The Friday Night Amidah
אַתָּה קִדַּֽשְׁתָּ אֶת־יוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי לִשְׁמֶֽךָ תַּכְלִית מַעֲשֵׂה שָׁמַֽיִם וָאָֽרֶץ וּבֵרַכְתּוֹ מִכָּל־הַיָּמִים וְקִדַּשְׁתּוֹ מִכָּל־הַזְּמַנִּים וְכֵן כָּתוּב בְּתוֹרָתֶֽךָ:
בראשית ב:א-ג
וַיְכֻלּ֛וּ הַשָּׁמַ֥יִם וְהָאָ֖רֶץ וְכָל־צְבָאָֽם: וַיְכַ֤ל אֱלֹהִים֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י מְלַאכְתּ֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה וַיִּשְׁבֹּת֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י מִכָּל־מְלַאכְתּ֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָֽׂה: וַיְבָ֤רֶךְ אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־י֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י וַיְקַדֵּ֖שׁ אֹת֑וֹ כִּ֣י ב֤וֹ שָׁבַת֙ מִכָּל־מְלַאכְתּ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁר־בָּרָ֥א אֱלֹהִ֖ים ׀ לַֽעֲשֽׂוֹת:
You sanctified the seventh day for Your name's sake, as the culmination of the creation of heaven and earth. Of all days, You blessed it; of all seasons You sanctified it--and so it is written in Your Torah:
Genesis 2:1-3
Then the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their array. With the seventh day, God completed the word He had done. He ceased on the seventh day from all the work He had done. God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because on it He ceased from all His work He had created to do.
Questions:
1. What is/are the theme(s) of this blessing?
2. What dimension of Shabbat does this paragraph emphasize?
The following paragraph is the concluding paragraph of the blessing. This paragraph also serves as the concluding blessing for the other three services as well, with one difference.
On Friday night, the text says "וינוחו בה ישראל." During Shacharit and Musaf, we say "בו" instead of "בה." During Minchah, it becomes "בם." One explanation for this difference is that, especially according to the Jewish mystics, Shabbat has a feminine character on Friday night and a masculine character during the day.
אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ וֵֽאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ רְצֵה בִמְנוּחָתֵֽנוּ: קַדְּשֵֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתֶיךָ וְתֵן חֶלְקֵֽנוּ בְּתוֹרָתֶֽךָ שַׂבְּעֵֽנוּ מִטּוּבֶֽךָ וְשַׂמְּחֵֽנוּ בִּישׁוּעָתֶֽךָ וְטַהֵר לִבֵּֽנוּ לְעָבְדְּךָ בֶּאֱמֶת: וְהַנְחִילֵֽנוּ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ בְּאַהֲבָה וּבְרָצוֹן שַׁבַּת קָדְשֶֽׁךָוְיָנֽוּחוּ בָהּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מְקַדְּשֵׁי שְׁמֶֽךָ: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ מְקַדֵּשׁ הַשַּׁבָּת:
Our God and God of our ancestors, may You find favor in our rest. Make us holy through Your commandments and grant us our share in Your Torah. Satisfy us with Your goodness, grant us joy in Your salvation, and purify our hearts to serve You in truth. In love and favor, O LORD our God, grant us our heritage Your holy Shabbat, so that Israel, who sanctify Your name, may find rest on it. Blessed are You LORD, who sanctifies the Sabbath.
Question:
In the above paragraph, what do we ask of God regarding Shabbat?
The Shabbat Morning Amidah
יִשְׂמַח מֹשֶׁה בְּמַתְּנַת חֶלְקוֹ כִּי עֶבֶד נֶאֶמָן קָרָֽאתָ לּוֹ: כְּלִיל תִּפְאֶרֶת בְּרֹאשׁוֹ נָתַֽתָּ בְּעָמְדוֹ לְפָנֶֽיךָ עַל־הַר סִינַי וּשְׁנֵי לֻחֹת אֲבָנִים הוֹרִיד בְּיָדוֹ וְכָתוּב בָּהֶם שְׁמִירַת שַׁבָּת וְכֵן כָּתוּב בְּתוֹרָתֶֽךָ:
שמות לא:טז
וְשָֽׁמְר֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶת־הַשַּׁבָּ֑ת לַֽעֲשׂ֧וֹת אֶת־הַשַּׁבָּ֛ת לְדֹֽרֹתָ֖ם בְּרִ֥ית עוֹלָֽם: בֵּינִ֗י וּבֵין֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל א֥וֹת הִ֖וא לְעֹלָ֑ם כִּי־שֵׁ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֗ים עָשָׂ֤ה יְיָ֙ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם וְאֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ וּבַיּוֹם֙ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י שָׁבַ֖ת וַיִּנָּפַֽשׁ:
וְלֹא נְתַתּוֹ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ לְגוֹיֵי הָאֲרָצוֹת וְלֹא הִנְחַלְתּוֹ מַלְכֵּֽנוּ לְעוֹבְדֵי פְסִילִים וְגַם בִּמְנוּחָתוֹ לֹא יִשְׁכְּנוּ עֲרֵלִים: כִּי לְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַמְּךָ נְתַתּוֹ בְּאַהֲבָה לְזֶרַע יַעֲקֹב אֲשֶׁר בָּם בָּחַרְתָּ: עַם מְקַדְּשֵׁי שְׁבִיעִי כֻּלָּם יִשְׂבְּעוּ וְיִתְעַנְּגוּ מִטּוּבֶךָ וּבַשְּׁבִיעִי רָצִֽיתָ בּוֹ וְקִדַּשְׁתּוֹ חֶמְדַּת יָמִים אֹתוֹ קָרָֽאתָ זֵֽכֶר לְמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית:
Moses rejoiced at the gift of his portion when You called him "faithful servant." A crown of glory You placed on his head when he stood before You on Mount Sinai. He brought down in his hands two tablets of stone on which was engraved the observance of the Sabbath. So it is written in your Torah:
Exodus 31:16-17
The children of Israel must keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath in every generation as an everlasting covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel for ever, for in six days God made the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day He ceased work and refreshed Himself.
You, O LORD our God, did not give it to the other nations of the world, nor did You, our King, give it as a heritage to those who worship idols. In its rest the uncircumcised do not dwell, for You gave it in love to Israel Your people, to the descendants of Jacob whom You chose. May the people who sanctify the seventh day all find satisfaction and delight in Your goodness, for You favored the seventh day and made it holy, calling it the most cherished of days, a remembrance of the act of creation.
Questions:
1. What are some of the themes of this blessing?
2. What dimensions of Shabbat does this blessing emphasize?
The Musaf Amidah
תִּכַּנְתָּ שַׁבָּת רָצִֽיתָ קָרְבְּנוֹתֶֽיהָ צִוִּֽיתָ
פּרוּשֶֽׁיהָ עִם סִדּוּרֵי נְסָכֶֽיהָ מְעַנְּגֶֽיהָ לְעוֹלָם כָּבוֹד יִנְחָֽלוּ טוֹעֲמֶֽיהָ חַיִּים זָכוּ וְגַם
הָאוֹהֲבִים דְּבָרֶֽיהָ גְּדֻלָּה בָּחָֽרוּ אָזמִסִּינַי נִצְטַוּוּ עָלֶֽיהָ וַתְּצַוֵּֽנוּ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ לְהַקְרִיב בָּהּ קָרְבַּן מוּסַף שַׁבָּת כָּרָאוּי:
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶֽיךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ וֵֽאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ שֶׁתַּעֲלֵֽנוּ בְשִׂמְחָה לְאַרְצֵֽנוּ וְתִטָּעֵֽנוּ בִּגְבוּלֵֽנוּ וְשָׁם נַעֲשֶׂה לְפָנֶֽיךָ אֶת־קָרְבְּנוֹת חוֹבוֹתֵֽינוּ תְּמִידִים כְּסִדְרָם וּמוּסָפִים כְּהִלְכָתָם:
וְאֶת־מוּסַף יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת הַזֶּה נַעֲשֶׂה וְנַקְרִיב לְפָנֶֽיךָ בְּאַהֲבָה כְּמִצְוַת רְצוֹנֶֽךָ כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַֽבְתָּ עָלֵֽינוּ בְּתוֹרָתְךָ עַל־יְדֵי מֹשֶׁה עַבְדְּךָ מִפִּי כְבוֹדֶֽךָ כָּאָמוּר:
במדבר כח: ט-י
וּבְיוֹם֙ הַשַּׁבָּ֔ת שְׁנֵֽי־כְבָשִׂ֥ים בְּנֵֽי־שָׁנָ֖ה תְּמִימִ֑ם וּשְׁנֵ֣י עֶשְׂרֹנִ֗ים סֹ֧לֶת מִנְחָ֛ה בְּלוּלָ֥ה בַשֶּׁ֖מֶן וְנִסְכּֽוֹ: עֹלַ֥ת שַׁבַּ֖ת בְּשַׁבַּתּ֑וֹ עַל־עֹלַ֥ת הַתָּמִ֖יד וְנִסְכָּֽהּ:
יִשְׂמְחוּ בְּמַלְכוּתֶֽךָ שֹׁמְרֵי שַׁבָּת וְקֽוֹרְאֵי עֹֽנֶג עַם מְקַדְּשֵׁי שְׁבִיעִי כֻּלָּם יִשְׂבְּעוּ וְיִתְעַנְּגוּ מִטּוּבֶֽךָ וּבַשְּׁבִיעִי רָצִֽיתָ בּוֹ וְקִדַּשְׁתּוֹ חֶמְדַּת יָמִים אוֹתוֹ קָרָֽאתָ זֵֽכֶר לְמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית:
You instituted the Sabbath, You favored its offerings. You commanded its specific laws along with the order of its libations. Those who delight in it inherit eternal glory, whose who relish it merit life, and those who love its teachings have chosen greatness. Even before Sinai they were commanded about it. Then You, Lord our God, commanded us to offer on it the additional offering of the Sabbath in the proper way.
May it be Your will, LORD our God and God of our ancestors, to lead us back in joy to our land and to plant us within our borders. There we will prepare for You our obligatory offerings: the regular daily offerings in their order, and the additional offerings according to their laws.
And the additional offerings of this Sabbath day we will prepare and offer before You in love, in accord with Your will's commandment, as You wrote for us in Your Torah through Your servant Moses, by Your own word, as it is said:
Numbers 28:9-10
On the Sabbath day, make an offering of two lambs a year old, without blemish, together with two-tenths of an ephor of fine flour mixed with oil as a meal-offering, and its appropriate libation. This is the burnt-offering for every Sabbath, in addition to the regular daily burnt-offering and its libation.
Those who keep the Sabbath and call it a delight shall rejoice in Your kingship. The people who sanctify the seventh day shall all be satisfied and take delight in Your goodness, for You favored the seventh day and declared it holy. You called it "most desirable of days" in remembrance of Creation.
Questions:
1. In the blessing, what practice do we pray for God to return?
2. What are some of the themes of this blessing?
3. What dimension of Shabbat does this blessing emphasize?
The Minchah Amidah
אַתָּה אֶחָד וְשִׁמְךָ אֶחָד (דברי הימים א' יז:כא) וּמִי֙ כְּעַמְּךָ֣ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל גּ֥וֹי אֶחָ֖ד בָּאָ֑רֶץ תִּפְאֶֽרֶת גְּדֻלָּה וַעֲטֶֽרֶת יְשׁוּעָה מְנוּחָה וּקְדֻשָּׁה לְעַמְּךָ נָתַֽתָּ אַבְרָהָם יָגֵל יִצְחָק יְרַנֵּן יַעֲקֹב וּבָנָיו יָנֽוּחוּ בוֹ מְנוּחַת אַהֲבָה וּנְדָבָה מְנוּחַת אֱמֶת וֶאֱמוּנָה מְנוּחַת שָׁלוֹם וְשַׁלְוָה וְהַשְׁקֵט וָבֶֽטַח מְנוּחָה שְׁלֵמָה שֶׁאַתָּה רֽוֹצֶה בָּהּ יַכִּֽירוּ בָנֶֽיךָ וְיֵדְעוּ כִּי מֵאִתְּךָ הִיא מְנוּחָתָם וְעַל מְנוּחָתָם יַקְדִּֽישׁוּ אֶת־שְׁמֶֽךָ:
You are One, Your name is One; and who is like Your people Israel, a nation unique on earth? Splendor of greatness and a crown of salvation is a day of rest and holiness You have given Your people. Abraham will rejoice, Isaac will sing for joy, Jacob and his children will find rest in it--a rest of love and generosity, a rest of truth and faith, a rest of peace and tranquility, calm and trust; a complete rest in which You find favor. May Your children recognize and know that their rest comes from You, and that by their rest they sanctify Your name.
Questions:
1. What are some of the themes of this blessing?
2. What dimension of Shabbat does this blessing emphasize?