Power Up!

Can you guess which one is the lie?

- You deserve beautiful things!

- Your words create your reality!

- You're either confident or not!

We chat with Rivky Itzkowitz from Impact Fashion about body confidence for our kids... and  ourselves!

Accepted custom is the woman accepts shabbos at the time of lighting - when she says the bracha. Others may continue to do work until just before sundown. 

When a man lights, his Shabbos has not yet commenced, it's either a few mins before sunset or when shul he's in does last part of lecha dodi.

3 reasons for candle lighting:

honor, enjoyment, peace in the home.

How?

Usually one makes a blessing prior to doing the mitzvah. When a female lights Shabbos candles she can't make the blessing first, as then Shabbos would begin before she could light the candles! So, she first lights them and then makes the blessing.

If a man is lighting he first makes the blessing as for a man Shabbos doesn't come in with candle lighting but with sunset/last bit of lecha dodi.

What?

Candles or olive oil. Olive oil is preferable.

Electric lights - are acceptable when no other alternative but shouldn't make a blessing on them. e.g. hospital.

When? 

Custom - 18-20 minutes before sundown. No later than 2 minutes b4 sunset. As early as "plag hamincha" which is 1 and quarter halachik hours before sunset.

How many?

Shamor and Zachor - the 2 aspects of Shabbat. 

Basic requirement - 1 candle. Some have custom of adding on for each child.

If didn't light:

If negligent, doesn't apply to emergencies, has to light an extra candle forever!

What if I'm running late? the mitzvah is not to light.

When does "early shabbos" begin? 

If 1 shul in town then it is binding on the whole community but if more than one shul it does not apply. When it is for convenience it is independent for each member of the household, i.e. if the husband accepts it early it doesn't impose on the wife.

Please see the beautiful blessing one can say at candle lighting time.

Also not myzmanim.org has an app that you can see any Friday the earliest time for lighting called plag hamincha and the latest, which is just before sundown.

I chat with Sari Kopitnikoff of That Jewish Moment about Prayer! Can you guess the lie? 

⭐️ There’s room for creativity and imagination within formal prayer 

⭐️ Knowing yourself can help you know God 

⭐️ Change what you pray every day to keep it fresh

Usually it's OK to start a melacha - a forbiden work before Shabbos even if the process will be activated during Shabbos, e.g. lighting a candle before Shabbos even though it will burn on Shabbos or setting a trap before Shabbos that will catch an animal on Shabbos.

The exception to this is where the work is noisy, eg leaving on a clothes dryer, TV etc.

One also has to be mindful of benefiting from a fellow Jew's work even when it's not Shabbos for you, eg one shouldn't listen to a radio show from Israel when they are into Shabbos even though you are still some time until Shabbos.

* Timers are OK, e.g. for lights, for a hot plate to go on on Shabbos morning etc.

* It is fine to mail a letter first class on Friday even though you knew it will be delivered on Shabbos day. There are a number of reasons for this, one being that at best you are asking someone who is asking someone else, rather than a direct request to a gentile to do work for you.

* One other exception is leaving on a pot of cholent before shabbos. It's fine to do this, but due to concerns of adjusting a flame we are supposed to cover the flame.

We bring in Shabbos before sunset on Friday. There is a custom to bring it in 18 mins before sunset if possible.

The earliest time one can bring in Shabbos is an hour and a quarter of halachic hours before sunset. If one lit candles before this one would need to light again, beware in summer months when this can be late. For timings of times where you live, check myzmanim.org

 Avoiding Distress, "Weekday Activities" and "Creative Changes"

Not allowed to cause anyone anguish or emotional distress on Shabbos, e.g. can't share bad news. We don't comfort mourners under most circumstances. We don't fast on Shabbos. Don't even say tehillim for someone unless person is dangerously ill.

Shouldn't play chess with someone if person will become depressed if he loses.

In order to distinguish shabbos from other days,   we are to avoid "weekday activities" - "uvdin dechol".

These are activities that closely resemble the type of thing we would do on a weekday, these activities are ones that would involve a "melacha" - 1 of forbidden types of work.

Some examples:

1) Using a grater. Food can be chopped on shabbos but we shouldn't use a grater as it's an item which is usually associated with a melacha.

2) Hair brush. You can use a brush that you know won't pull out hairs but should designate a special shabbos brush even if your weekday one doesn't pull out hairs.

3) Using a computer example for zoom that's already switched on and you won't switch off after. Note a computer and zoom has other issues involved even when not being touched but would also full under this banner.

**

On Shabbos we make the point of ceasing from creative acts. The Rabbis also added certain creative acts themselves.

We can't create a new entity or bring about a dramatic creative change in a substance.

Examples:

1) Crushing ice to water, as that change in substance is similar to a new entity.

2) Can't melt congealed fats to transform into a liquid.

3) Can't infuse a scent into a garment.

4) Not to strike a match on yom tov when it's permissable to make a fire.

Shabbos Treasures Week 6 - Preparing for after Shabbos needs.

Q) Pesach falls on a Saturday night, is it OK to have the kids sleep Shabbos afternoon so they will be up fresh and bright for Seder?

Our Sages forbade any type of effort or preparation during shabbos or yom tov for after in order to preserve the restful character.

Just like we shouldn't move many heavy tables and chairs unless for a mitzvah like shabbos meal so too here.

It is not a problem to prepare when:

1)  it's not self evident why you are doing this. 

2) it's done routinely, aka out of habit and it's a small deal to do this, as it's not "strenuous".

We were asked what's the cut off on this?

I think the answer is when it's done routinely and effortlessly by people our of habit and when we don't even have a conscious thought about it and it's simple i.e. it's not strenuous work, it's not deemed preparation.

3) a significant loss when involving a "minor" labor activity.

4) if useful to Shabbos e.g. it may give you pleasure now if its clean etc.

Let's now look at a number of examples:

1) Washing dishes - not ok.

So how to deal with on shabbos? You could leave in sink and as people wash their hands naturally over the day they get rinsed.

2) Wiping a table top clean: not ok, unless you will enjoy the clean table now.

3) Arranging dirty dishes in dishwasher; not ok, but if mess of dirty plates bothers you, you could put it in. 

4) Making beds; not ok, unless them being messy bothers you. 

5) Arranging dozens of books in shul; not ok.

6) Bringing wine for Havdalla from fridge before shabbos is out, not ok.

7) Returning a book to bookshelf; fine as out of habit not preparation.

8) Taking a coat for a walk on shabbos when not raining right now; ok as it's "common place" activity.

9) Taking out a key in a city with eruv; ok, same as 8.

10) Putting leftover challah in freezer; ok as preventing a loss.

11) Tidying up a room; ok if mess bothers you.

12) Leftovers in fridge; ok but don't say your doing it for tomorrow.

Sleeping on Shabbat afternoon to be fresh after Shabbat, ok as long as don't express why your sleeping. 

Any questions, email [email protected]

The question we are looking at in this episode is: There is a sale I want to go to right after shabbat? Can I walk there on Shabbat so I can be there right as Shabbat ends?

The prophet's words are a form of "rest" to protect spirit of Shabbos.

As its the prophet's speaking it carries weight.

In Yeshaya it says "you shall honour the Shabbos in your goings by refraining from pursuing your weekday occupations and from speaking of them".

Basically referring to 3 elements:

1) Walking

2) Weekday occupations

3) Speech