**What Is Shabbat and Why Do Jews Keep It?**

Shabbat, or the Sabbath, is a cornerstone of Jewish life. Observed from Friday evening to Saturday night, it’s a weekly opportunity to pause, reconnect, and realign with spiritual purpose.

### Origins of Shabbat

The roots of Shabbat are found in the Torah. In Genesis, God creates the world in six days and rests on the seventh. This divine act becomes a model for Jewish observance. Later, the Ten Commandments include the directive to “remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.”

### Spiritual Purpose

Shabbat is not merely a day off. It’s a sanctuary in time — a 25-hour period where Jews refrain from work (melacha) and embrace rest, reflection, and joy. It’s a time to shift from doing to being.

### What Does It Involve?

Shabbat includes lighting candles, making Kiddush over wine, enjoying festive meals, praying in synagogue, singing traditional songs (zemirot), and avoiding creative labor like writing, using electronics, or driving.

### Why Keep It?

For many Jews, Shabbat is the soul of the week. It provides structure, peace, and spiritual depth. Families connect, communities gather, and individuals find space to breathe in a busy world.

### Getting Started

If you’re new, start by lighting candles and sharing a Shabbat meal. Turn off your phone for a few hours. Attend a Friday night service. You don’t need to do everything at once — small steps lead to big changes.

### Conclusion

Keeping Shabbat invites holiness into the mundane. It transforms time into something sacred. Whether you’re observant or just beginning, Shabbat can elevate your life with rhythm, rest, and meaning.

**How to Start Keeping Kosher: A Beginner’s Guide**

Keeping kosher means eating in accordance with Jewish dietary laws. It’s one of the most visible ways Jews connect to their tradition and bring mindfulness to daily living.

### What Does Kosher Mean?

Kosher (kashrut) comes from the Hebrew word “fit” or “proper.” Kosher laws come from the Torah and are further detailed in rabbinic texts. They determine what can be eaten, how food is prepared, and how it is consumed.

### Basic Rules

– **Permitted animals**: Only certain animals are kosher — cows, sheep, and chickens are allowed. Pork and shellfish are not.
– **No mixing meat and dairy**: These must be kept entirely separate, including utensils and cooking surfaces.
– **Kosher certification**: Many processed foods must have a reliable kosher symbol (hechsher).

### Getting Started

Begin by buying products with a kosher symbol. Next, separate meat and dairy meals. Eventually, consider kashering your kitchen. You can also eat vegetarian or vegan meals as a transition.

### Eating Out

Look for certified kosher restaurants. When visiting non-kosher places, stick with cold, packaged foods with a hechsher. When in doubt, ask someone knowledgeable.

### Why Keep Kosher?

Kosher eating is about discipline, spirituality, and identity. It transforms a routine activity into a daily act of holiness. Many Jews report that kashrut deepens their awareness and connection to God.

### Final Tips

Start small. Don’t get overwhelmed. Keep asking questions and learning. Kosher is not all or nothing — each step counts.

**How to Keep Shabbat: A Beginner’s Guide**

If you’re interested in keeping Shabbat but don’t know where to start, this guide is for you. Shabbat is one of the most beautiful gifts in Judaism — a day of rest, holiness, and reconnection.

### What Is Shabbat?

Shabbat begins at sundown Friday and ends after nightfall on Saturday. It commemorates both creation and the Exodus from Egypt, reminding us that time itself can be sacred.

### Key Practices

– **Lighting candles** before sunset
– **Kiddush and festive meals** on Friday night and Saturday
– **Avoiding melacha**, or “creative work,” which includes writing, using electronics, cooking, and driving
– **Prayer and Torah study**
– **Rest and quality time** with family and community

### First Steps

Start with one or two practices. Light candles and make Kiddush. Avoid checking your phone. Gradually build up — the goal is to enjoy Shabbat, not feel burdened.

### Why Keep It?

People who keep Shabbat often describe it as life-changing. It provides structure, peace, and a sense of purpose. It’s a weekly “reset button” in a noisy world.

### A Sample Beginner’s Schedule

– **Friday Afternoon**: Prepare food, clean, set the table
– **Friday Night**: Light candles, have dinner, sing songs
– **Saturday Morning**: Attend synagogue or read at home
– **Saturday Afternoon**: Nap, read, go for a walk, enjoy dessert
– **Saturday Night**: Havdalah to mark Shabbat’s end

### Final Thoughts

Shabbat is not about rules — it’s about meaning. Begin gently and grow into it. You’ll discover that 25 hours of sacred time can transform your entire week.

**What Is Tefillah (Prayer)?**

Tefillah — Jewish prayer — is how we connect to God, express gratitude, ask for help, and realign ourselves with purpose.

### The Three Daily Prayers

1. **Shacharit** – Morning prayer
2. **Mincha** – Afternoon prayer
3. **Maariv** – Evening prayer

These anchor the day and echo the practices of our ancestors.

### What’s Inside the Siddur?

The siddur (prayer book) includes blessings, Psalms, and core prayers like the Shema and Amidah. It contains structure but also space for personal intention (kavanah).

### Personal vs. Communal Prayer

While you can pray alone, many mitzvot — like Kaddish or Torah reading — require a minyan (quorum of 10). Communal tefillah builds community and collective spiritual energy.

### Facing Jerusalem

Jews pray facing Jerusalem — a symbolic reminder of the Temple and unity.

### Language of Prayer

Most prayers are in Hebrew, but many siddurim include translation. God hears all languages — it’s sincerity that matters most.

### Getting Started

– Set aside 5 minutes daily to say Modeh Ani or the Shema.
– Use a transliterated siddur.
– Try a local synagogue or online service.

### Why Pray?

Tefillah uplifts the soul, clarifies the mind, and centers the heart. It turns routine into relationship and invites holiness into the everyday.

**How to Put on Tefillin: Step-by-Step Guide**

Tefillin are small black leather boxes containing Torah verses, worn by Jewish men during weekday morning prayers. They symbolize the bond between Jews and God.

### What You Need

– Tefillin shel yad (arm)
– Tefillin shel rosh (head)
– Siddur (prayer book)
– Quiet space

### Step-by-Step Instructions

1. **Roll up sleeve** on weaker arm (left for right-handed).
2. **Say the blessing**: “Baruch Atah… l’haniach tefillin”
3. **Place the arm tefillin** on the bicep, box facing heart.
4. **Wrap strap** seven times around forearm.
5. **Place the head tefillin** above the hairline, centered.
6. **Say second blessing**: “Baruch Atah… al mitzvat tefillin”
7. **Wrap the strap** around the hand and fingers (according to custom).
8. **Recite Shema** and continue Shacharit.

### Spiritual Meaning

Tefillin represent the mind, heart, and actions devoted to God. They’re worn as a sign of love and responsibility.

### Who Wears Them?

All Jewish men over Bar Mitzvah — and in some communities, women as well — wear tefillin on weekdays.

### When Not to Wear

Tefillin are not worn on Shabbat or holidays.

### Tips for Beginners

– Practice with someone experienced.
– Don’t worry about perfection — intention counts most.
– Invest in a good pair and proper bag.

### Final Thoughts

Tefillin are a mitzvah that connects past, present, and future. With each wrap, we bind ourselves to a life of meaning and mitzvot.

**What Is the Mikvah?**

A mikvah is a ritual bath used for spiritual purification. Its waters symbolize renewal, transition, and holiness.

### Torah Source

The mikvah comes from biblical commandments about purity. It must contain “living water” — rainwater or spring — and meet specific dimensions.

### When It’s Used

– **For women**: After menstruation or childbirth, before resuming marital relations.
– **For men**: Some immerse before Shabbat, holidays, or daily.
– **For conversion**: Every convert immerses in a mikvah.
– **Before handling sacred items**: Like a Torah scroll.

### The Experience

A mikvah is a private, serene space. You prepare by bathing, then immerse completely — often reciting a blessing.

### Symbolism

Immersion represents death and rebirth — shedding impurity and emerging renewed. It’s compared to the womb, rain, or the Red Sea crossing.

### Modern Mikvahs

Many mikvaot today are clean, discreet, and beautifully maintained. Some offer guidance for first-timers and even spa-like environments.

### First-Time Tips

– Schedule an appointment.
– Ask questions — attendants are trained and discreet.
– Don’t be nervous — it’s a peaceful, transformative moment.

### Final Reflection

The mikvah invites you to pause, reflect, and reconnect. It transforms a physical act into a spiritual encounter.