A Guide toShabbat Evening Worship

Welcome to Temple Israel's Friday service. We are so gladyou are with us tonight. Whatever your level of familiaritywith Judaism, we want to make sure you feel comfortable,included and appreciated here. We hope this guide will helpdemystify the service and acquaint you with the minhagim

(customs) here at Temple Israel.

Friday evening marks the beginning of the Jewish Sabbath, orShabbat. Shabbat is a holy day, when we focus on spirituality andaspire to live at peace with ourselves and the world around us. TheShabbat service is a joyous occasion when we shed the cares of theweek and welcome the Sabbath with song, prayer, meditation and arenewed sense of connection to God and to one another.

You may notice that some congregants dress up a bit more for Fridayservices than they would when entering the synagogue on a weekday.Some choose to wear a kippah (headcovering) or tallis (prayer shawl),though these are optional.

Please feel free to sit anywhere you like. Don’t hesitate to greet yourneighbor before the service begins. After the worship service is over,there will be plenty of time for more visiting, especially at the Oneg

Shabbat, a gathering after worship to rejoice in the Sabbath.

As you look around the sanctuary, you will see that you are surrounded bysymbols that add meaning to the worship experience. There are 12 columns,symbolizing the 12 Tribes of Israel. There are five doors, representing thefive books of the Tanach (bible). At the front of the sanctuary, there is anark (sacred repository), housing the Torah scrolls. Over the ark, there isa ner tamid (eternal light), which signals God’s presence. Look directlyup above you, and you will see a giant star of David overhead.

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The service is built in five sections: the Introduction, the Sh’ma andHer Blessings, the Amidah, the Torah Service and the Conclusion.The siddur (prayer book) we use is called Gates of Prayer for Shabbat.It offers two alternate services. Service I is more traditional. ServiceII is a little more spiritual and mystical. The translations you’ll find inthis guide are from Service I.

We use a mix of Hebrew and English in our services. Almost all ofthe Hebrew we read is transliterated and translated in Gates of Prayer,so you can follow along and fully participate in the service, even ifyou do not speak Hebrew. You’ll see that the portions to be read by theleader are in Roman type and the congregational responses are in italics.

Over the course of the service, the clergyleads the congregation through worshipincluding spoken, sung and silent prayer.Congregants are directed to do some ofthis standing and some sitting. We rise atcertain points due either to the importance

of the prayers or as a sign of respect and tradition. In one prayer, calledthe Barchu, some people choose to bow.

We love to sing at Temple Israel. You may have heard some of oursongs in other Jewish settings, or all of them may be new to you.Please feel free to sing along to the extent that you feel comfortable.

Afterward, all are invited to gather and socialize at the Oneg Shabbat,usually held in either of Temple’s larger gathering rooms downstairs,Minda and Joseph. If you’re not sure where to go, just follow the crowd!

Welcome & Shabbat Shalom (A peaceful Sabbath).

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I. INTRODUCTION TO WORSHIP

At the beginning of the service, you will see the clergy -- rabbisand cantor -- process into the sanctuary, usually accompanied bymusic. All rise as they do so, to show respect and mark thebeginning of the service. This is a minhag (custom) unique toTemple Israel.

Often there is a song at this point, though not always.

Candle Lighting

Traditionally, Jews do not light fire on theSabbath, so the lighting of candles becamethe ritual start of Shabbat, allowing people tohave light to fulfill the commandment torejoice in the Sabbath. At this point in the service, a woman orwomen, typically a relative of someone about to become Bar orBat Mitzvah, steps up to the bimah (stage) to light the Sabbathcandles.

Kabbalat Shabbat

The Kabbalat Shabbat section of the service comprises songsand hymns derived from tradition established by mid-sixteenth-century Kabbalistic scholars, and is intended as a way towelcome the Sabbath experience.

Psalms

Kabbalat Shabbat opens with responsive readings of one ormore from a series of six Psalms (Nos. 95-99 and 29),representing the six days of creation and the six days of thework week leading up to the Sabbath. They are psalms of praise,declaring God's sovereignty. Here is one example:

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(Psalm 95):Come, let us sing to the Eternal One,

let our song r ing out to our shelter ing Rock.Let us come before god with thanksgiving,

our voices loud with song.For great are You, Eternal One,

high above the gods that are worshipped.In Your hands are the depths of the earth;

yours are the mountain-peaks.You made the sea; i t is Yours;

the dry land is the work of Your hands.You are our God and our Shepherd;

we are Your people and Your f lock:I f only today we would l isten to Your voice!

L'cha Dodi ("Come, My Beloved")

With L’cha Dodi, the Sabbath is personified as a bride beingwelcomed to the Sabbath as an honored guest. There is afeeling of love and longing associated with this prayer, which isusually sung. It was written by the 16th-century KabbalistSchlomo Halevy Alkabetz (1505-1584) and adaptedby Isaac Luria.

We sing in Hebrew:

Lecha Dodi (Come My Beloved)

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Beloved, come to meet the bride; beloved, come to greetShabbat. Keep and Remember: a single command the Only Godcaused us to hear; the Eternal is One, God's name is One, forhonor and glory and praise.

Beloved, come to meet the bride; beloved, come to greetShabbat. Come with me to meet Shabbat, forever a fountain ofblessing. St i l l i t f lows, as from the start: the last of days, forwhich the f i rst was made.

Beloved, come to meet the bride; beloved, come to greetShabbat. Awake, awake, your l ight has come! Arise, shine,awake and sing; the Eternal 's glory dawns upon you.

Beloved, come to meet the bride; beloved, come to greetShabbat. Enter in Peace, O crown of your husband; enter ingladness, enter in joy. Come to the people that keeps i ts faith.Enter, O bride! Enter, O bride!

Beloved, come to meet the bride; beloved, come to greet Shabbat.

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II. THE SH'MA AND HER BLESSINGS

Themes and StructureThe Sh’ma is the best-known prayer in Judaism. It is adeclaration of faith, an affirmation of Judaism. There are twoprayers leading up to the Sh’ma and one following it, on themajor Jewish themes of God’s role in creation, revelation andredemption.

All rise.

Barchu ("Call to Worship")At Temple Israel, the following is read by the congregation inHebrew and English and then sung in Hebrew. Here the Cantoris asking the congregation if it is ready to pray, and thecongregation responds that it is ready. Some people choose tobow

during the Barchu.Praise the One to whom our praise is due!

Praised be the One to whom our praise is due,now and forever!

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Ma-ariv Avarim ("Causes the Evenings")The Ma-ariv Avarim is about creation, and God’s mastery overnature:

We praise You, Eternal God, Sovereign of the universe,whose word brings on the evening. With wisdom You openheaven's gates, and with understanding You make the agespass and the seasons alternate; Your wil l controls the starsas they travel through the skies.

You are the Creator of day and night, rol l ing l ight awayfromdarkness, and darkness from l ight; You cause day topass and bring on the night, separating day from night; Youcommand the hosts of heaven! May the l iving and eternalGod rule us always, to the end of t ime! We praise You, OGod, whose word makes evening fal l .

Ahavat Olam ("Eternal Love")The Ahavat Olam is concerned with revelation andattainment of wisdom through Torah:

Unending is Your love for Your people, the House of Israel:Torah and Mitzvot, laws and precepts have You taught us.

Therefore, O God, when we l ie down and when we rise up,we wil l meditate on Your laws and rejoice in Your Torah andMitzvot for ever.

Day and night we wil l ref lect on them, for they are our l i feand the length of our days. Then Your love shall neverdepart from our heart! We praise You, O God: You love Yourpeople Israel.

Sh'ma ("Hear") The Sh’ma is central to Judaism. It’s an affirmation that there is oneand only God. At Temple Israel, we usually read this prayer inHebrew and English, then sing it in Hebrew. Some congregantscover their eyes when saying the Sh’ma, with the goal of tuningout distraction.

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Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one.Blessed is God's glorious majesty for ever and ever!After the Sh'ma, Reform congregations, includingTemple Israel, are seated.

Ve-ahavta ("And You Shall Love")The Ve-ahavta is considered part of the Sh’ma, and its theme is doingmitzvot (commandments) and affinity with God. The text comes fromDeuteronomy 6: 5-9 and Numbers 15:40-41:

You shall love your Eternal God with al l your heart, with al lyour mind, with al l your being. Set these words, which Icommand you this day, upon your heart. Teach themfaithful ly to your chi ldren; speak of them in your home andon your way, when you l ie down and when you r ise up. Bindthem as a sign upon your hand; let them be symbols beforeyour eyes; inscribe them on the doorposts of your house,and on your gates.

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Be mindful of al l My Mitzvot, and do them: so shall youconsecrate yourselves to your God. I am your Eternal Godwho led you out of Egypt to be your God; I am yourEternal God.

Ge-ulah ("Redemption")Ge-ulah completes the themes of creation, revelation and redemption:

All this we hold to be true and sure; You alone are our God;there is none else, and we are Israel Your people.

You are our Ruler: You del iver us from the hand ofoppressors, and save us from the f ist of tyrants,

You do wonders without number, marvels that pass our understanding.

You give us l i fe; by Your help we survive al l who seek our destruct ion.

You did wonders for us in the land of Egypt, Miracles and marvels in the land of Pharaoh,

You led Your people Israel out,forever to serve You in freedom.

When Your chi ldren witnessed Your power, they extol led You andgave You thanks; wil l ingly they enthroned You; and, ful l of joy,Moses, Mir iam, and al l Israel sang this song:

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Mi Chamocha ("Who Is Like You?")Mi Chamocha is the song Moses and Miriam and the Israelites sangafter crossing the sea and leaving Egyptian slavery. It is an expressionof joy at redemption, from one of the oldest parts of the Torah(Exodus 15).

Who is l ike You, Eternal One, among the gods that areworshipped?Who is l ike You, majestic in hol iness, awesome in splendor,doing wonders?In their escape from the sea, Your chi ldren saw Yoursovereign might displayed. "This is my God! they cried. "TheEternal wil l reign for ever and ever!" And i t has been said: The Eternal One del ivered Jacob, andredeemed us from the hand of one stronger than ourselves.We praise You, O God, Redeemer of Israel.

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Hash'kiveinu ("Cause Us to Lie Down")Winding down this section of the service, we recite a blessing fordivine providence. This prayer, read only in eveningservices, comes from the early idea of redemption from the dangersof sleep:

Grant that we may l ie down in peace, Eternal God, andraise us up, O Sovereign, to l i fe renewed. Spread over ustheshelter of Your peace; guide us with your good counsel;and for Your name's sake, be our Help.

Shield us from hatred and plague; keep us from war andfamine and anguish; subdue our incl ination to evi l . O God,our Guardian and Helper, our gracious and mercifulSovereign, give us refuge in the shadow of Your wings. Oguard our coming and our going, that now and always wehave l i fe and peace.

We praise You, O God, whose shelter of Peace is spreadover us, over al l Your people Israel, and over Jerusalem.

Veshsamru ("Then Israel Shall Keep")This song is from Exodus 31:16-17 and it celebrates Shabbat as asign of the covenant between the Jewish people and God. There areseveral different melodies to this prayer, which we sing in Hebrew:

The people of Israel shal l keep the Sabbath, observing theSabbath in every generation as a covenant for al l t ime. I tis a song forever between Me and the people of Israel. Forin six days the Eternal One made heaven and earth, buton the seventh day God rested and was refreshed.

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III. AMIDAH ("Standing")The Amidah is the main prayer portion of the service. When read onweekday services, this section includes a number of petitionaryprayers. On Shabbat, there are fewer of these, in recognition that evenGod rests on this day. The Amidah is traditionally recited standing, asone would petition a king. Most Reform congregations sit after thethird tefillah (prayer).

All rise.

Avot v'Imahot ("Fathers and Mothers")Avot means “fathers” or “ancestors.” As Reform Jews, we add“matriarchs” to that definition. The prayer ties us together with ourancestors and God. The Avot are the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac andJacob; the Imahot are Sarah, Rebecca, Leah and Rachel. Avotv’lmahot is called “God of all Generations” in Gates of Prayer, and itties together us, our ancestors and God.

We rise for this prayer.

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Praised be our God, the God of our fathers and ourmothers: God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob;God of Sarah, God of Rebekah, God of Leah and God ofRachel; great, mighty, and awesome God, God supreme.

Ruler of the l iv ing, Your ways are ways of love. Youremember the faithfulness of our ancestors, and in lovebring redemption to their chi ldren's chi ldren for the sake ofYour name.

You are our Sovereign and our Help, our Redeemer and ourShield. We praise You, Eternal One, Shei ld of Abraham,Protector of Sarah.

G'vurot (Power)G’vurot is prayer praising God’s might and in it, we reflect on God’swondrous acts:

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Eternal is Your might O God; al l l i fe is your gif t ; great isYour power to save!

With love You sustain the l iving; with great compassiongive l i fe to al l . You send help to the fal l ing and healing tothe sick; You bring freedom to the captive and keep faithwith those who sleep in the dust.

Who is l ike You, Mighty One, Author of l i fe and death,Source of salvat ion?

We praise You, O God, the Source of l i fe.

Kidushat Ha-Shem ("Sanctification of the Name")

This prayer is an invocation of God’s holiness:

You are holy, Your name is holy, and those who str ive to beholy declare Your glory day by day. We praise You, Eternal One, the holy God.

All are seated.

Kiddushat Ha-Yom ("Sanctification of the Day")

This is an invocation of the holiness of the day:

Our God, God of our fathers and our mothers, may our reston this day be pleasing in Your sight. Sancti fy us with YourMitzvot, and let Your Torah be our way of l i fe. Satisfy uswith Your goodness, gladden us with Your salvation, andpurify our hearts to serve You in truth. In Your graciouslove, Eternal God, let Your holy Sabbath remain ourheri tage, that al l Israel, hal lowing Your name, may f ind restand peace. We praise You, O God, for the Sabbath and itshol iness.

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At this point, we close this section of the service by asking God toreceive our prayers, thanking God for our blessings, and asking Godfor peace.

Avodah ("Worship")The Avodah asks God to receive our prayers, and assure us of God’spresence in our lives:

Be gracious, Eternal God, to Your people Israel, and receiveour prayers with love. O may our worship always beacceptable to You.

Fi l l us with the knowledge that You are near to al l who seekYou in truth. Let our eyes behold Your presence in ourmidst and in the midst of our people in Zion. We praise You,O God, whose presence give sl i fe to Zion and al l Israel.

Hoda'ah ("Thanksgiving")This prayer is an acknowledgment of God and a prayer of thanks.

We grateful ly acknowledge that You are our God and the God andof al l generations. You are the Rock of our l i fe, the Power thatshields us in every age.

We thank You and sing Your praises: for our l ives, which are inYour hand; for our souls, which are in Your keeping; for the signsof Your presence we encounter every day; and for You wondrousgifts at al l t imes, morning, noon, and night. You are Goodness:Your mercies never end; You are Compassion: Your love wil lnever fai l . You have always been our hope.

For al l these things, O Sovereign God, let Your name beforever exalted and blessed.

O God our Redeemer and Helper, let al l who l ive aff i rm You andpraise Your name in truth. Eternal God, whose nature isGoodness, we give You thanks and praise.

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Birkat Shalom ("Blessing for Peace")Here we ask God for peace in the song we know as the “Shalom Rav”in Hebrew:

O Sovereign Source of peace, let Israel Your people knowenduring peace, for i t is good in Your sight to bless Israeland al l peoples continually with Your peace. We praiseYou, O God, for You bless Israel with peace.

Mi ShebeirachAt this point, a rabbi reads a list of seriously ill congregants, followedby a prayer for healing.

Silent Prayer

This is an opportunity for individual and unique prayer in the contextof our coming together as a community. After the silence, we arebrought back together usually by singing the following:

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Bless those in need of heal ing with r ’- fu-a sh’- lei-mah therenewal of body the renewal of spir i t And let us say: Amein

May the source of strength Who blessed the ones before usHelp us f ind the courage to make our l ives a blessing Andlet us say: Amein

Oseh Shalom ("Who Causes Peace")

Sung in Hebrew:

May the One who causes peace to reign in the high heavenscause peace to reign among us, al l Israel, and al l thewor ld.

Kiddush ("The Sanctification of Shabbat")We celebrate the beauty of Shabbat with a blessing over wine, oursymbol of joy.

IV. TORAH SERVICE

This part of the service includes a public reading from the Torah. TheTorah is read through once in a year, portions divided week to weekto reflect this progression.

SermonAs in other worship settings, there is usually a sermon, and it comesat this point in the service, though on some occasions it is omitted. Itis traditional in a sermon to teach fromscripture, but there are exceptions to that as well.

At this point, anyone who is celebrating a simcha (joyous occasion),such as a wedding anniversary, is recognized by the clergy and anappropriate blessing is recited.

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V. CONCLUDING PRAYERS

Aleinu ("Adoration")With the Aleinu, we address both the past and future. We rise. Webow our heads for this prayer. Originally said only on Rosh Hashana,the Aleinu was added to daily service as an uplifting message offuture unity of humanity.

We begin in English:

Let us adore the ever-l iving God! We render praise unto Youwho spread out the heavens and the establ ished the earth,whose glory is revealed in the heavens above, and whosegreatness is manifest throughout the world. You are ourGod; there is none else.

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Kaddish Yatom ("Mourner's Kaddish")The Mourner’s Kaddish is recited in remembrance of those who havedied. The Kaddish does not mention death, but praises God. First, therabbi reads the names of people who have died within the past 30days (sheloshim) and who died one year ago (yarhtzeit).

All stand, to read the Mourner's Kaddish together:

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Closing SongFollowing the Kaddish comes an uplifting song, our lastcoming together as a community. Some Temple Israel favorites are“Shalom Alechem” and “Adon Olam”.

After the service, everyone is welcome to gather for the OnegShabbat, a time for taking pleasure in Shabbat, meeting and greetingone another and enjoying a little refreshment. The Oneg is usuallyheld downstairs. Please join us!

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Notes

Notes

Thank you to the 2003 OutreachCommittee members who contributed their time and

talents to this project:

Rabbi Jeffrey Wildstein

Susan Scofield, Chair

Gwendolyn Freed

Brian McMorr is

Jeff Rabkin

David Rosenfeld

Wendy Shapiro

Lisa St i tzel

Amanda Tranby

Compiled, written and edited by: Gwendolyn FreedRabbi Jeffrey Wildstein

Interior design: David RosenfeldCover design: Wowza, LLC