Shabbat]] service is a prayer service welcoming the arrival of Shabbat. Before Friday night dinner, it is customary to sing two songs, one "greeting" two Shabbat angels into the house<ref>Shabbat 119b</ref> ([[Shalom Aleichem (liturgy)|"''Shalom Aleichem''"]] -"Peace Be Upon You") and the other praising the woman of the house for all the work she has done over the past week ([[Proverbs 31#The good wife (31:10–31)|"''Eshet Ḥayil''"]] -"Woman Of Valour").<ref>{{bibleverse|Proverbs|31:10–31|HE}}</ref> After blessings over the wine and [[challah]], a festive meal is served. Singing is traditional at Sabbath meals.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Ferguson|first1=Joey|title=Jewish lecture series focuses on Sabbath Course at Chabad center focuses on secrets of sabbath's serenity|url=https://www.deseret.com/2011/5/20/20193051/jewish-lecture-series-focuses-on-sabbath/|agency=Deseret News|date=May 20, 2011|quote='The more we are able to invest in it, the more we are able to derive pleasure from the Sabbath.' Jewish belief is based on understanding that observance of the Sabbath is the source of all blessing, said Rabbi Zippel in an interview.  He referred to the Jewish Sabbath as a time where [sic] individuals disconnect themselves from all endeavors that enslave them throughout the week and compared the day to pressing a reset button on a machine. A welcome prayer over wine or grape juice from the men and candle lighting from the women invokes the Jewish Sabbath on Friday at sundown.}}</ref> In modern times, many composers have written sacred music for use during the Kabbalat Shabbat observance, including [[Robert Strassburg]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.milkenarchive.org/artists/view/robert-strassburg/|title=Strassburg, Robert|website=Milken Archive of Jewish Music|access-date=8 October 2017}}</ref> and [[Samuel Adler (composer)|Samuel Adler]].<ref name="Milken Archive of Jewish Music">{{cite web|title=Milken Archive of Jewish Music – People – Samuel Adler|url=http://www.milkenarchive.org/people/view/all/482/Adler,+Samuel|access-date=2 August 2015}}</ref>

According to [[rabbinic literature]], God via the Torah commands Jews to ''observe'' (refrain from forbidden activity) and ''remember'' (with words, thoughts, and actions) Shabbat, and these two actions are symbolized by the customary two [[Shabbat candles]]. Candles are lit usually by the woman of the house (or else by a man who lives alone). Some families light more candles, sometimes in accordance with the number of children.<ref>[[Shulchan Aruch]], [[Orach Chaim]] 261.</ref>

===Other rituals===
{{redirect2|Oyneg Shabes|Oneg Shabbat|the collection of documents from the Warsaw Ghetto collected and preserved by the group known by the code name Oyneg Shabes|Ringelblum Archive}}
Shabbat is a day of celebration as well as [[Jewish services|prayer]]. It is customary to eat three festive meals: Dinner on Shabbat eve (Friday night), lunch on Shabbat day (Saturday), and a third meal (a ''[[Seudah shlishit]]''<ref>Since it is this meal that changes the other two from meals of a two-per-day nature to two of a trio</ref>) in the late afternoon (Saturday). It is also customary to wear nice clothing (different from during the week) on Shabbat to honor the day.

Many Jews attend synagogue services on Shabbat even if they do not do so during the week. Services are held on Shabbat eve (Friday night), Shabbat morning (Saturday morning), and late Shabbat afternoon (Saturday afternoon).

With the exception of [[Yom Kippur]], days of public fasting are postponed or advanced if they coincide with Shabbat. Mourners sitting ''[[Shiva (Judaism)|shivah]]'' (week of mourning subsequent to the death of a spouse or first-degree relative) outwardly conduct themselves normally for the duration of the day and are forbidden to display public signs of mourning.

Although most Shabbat laws are restrictive, the fourth of the Ten Commandments in Exodus is taken by the Talmud and [[Maimonides]] to allude to the ''positive'' commandments of Shabbat. These include:
* Honoring Shabbat (''kavod Shabbat''): on Shabbat, wearing festive clothing and refraining from unpleasant conversation. It is customary to avoid talking on Shabbat about money, business matters, or secular things that one might discuss during the week.<ref>{{cite book|title=Ein Yaakov: The Ethical and Inspirational Teachings of the Talmud|url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=1461628245|isbn=1461628245|date=1999 | last1=Chaviv | first1=Yaakov ibn | publisher=Jason Aronson, Incorporated }}</ref><ref>Derived from {{Bibleverse||Isaiah|58:13–14|HE}}.</ref>
* Recitation of ''kiddush'' over a cup of [[kosher wine|wine]] at the beginning of Shabbat meals, or at a reception after the conclusion of morning prayers (see the [[list of Jewish prayers and blessings]]).
* [[File:Shabbat Challos.jpg|thumb|Two homemade [[Whole-wheat flour|whole-wheat]] challot covered by traditional [[Embroidery|embroidered]] Shabbat [[challah cover]]]]Eating three festive meals. Meals begin with a blessing over two loaves of bread (''[https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1108296/jewish/Lechem-Mishneh-The-Two-Shabbat-Loaves.htm lechem mishneh]'', "double bread"), usually of braided challah, which is symbolic of the double portion of [[manna]] that fell for the Jewish people on the day before Sabbath during their 40 years in the desert after the Exodus from Ancient Egypt. It is customary to serve meat or fish, and sometimes both, for Shabbat evening and morning meals. ''[[Seudah Shlishit]]'' (literally, "third meal"), generally a light meal that may be [[pareve]] or [[dairy]], is eaten late Shabbat afternoon.
* Enjoying Shabbat (''oneg Shabbat''): Engaging in pleasurable activities such as eating, singing, sleeping, spending time with the family, and marital relations. Sometimes referred to as "Shabbating".
* Recitation of ''[[havdalah]]''.

===Ending Shabbat===
{{Main|Havdalah}}
[[File:Havdal.jpg|thumb|upright|Observing the closing ''havdalah'' ritual in 14th-century Spain]]

''Havdalah'' (Hebrew: הַבְדָּלָה, "separation") is a Jewish religious ceremony that marks the symbolic end of Shabbat, and ushers in the new week. At the conclusion of Shabbat at nightfall, after the appearance of three stars in the sky, the ''havdalah'' blessings are recited over a cup of wine, and with the use of fragrant spices and a candle, usually braided. Some communities delay ''havdalah'' later into the night in order to prolong Shabbat. There are different customs regarding how much time one should wait after the stars have surfaced until the sabbath technically ends. Some people hold by 72 minutes later and other hold longer and shorter than that.

==Prohibited activities==
{{Main|39 Melachot|Rabbinically prohibited activities of Shabbat}}

[[Halakha|Jewish law (halakha)]] prohibits doing any form of ''melakhah'' (מְלָאכָה, plural ''melakhoth'') on Shabbat, unless an urgent human or medical need is life-threatening. Though ''melakhah'' is commonly translated as "work" in [[English language|English]], a better definition is "deliberate activity" or "skill and craftmanship". There are 39 categories of ''melakhah'':<ref>[[Mishnah]] Tractate Shabbat 7:2</ref>
{{Div col|colwidth=22em}}
* plowing earth
* sowing
* reaping
* binding sheaves
* threshing
* winnowing
* selecting
* grinding
* sifting
* kneading
* baking
* shearing wool
* washing wool
* beating wool
* dyeing wool
* spinning
* weaving
* making two loops
* weaving two threads
* separating two threads
* tying
* untying
* sewing stitches
* tearing
* trapping
* slaughtering
* flaying
* tanning
* scraping hide
* marking hide
* cutting hide to shape
* writing two or more letters
* erasing two or more letters
* building
* demolishing
* extinguishing a fire
* kindling a fire
* putting the finishing touch on an object, and
* transporting an object (between private and public domains, or over 4 [[cubit]]s within public domain) {{div col end}}

The 39 ''melakhoth'' are not so much activities as "categories of activity". For example, while "winnowing" usually refers exclusively to the separation of [[chaff]] from [[cereal|grain]], and "selecting" refers exclusively to the separation of debris from grain, they refer in the Talmudic sense to any separation of intermixed materials which renders edible that which was inedible. Thus, filtering undrinkable water to make it drinkable falls under this category, as does picking small bones from fish ([[gefilte fish]] is one solution to this problem).

The categories of labors prohibited on Shabbat are [[exegesis|exegetically]] derived&nbsp;– on account of Biblical passages juxtaposing Shabbat observance ({{Bibleverse|Exodus|35:1–3|HE}}) to making the [[Tabernacle (Judaism)|Tabernacle]] ({{Bibleverse|Exodus|35:4 etc.|HE}})&nbsp;– that they are the kinds of work that were necessary for the construction of the [[Tabernacle (Judaism)|Tabernacle]]. They are not explicitly listed in the Torah; the Mishnah observes that "the laws of Shabbat ... are like mountains hanging by a hair, for they are little Scripture but many laws".<ref>[[Chagigah]] 1:8.</ref> Many [[rabbinic literature|rabbinic scholars]] have pointed out that these labors have in common activity that is "creative", or that exercises control or dominion over one's [[environment (biophysical)|environment]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Klein|first1=Miriam|title=Sabbath Offers Serenity in a Fast-Paced World|url=http://www.triblocal.com/northbrook/community/stories/2011/04/sabbath-offers-serenity-in-a-fast-paced-world/|agency=Chicago Tribune|publisher=Triblocal|date=April 27, 2011|access-date=July 7, 2015|archive-date=July 8, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150708062609/http://www.triblocal.com/northbrook/community/stories/2011/04/sabbath-offers-serenity-in-a-fast-paced-world/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In addition to the 39 ''melakhot'', additional activities were [[Rabbinically prohibited activities of Shabbat|prohibited by the rabbis]] for various reasons.

The term ''[[shomer Shabbat]]'' is used for a person (or organization) who adheres to Shabbat laws consistently. The (strict) observance of the Sabbath is often seen as a benchmark for orthodoxy and indeed has legal bearing on the way a Jew is seen by an [[Beit din|orthodox religious court]] regarding their affiliation to Judaism.<ref>See [[Yosef Dov Soloveitchik]]'s "Beis HaLevi" commentary on [[parasha]] [[Ki Tissa]] for further elaboration regarding the legal ramifications.</ref>

===Specific applications===

====Electricity====
{{Main|Electricity on Shabbat}}
[[File:Teddy bear Shabbat lamp.tif|thumb|upright|Teddy bear lamp in the collection of the [[Jewish Museum of Switzerland]]. The cap can be twisted, which covers the lightbulb with a dark shell and dims the light in a way arguably acceptable on the sabbath<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lubrich, Battegay |first=Naomi, Caspar |title=Jewish Switzerland: 50 Objects Tell Their Stories |publisher=Christoph Merian |year=2018 |isbn=978-3856168476 |location=Basel |pages=202–205}}</ref> ]]

Orthodox and some Conservative authorities rule that turning [[Electricity|electric]] devices on or off is prohibited as a ''melakhah''; however, authorities are not in agreement about exactly which one(s). One view is that tiny sparks are created in a switch when the circuit is closed, and this would constitute lighting a fire (category 37). If the appliance is purposed for light or heat (such as an [[incandescent bulb]] or electric oven), then the lighting or heating elements may be considered as a type of fire that falls under both lighting a fire (category 37) and cooking (i.e., baking, category 11). Turning lights off would be extinguishing a fire (category 36). Another view is that completing an electrical circuit constitutes building (category 35) and turning off the circuit would be demolishing (category 34). Some schools of thought consider the use of electricity to be forbidden only by [[rabbinical law|rabbinic injunction]], rather than a ''melakhah''.

A common solution to the problem of electricity involves preset timers ([[Shabbat clock]]s) for electric appliances, to turn them on and off automatically, with no human intervention on Shabbat itself. Some Conservative authorities<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Neulander|first=Arthur|date=1950|title=The Use of Electricity on the Sabbath|journal=Proceedings of the Rabbinical Assembly|volume=14|pages=165–171}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Adler|first1=Morris|last2=Agus|first2=Jacob|last3=Friedman|first3=Theodore|date=1950|title=Responsum on the Sabbath|journal=Proceedings of the Rabbinical Assembly|volume=14|pages=112–137}}</ref><ref>Klein, Isaac. ''A Guide to Jewish Religious Practice.'' The Jewish Theological Seminary of America: New York, 1979.</ref> reject altogether the arguments for prohibiting the use of electricity. Some Orthodox also hire a "[[Shabbos goy]]", a non-Jew (who must not be regularly employed by the household in question) to perform prohibited tasks (like operating light switches) on Shabbat.

====Automobiles====
{{Main|Driving on Shabbat}}

Orthodox and many Conservative authorities completely prohibit the use of automobiles on Shabbat as a violation of multiple categories, including lighting a fire, extinguishing a fire, and transferring between domains (category 39). However, the Conservative movement's [[Committee on Jewish Law and Standards]] permits driving to a synagogue on Shabbat, as an emergency measure, on the grounds that if Jews lost contact with synagogue life, they would become lost to the Jewish people.

A halakhically authorized [[Shabbat mode]] added to a power-operated [[mobility scooter]] may be used on the observance of Shabbat for those with walking limitations, often referred to as a Shabbat scooter. It is intended only for individuals whose limited mobility is dependent on a scooter or automobile consistently throughout the week.

====Modifications====
Seemingly "forbidden" acts may be performed by modifying technology such that no law is actually violated. In [[Sabbath mode]], a "[[Sabbath elevator]]" will stop automatically at every floor, allowing people to step on and off without anyone having to press any buttons, which would normally be needed to work. ([[Dynamic braking]] is also disabled if it is normally used, i.e., shunting energy collected from downward travel, and thus the [[gravitational energy|gravitational potential energy]] of passengers, into a [[resistor]] network.) However, many rabbinical authorities consider the use of such elevators by those who are otherwise capable as a violation of Shabbat, with such workarounds being for the benefit of the frail and handicapped and not being in the spirit of the day.

Many observant Jews avoid the prohibition of carrying by use of an [[eruv]]. Others make their [[Key (lock)|keys]] into a [[tie bar]], part of a [[Belt (clothing)|belt]] buckle, or a [[brooch]], because a legitimate article of [[clothing]] or [[jewelry]] may be worn rather than carried. An elastic band with clips on both ends, and with keys placed between them as integral links, may be considered a belt.

[[Shabbat lamp]]s have been developed to allow a light in a room to be turned on or off at will while the electricity remains on. A special mechanism blocks out the light when the off position is desired without violating Shabbat.

The [[Shabbos App]] is a proposed [[Android app]] claimed by its creators to enable [[Orthodox Judaism|Orthodox]] [[Jew]]s, and all Jewish Sabbath-observers, to use a [[smartphone]] to text on the Jewish Sabbath. It has met with resistance from some authorities.<ref name=uproar>{{cite web|url=http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/international/new-shabbos-app-creates-uproar-among-orthodox-circles|title=New Shabbos App Creates Uproar Among Orthodox Circles|author=Hannah Dreyfus|work=[[The Jewish Week]]|date=October 2, 2014|access-date=October 12, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141007195945/http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/international/new-shabbos-app-creates-uproar-among-orthodox-circles|archive-date=October 7, 2014}}</ref><ref name=toi>{{cite web|url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/app-lets-jewish-kids-text-on-sabbath-and-stay-in-the-fold/|title=App lets Jewish kids text on Sabbath – and stay in the fold; The 'Shabbos App' is generating controversy in the Jewish community – and a monumental on-line discussion of Jewish law|author=David Shamah|date=October 2, 2014|work=[[The Times of Israel]]|access-date=October 3, 2014}}</ref><ref name=shalom>{{cite web|url=http://www.shalomlife.com/business/26132/finally-now-you-can-text-on-saturdays-thanks-to-new-shabbos-app/|title=Finally, Now You Can Text on Saturdays Thanks to New 'Shabbos App'|date=October 2, 2014|author=Daniel Koren|work=Shalom Life|access-date=October 12, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141007135626/http://www.shalomlife.com/business/26132/finally-now-you-can-text-on-saturdays-thanks-to-new-shabbos-app/|archive-date=October 7, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://jewishbusinessnews.com/2014/10/02/will-the-shabbos-app-change-jewish-life-raise-rabbinic-ire-or-both/|title=Will the Shabbos App Change Jewish Life, Raise Rabbinic Ire, or Both?|date=October 2, 2014|publisher=Jewish Business News|access-date=October 12, 2014}}</ref>

====Permissions====
{{Main|Pikuach nefesh}}

If a human life is in danger (pikuach nefesh), then a Jew is not only allowed, but required,<ref>[http://www.israel21c.org/briefs/8-saved-during-qshabbat-from-hellq 8 saved during "Shabbat from hell"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100119072338/http://www.israel21c.org/briefs/8-saved-during-qshabbat-from-hellq |date=2010-01-19 }} (January 17, 2010) in [http://www.israel21c.org/ ''Israel 21c Innovation News Service''] Retrieved 2010–01–18</ref><ref>[http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3835327,00.html ZAKA rescue mission to Haiti 'proudly desecrating Shabbat'] Religious rescue team holds Shabbat prayer with members of international missions in Port au-Prince. Retrieved 2010–01–22</ref> to violate any halakhic law that stands in the way of saving that person (excluding murder, idolatry, and forbidden sexual acts). The concept of life being in danger is interpreted broadly: for example, it is mandated that one violate Shabbat to bring a woman in active labor to a hospital. Lesser rabbinic restrictions are often violated under much less urgent circumstances (a patient who is ill but not critically so).

{{blockquote|We did everything to save lives, despite Shabbat. People asked: "Why are you here? There are no Jews here," but we are here because the Torah orders us to save lives .... We are desecrating Shabbat with pride.|Mati Goldstein, commander of the Jewish [[ZAKA]] rescue-mission to the [[2010 Haiti earthquake]]<ref name="ynews">{{cite news|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3835327,00.html|title=ZAKA mission to Haiti 'proudly desecrating Shabbat'|newspaper=Ynetnews|date=17 January 2010 |access-date=8 October 2017|last1=Levy|first1=Amit}}</ref>}}

Various other legal principles closely delineate which activities constitute [[Sabbath desecration|desecration of Shabbat]]. Examples of these include the principle of ''shinui'' ("change" or "deviation"): A violation is not regarded as severe if the prohibited act was performed in a way that would be considered abnormal on a weekday. Examples include writing with one's nondominant hand, according to many rabbinic authorities. This legal principle operates ''bedi'avad'' (''[[ex post facto]]'') and does not cause a forbidden activity to be permitted barring extenuating circumstances.

===Reform and Reconstructionist views===
Generally, adherents of [[Reform Judaism|Reform]] and [[Reconstructionist Judaism]] believe that the individual Jew determines whether to follow Shabbat prohibitions or not. For example, some Jews might find activities, such as writing or cooking for [[leisure]], to be enjoyable enhancements to Shabbat and its holiness, and therefore may encourage such practices. Many Reform Jews believe that what constitutes "work" is different for each person, and that only what the person considers "work" is forbidden.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.shamash.org/lists/scj-faq/HTML/faq/18-04-17.html |title=Soc.Culture.Jewish Newsgroups Frequently Asked Questions and Answers |page=18.4.7 |date=2003-09-04 |access-date=2009-03-27 |last=Faigin |first=Daniel P. |publisher=[[Usenet]] |archive-date=2006-02-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060222101110/http://www.shamash.org/lists/scj-faq/HTML/faq/18-04-17.html }}</ref> The radical Reform rabbi [[Samuel Holdheim]] advocated moving Sabbath to Sunday for many no longer observed it, a step taken by dozens of congregations in the United States in late 19th century.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://americanjewisharchives.org/publications/journal/PDF/1982_34_01_00_olitzky.pdf |title=The Sunday-Sabbath Movement in American Reform Judaism: Strategy or Evolution |website=AmericanJewishArchives.org |access-date=8 October 2017 }}</ref>

More rabbinically traditional Reform and Reconstructionist Jews believe that these ''halakhoth'' in general may be valid, but that it is up to each individual to decide how and when to apply them. A small fraction of Jews in the Progressive Jewish community accept these laws in much the same way as Orthodox Jews.

==Encouraged activities==
The Talmud, especially in tractate Shabbat, defines rituals and activities to both "remember" and "keep" the Sabbath holy and to sanctify it at home and in the synagogue. In addition to refraining from creative work, the sanctification of the day through [[Kiddush|blessings over wine]], the preparation of special [[Shabbat meals|Sabbath meals]], and engaging in [[Jewish prayer|prayer]] and [[Torah study]] were required as an active part of Shabbat observance to promote intellectual activity and spiritual regeneration on the day of rest from physical creation. According to many scribes, half of the day should be devoted to Torah study and prayer.<ref>See: Rabbi [[Eliezer Melamed]], [https://ph.yhb.org.il/en/01-05-01/ Panini Halacha Shabbat Chapter 5, on the Panini Halacha website.]</ref> The Talmud states that the best food should be prepared for the Sabbath, for "one who delights in the Sabbath is granted their heart's desires" ([[Babylonian Talmud|BT]], Shabbat 118a-b).<ref>{{cite book|title=A Book of Jewish Concepts|last=Birnbaum|first=Philip|chapter=Sabbath|date=1975|publisher=Hebrew Publishing Company|location=New York, New York |isbn=088482876X|pages=579–581}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Judaism - The Sabbath|website=Encyclopædia Britannica|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Judaism|access-date=2020-07-28}}</ref>

All [[Jewish denominations]] encourage the following activities on Shabbat:
* Reading, studying, and discussing [[Torah]] and commentary, [[Mishnah]] and Talmud, and learning some [[halakha]] and [[midrash]].
* [[Synagogue]] attendance for [[Jewish services|prayers]].
* Spending time with other Jews and socializing with family, friends, and guests at Shabbat meals (''hachnasat orchim'', "[[hospitality]]").
* Singing ''[[zemiroth]]'' or ''[[niggun]]im'', special songs for Shabbat meals (commonly sung during or after a meal).
* [[Jewish views on marriage#Sexual relations|Sex]] between husband and wife.<ref>Shulkhan Arukh, Orach Chaim 280:1</ref>
* Sleeping.

==Special Shabbat==
{{Main|Special Shabbat}}

Special Shabbatot are the Shabbatot that precede important [[Jewish holiday]]s: e.g., ''Shabbat HaGadol'' (Shabbat preceding [[Pesach]]), ''Shabbat Zachor'' (Shabbat preceding [[Purim]]), and ''Shabbat Shuvah'' (Shabbat between [[Rosh Hashanah]] and [[Yom Kippur]]).

==In other religions==

===Christianity===
{{Main|Sabbath in seventh-day churches|Sabbath in Christianity}}

Most [[Christians]] do not observe Saturday Sabbath, but instead observe a weekly day of worship on [[Sunday]], which is often called the "[[Lord's Day]]". Several Christian denominations, such as the [[Seventh-day Adventist Church]], the [[Church of God (7th Day)]], the [[Seventh Day Baptist]]s, and [[List of Sabbath-keeping churches|others]], observe [[seventh-day Sabbath]]. This observance is celebrated from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset.

===Samaritans===
{{Expand section|date=December 2022}}

[[Samaritans]] also observe Shabbat.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sabbat Observance |url=https://www.israelite-samaritans.com/religion/sabbath-observance/ |publisher=AB Institute for Samaritan Studies, supported by the [[Israeli Ministry of Culture]] |access-date=20 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Dying Out: The Last Of The Samaritan Tribe – Full Documentary | date=8 August 2019 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zloTR_N5Cys |publisher=Little Dot Studios |access-date=20 December 2022 }}</ref>

===Islam===
{{see also|Sabbath#Islam}}

Although [[Islam|Muslims]] do not observe Saturday Sabbath, the [[Names of the days of the week|name of Saturday]] in the [[Islamic calendar]], {{lang|ar|السَّبْت}} {{transliteration|ar|ALA|as-Sabt}}, is etymologically-related to its Hebrew name, likewise meaning 'rest.'

==Lunar Sabbath==
Some hold the biblical sabbath was not connected to a 7-day week like the [[Gregorian calendar]].<ref>[https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/days The Seven-Day Week].</ref> Instead the New Moon marks the starting point for counting and the shabbat falls consistently on the 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th of each month.  Biblical text to support using the moon, a light in the heavens, to determine days include [https://biblehub.com/genesis/1-14.htm Genesis 1:14], [https://biblehub.com/psalms/104-19.htm Psalm 104:19], and [https://biblehub.com/catholic/sirach/43-6.htm Sirach 43:6–8]  See references:
<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thecreatorscalendar.com/sabbaths-consistent-lunar-month-dates/|title=Sabbath's Consistent Lunar Month Dates |date=4 February 2015 |access-date=Dec 27, 2021|quote="the sacred seventh-day Sabbaths are forever fixed to the count from one New Moon to the next, causing them to consistently fall upon the 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th lunar calendar dates."}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://multifaiths.com/pdf/BiblicalProofLUNARSabbath.pdf |title=Biblical Proof for the Lunar Sabbath |first=John D. |last=Keyser }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Cipriani|first=Roshan|date=Oct 1, 2015|title=Lunar Sabbath: The Seventy-Two Lunar Sabbaths: Sabbath Observance By The Phases Of The Moon|location=Scotts Valley, California |publisher=CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform|isbn=978-1517080372}}{{Unreliable source?|date=February 2022}}</ref>

Rabbinic Jewish tradition and practice does not hold of this, holding the sabbath to be based on the days of creation, and hence a wholly separate cycle from the monthly cycle, which does not occur automatically and must be rededicated each month.<ref>{{Cite web |title=tefilla – No Mekadesh Yisrael on Shabbat |url=https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/90473/no-mekadesh-yisrael-on-shabbat |access-date=2022-06-22 |website=Mi Yodeya }}</ref> See [[Rosh Chodesh|kiddush hachodesh]].

==See also==
{{Wiktionary|Shabbat|shabbat}}
{{Commons category|Shabbat}}
* [[List of Shabbat topics]]
* [[Baqashot]]
* [[Jewish greetings]]
* {{Section link|Jewish prayer#Prayer on Shabbat}}
* [[Lord's Day]]
* [[Shmita]]
* [[Uposatha]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Shabbat}}
{{Jewish holidays}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Shabbat| ]]
[[Category:Sabbath|*]]
[[Category:Friday observances]]
[[Category:Hebrew calendar]]
[[Category:Hebrew words and phrases]]
[[Category:Saturday observances]]
[[Category:Working time]]
[[Category:Genesis 1]]
[[Category:Negative Mitzvoth]]
[[Category:Positive Mitzvoth]]