You can recite the daytime Kiddush and the blessing over bread at Saturday lunch, having a special meal on Saturday as well as Friday evening. The Kiddush for Saturday begins with the song, V’Shamru, taken from Exodus 31:16-17 and Exodus 20:8-11.
Traditional observance mandates three meals on Shabbat: Friday night dinner, Saturday lunch and Saturday supper. This third meal, literally known by the Hebrew seudah shelishit ("third meal") is also referred to as a malaveh malcha ("accompanying the queen"). We think of the Sabbath as a bride when it comes and as a queen when it leaves.
If you are attending Shabbat morning services or Torah study, it is easy to extend your Shabbat and have lunch with friends on Saturday. You can try this and any other Shabbat custom without immediately making a commitment to do it every week. These are pleasures for you to enjoy as you are ready.
If you are exploring Shabbat as a spiritual practice, you may also choose to use it as a day to be in nature, to sit by the ocean or take a long hike. You may prefer to take a long nap or read a book or play games with kids or adult friends. Without any rituals at all, Shabbat can still be a day of rest and relaxation, a needed respite from the regular week.
Return to the Guide to Shabbat and Havdalah for Interfaith Families Resource Guide.
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