Three Jewish Prayers – An Introduction
Perhaps the most well-known Jewish prayer is the “Shema”. This prayer is recited twice per day (morning and evening). The prayer is translated as “Hear Israel”, and refers to the entire verse “Hear O Israel, the Lord Thy God, the Lord is One.”
Jesus himself quotes this verse in the New Testamenet scriptures. He is asked, in the Gospel of Mark, what is the greatest commandment. He replies with the “Shema” – “Hear O Israel, the Lord Thy God, the Lord is One.”
Jewish events are almost always marked by several “brachot” or “blessings”. Since kindling of fire is forbidden on the Sabbath, the week is ended with candle-lighting, and then again the Sabbath is concluded with candle-lighting. The lighting of the fire indicates a separate between the holy and the common (or the secular and the profane).
Officially, the candle-lighting blessing should occur 18 minutes before sunset on Friday. The Torah forbids “kindling a fire” on the Sabbath, so the day is marked by lighting a candle immediately before it begins, and ends with lighting a candle at the Havdalah service (see below).
The Sabbath is often greeted by the singing of an ancient prayer called “Lecha Dodi”. The title of the song literally means “Come My Beloved”. In this ancient Kabbalistic song, the sabbath is referred to as “a bride”.
Havdalah is a brief ceremony that marks the end of the Sabbath. It comes from the word “l’havdil” which means to distinguish or separate. Three blessing are recited as part of this service: 1) The blessing over the wine, 2) the blessing of the spices, and 3) the blessings over the fire (a special multi-wicked Havdalah candle it lit).
The word “Havdalah” itself come from the root word “L’HAVDIL” which means to separate or distinguish. The brief ceremony includes three “brachot” (blessings) over wine, spices, and fire. A special Havdalah candle is used that has several wicks; it is usually extinguished in the wine cup, or some wine that is poured into the saucer.
The brief Havdalah ceremony typically concludes with the song “Eliyahu HaNavi” (Elijah the Prophet). The song goes as follows: “Elijah the Prophet, Elijah the Tishbite, Elijah, Elijah, Elijah the Gileadite, Speedily and in our days, Come to us, With the messiah, son of David, With the messiah, son of David.