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Friday Night Kiddush

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Friday Night Kiddush -

Sanctifying the Sabbath

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...call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable...

- Isaiah 58:13

KIDDUSH MEANS "sanctification" and is the blessing said over wine or grape juice on Shabbat or festivals. Normally Kiddush is recited while holding a cup of wine, usually by the father of the household. The blessing begins with Genesis 1:31-2:3 and ends with thanks to God for the gift of the holy Sabbath:

Translation:

[And the evening and the morning were] the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

[vaihi-erev, vaihi-voker] yom hashishi,
vaikhulu hashamayim ve-ha'aretz ve-khol tzeva'am:
vaikhal Elohim bayom hashevi'i melakhto asher 'asah
vaiyishbot baiyom hashevi'i mikol melakhto asher 'asah:
vaiyvarekh Elohim et-yom hashevi'i vaikadesh oto ki
vo shavat mikol melakhto asher bara Elohim la'asot.

The second part of the Kiddish is the actual Hebrew blessing:

Translation:

By your leave distinguised gentlemen, masters, and teachers:

Blessed art Thou, Adonai our God, King of the univese, Who creates the fruit of the vine.  [Respond: Amen.]

Blessed art Thou, Adonai our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and was pleased with us, and His holy Sabbath in love and in favor, He gave us a heritage, a memorial of the work of creation. For it is the day beginning for holy convocations, a memorial of the exodus from Egypt. For You chose us and sanctified us from all the nations. And Your holy Sabbath with love and favor you gave us a heritage. Blessed are You, Adonai, Who sanctifies the Sabbath. [Respond: Amen.]

After this blessing is recited, it is customary to give each person present some wine from the Kiddush cup.

Savri maranan ve-rabanan ve-rabotai:
Barukh attah Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha-olam, borei pe'ri ha-gafen.
Barukh attah Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha-olam, asher kiddeshanu
be-mitzvotai ve-ratza vanu, ve-shabbat kodsho be'ahavah uv'ratzon hinchilanu,
zikaron le'ma'aseh ve'reishit. Ki hu yom techillah lemikra'ei kodesh,
zekher litzi'at mitzrayim. Ki vanu vacharta, ve'otanu kiddashta,
mikol ha-'amim.  Ve-shabat kodeshekha be-ahavah uv'ratzon hinchaltanu.
Barukh attah Adonai me-kadesh ha-Shabbat.  Amen.

Quick Friday Night Kiddush Guide

To make it easier to perform Friday Night Kiddush, I created a "Quick Kiddish Sheet" that you can print to help you remember the Hebrew blessings for erev Shabbat celebrations:

Transliterated:

Genesis 1:31b - 2:3:

Transliterated:

The Hebrew Blessing Proper:

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