SHABBAT | KIDDUSH AT HOME

How to Make Shabbat Kiddush at Home

Cantor Cohn Sings Kiddush for Shabbat
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Kiddush Blessings
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Reflections on Kiddush
Every day (except Shabbat), Temple holds a minyan morning service in Lefkowitz Chapel. Celebrating Shabbat through the Kiddush ceremony at home can be an important part of creating a Jewish identity for ourselves and our families. Jewish tradition says that, after the destruction of the Temple and the exile of the Jews we were left with, in the words of Ezekiel, “a little sanctuary (“mikdash me’at”) in the countries where they come.” In the absence of the Temple in Jerusalem, the tables in our own homes would become the new altars for offerings to God. Instead of burnt offerings we would offer our prayers, partaking of the bounty and acknowledging God. When we bless wine and challah* on our Shabbat tables, we are forming the next link in the chain of Jewish experience.

The Friday evening Kiddush ritual literally sanctifies Shabbat. It consists of three sections: a passage from the creation story in Genesis; the bracha, or blessing, over wine; and a final passage detailing the significance of Shabbat. The ceremony goes like this: the family leader fills the cup with wine or grape juice, raises the cup and recites the blessings. After reciting the Kiddush, the family leader sips the wine or juice, and shares it with others who are present. Kiddush may be recited in any language.

The first section of Kiddush, taken from Genesis, testifies to God’s creation of the world, which concludes, “And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because on it God ceased from all the work of creation which had been done.” The second section of the Kiddush is the familiar blessing over wine: “Blessed are you Adonai, ruler of the universe, who created the fruit of the vine.”

The Kiddush ends with the mitzvah to remember the day of Shabbat and keep it holy as a commemoration of three specific events: “A memorial of the act of creation, first of the holy festivals, a remembrance of the exodus from Egypt.” The only physical objects necessary for the recitation of Kiddush are wine or grape juice and some sort of cup to hold the wine. In the spirit of “hiddur mitzvah,” or adorning the commandment, the custom of using a special, beautiful cup or goblet has become widespread. Many families have Kiddush cups that are treasured heirlooms, passed down from generation to generation. For Jews by choice, or others who may come to Jewish ritual practice later in life, it can be an incredibly fulfilling experience to pick out a Kiddush cup of one’s own, and take up the cycle of Jewish life.

-- By Peggy Kaufman