Last Updated on November 2, 2021
Shabbat blessings for Friday night.
Lighting the Shabbat candles, blessing the wine and the blessing for bread.
As sunset approaches on Friday evening, it is traditional for the lady of the house to recite the blessing on at least two Shabbat candles. It is customry to cover one’s head in respect and also cover one’s eyes with your hands while reciting the blessing.
Once the Shabbat meal has begun and the blessing on the wine has been said, it is customary to bless the Shabbat bread (challah – חלה). This blessing is known as HaMotzi.
The blessing for the Shabbat candles: Hebrew, English & Transliteration
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אַדֹנָ-י אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל שַׁבָּת קֹדֶשׁ
English Translation: Blessed are you, L‑rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to kindle the light of the Holy Shabbat.
Transliteration: Baruch a-ta A-do-nay Elo-hei-nu me-lech ha-o-lam a-sher ki-di-sha-nu bi-mitz-vo-tav vi-tzi-va-noo li-had-leek ner shel Sha-bat ko-desh.
- Shabbat candle lighting times
- Blessings on Festival Candles
- Blessings for Rosh Hashanah, candles, wine, bread, apples & honey and other Rosh Hashanah symbols & simanim
- Blessings for Yom Kippur
- Sukkot blessings
- Blessings for Simchat Torah
The blessing on the wine – kiddush – for Friday night Shabbat
Part I
וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר יוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי
וַיְכֻלּוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ וְכָל צְבָאָם
וַיְכַל אֱלֹהִים בַּיוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעי מְלַאכְתּוֹ אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה
וַיִשְׁבֹּת בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעי מִכָּל מְלַאכְתּוֹ אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה
וַיְבָרֶךְ אֱלֹהִים אֶת יוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעי וַיְקַדֵּשׁ אֹתוֹ
כִּי בוֹ שָׁבַת מִכָּל מְלַאכְתּוֹ אֲשֶׁר בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים לַעֲשׂוֹת
Va-yi-hee Erev Va-yi-hee Voker.
(Aloud:) Yom Ha-shee-shee.
Va-yi-chu-lu Ha-sha-ma-yim Vi-ha-ah-retz Vi-chawl Tsi-vah-um.
Va-yi-chal Eh-lo-him Ba-yom Ha-shi-vee-ee Mi-lach-to Ah-sher Ah-sah
Va-yish-bos Ba-yom Ha-shi-vee-ee Mee-kawl Mi-lach-to Ah-sher Ah-sah.
Va-yi-va-rech Eh-lo-him Es Yom Ha-shi-vee-ee, Va-yi-ka-deish O-so
Kee Vo Shah-vas Mee-kawl Mi-lach-to Ah-sher Ba-ra Eh-lo-him La-a-sos.
It was evening and it was morning. The sixth day. The heavens and the earth and all their hosts were completed. God finished by the Seventh Day His work which He had done, and He rested on the Seventh Day from all His work which He had done. God blessed the Seventh Day and made it holy, because on it He ceased from all His creative work, which God had created to fulfill its purpose.
Part II
סַבְרִי מָרָנָן וְרַבָּנָן וְרַבּוֹתַי
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם
בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן
Sav-ree Muh-ruh-nun Vi-ra-buh-nun Vi-ra-bo-sai!
Ba-ruch Ah-tah Ah-do-noy Eh-lo-hei-nu Me-lech Ha-o-lam
Bo-rei Pi-ree Ha-ga-fen.
Attention, gentlemen, rabbis, and my teachers!
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine. (Amen)
Part III
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם
אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְרַָצָה בָנוּ
וְשַׁבָּת קָדְשׁוֹ בְּאַהֲבָה וּבְרָצוֹן הִנְחִילָנוּ
זִכָּרוֹן לְמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית
כִּי הוּא יוֹם תְּחִלָּה לְמִקְרָאֵי קֹדֶשׁ
זֵכֶר לִיצִיאַת מִצְרָיִם
כִּי בָנוּ בָחַרְתָּ וְאוֹתָנוּ קְדַּשְׁתָּ מִכָּל הָעַמִּים
וְשַׁבָּת קָדְשְׁךָ בְּאַהֲבָה וּבְרָצוֹן הִנְחַלְתָּנוּ
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’ מְקַדֵּשׁ הַשַׁבָּת
Ba-ruch Ah-tah Ah-do-noy Eh-lo-hei-nu Me-lech Ha-o-lam
Ah-sher Kee-di-sha-nu Bi-mits-vo-sav Vi-ra-tsa Va-nu
Vi-shha-bas Kawd-sho Bi-ah-ha-va U-vi-ra-tson Hin-chee-la-nu
Zee-ka-rohn Li-ma-ah-say Vi-ray-shees.
Kee Hoo Yom Ti-chee-la Li-mik-rah-ay Ko-desh
Zay-cher Lee-tsee-ahs Mits-rah-yim.
Kee Va-nu Va-char-tah Vi-o-sah-nu Kee-dash-tah Mee-kawl Ha-ah-mim
Vi-shah-bas Kawd-shi-cha Bi-ah-ha-vah U-vi-rah-tson Hin-chal-ta-nu.
Ba-ruch Ah-tah Ah-do-noy Mi-kah-deish Ha-shah-bas.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who made us holy with His commandments, has desired us, and has given us, in love and goodwill, His holy Shabbos as a heritage, as a reminder of the Creation. It [Shabbos] is the first day of the holy festivals, commemorating the Exodus from Egypt. For You [God] have chosen us and sanctified us from among all the nations, and with love and goodwill given us Your holy Shabbos as a heritage. Blessed are You Lord, who makes the Shabbos holy. (Amen)
The blessing for bread – HaMotzi
On Shabbat we eat Challah (South African Jews call it Kitke – but that’s another story), a sweet, braided loaf. The blessing over the bread is called Hamotzi. These are the words for Hamotzi – a blessing that gives thanks over the bread.
ברוך אתה יי, אלוהנו מלך העולם, המוציא לחם מן הארץ
English Transliteration: Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam, Hamotzi lechem min haaretz.
Translation: Our praise to You, Eternal our God, Sovereign of the universe, Who brings forth bread from the earth
Other Shabbat blessings include: the blessing on ones children, the blessing for wine (kiddush), the blessing for washing hands (netilat yadayim).
Sabbath songs include: Shalom Aleichem, Eshet Hayil and Grace after the meal (Birkat HaMazon)
Shabbat shalom to you and yours!
