בְּרָכוֹת שַׁבָּת
The complete guide to Shabbat blessings - from candle lighting to Kiddush to Havdalah. Transform your Shabbat experience with these sacred words.
Light candles 18 minutes before sunset on Friday
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם
אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ
לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל שַׁבָּת
Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech HaOlam
Asher Kidshanu B'mitzvotav V'tzivanu
L'hadlik Ner Shel Shabbat
"Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to kindle the Shabbat light."
Place at least two candles in candlesticks. Many have the custom to light one candle for each family member.
Light the candles before sunset (typically 18 minutes before). Once lit, Shabbat has begun.
After lighting, cover your eyes with your hands before saying the blessing.
With eyes covered, recite the blessing. Many women add personal prayers at this auspicious time.
Remove your hands and gaze at the candles. Wish your family "Shabbat Shalom!"
Sanctification over wine before the Shabbat meal
Opening verses (said quietly):
וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר יוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי:
וַיְכֻלּוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ וְכָל צְבָאָם: וַיְכַל אֱלֹהִים בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי מְלַאכְתּוֹ אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וַיִּשְׁבֹּת בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי מִכָּל מְלַאכְתּוֹ אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה: וַיְבָרֶךְ אֱלֹהִים אֶת יוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי וַיְקַדֵּשׁ אֹתוֹ כִּי בוֹ שָׁבַת מִכָּל מְלַאכְתּוֹ אֲשֶׁר בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים לַעֲשׂוֹת:
Blessing over wine:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן:
Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech HaOlam Borei P'ri HaGafen
"Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine."
The Sanctification:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְרָצָה בָנוּ וְשַׁבַּת קָדְשׁוֹ בְּאַהֲבָה וּבְרָצוֹן הִנְחִילָנוּ זִכָּרוֹן לְמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית: כִּי הוּא יוֹם תְּחִלָּה לְמִקְרָאֵי קֹדֶשׁ זֵכֶר לִיצִיאַת מִצְרָיִם: כִּי בָנוּ בָחַרְתָּ וְאוֹתָנוּ קִדַּשְׁתָּ מִכָּל הָעַמִּים וְשַׁבַּת קָדְשְׁךָ בְּאַהֲבָה וּבְרָצוֹן הִנְחַלְתָּנוּ: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי מְקַדֵּשׁ הַשַּׁבָּת:
"Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who sanctified us with His commandments, and was pleased with us. In love and favor He gave us His holy Shabbat as a heritage, a remembrance of the work of Creation. It is first among the holy days, a reminder of the Exodus from Egypt. For You chose us and sanctified us above all nations, and in love and favor gave us Your holy Shabbat as a heritage. Blessed are You, Lord, who sanctifies the Shabbat."
Said over two challah loaves at each Shabbat meal
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַמּוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ:
Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech HaOlam HaMotzi Lechem Min HaAretz
"Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who brings forth bread from the earth."
Why two challot? We use two loaves to commemorate the double portion of manna that fell in the desert on Fridays, so the Israelites would not need to gather on Shabbat (Exodus 16:22 | Parashat Beshalach).
The blessing said after eating bread at Shabbat meals
Birkat Hamazon (בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן), also called "benching" or "bentching," is the grace recited after any meal that includes bread. On Shabbat, special additions are made to commemorate the holy day.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, הַזָּן אֶת הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ בְּטוּבוֹ בְּחֵן בְּחֶסֶד וּבְרַחֲמִים, הוּא נוֹתֵן לֶחֶם לְכָל בָּשָׂר כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ... בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, הַזָּן אֶת הַכֹּל.
Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha'olam, hazan et ha'olam kulo b'tuvo b'chen b'chesed uv'rachamim...
"Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who nourishes the entire world with goodness, grace, kindness, and mercy... Blessed are You, Lord, who nourishes all."
נוֹדֶה לְּךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ עַל שֶׁהִנְחַלְתָּ לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ אֶרֶץ חֶמְדָּה טוֹבָה וּרְחָבָה... בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, עַל הָאָרֶץ וְעַל הַמָּזוֹן.
Nodeh l'cha Adonai Eloheinu al she'hinchalta la'avoteinu eretz chemdah tovah ur'chavah...
"We thank You, Lord our God, for having given our ancestors a desirable, good, and spacious land... Blessed are You, Lord, for the land and for the food."
רַחֵם נָא יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל עַמֶּךָ וְעַל יְרוּשָׁלַיִם עִירֶךָ וְעַל צִיּוֹן מִשְׁכַּן כְּבוֹדֶךָ... בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, בּוֹנֵה בְרַחֲמָיו יְרוּשָׁלָיִם. אָמֵן.
Rachem na Adonai Eloheinu al Yisrael amecha v'al Yerushalayim irecha v'al Tzion mishkan k'vodecha...
"Have mercy, Lord our God, on Israel Your people, on Jerusalem Your city, and on Zion the dwelling place of Your glory... Blessed are You, Lord, who in His mercy rebuilds Jerusalem. Amen."
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, הָאֵל אָבִינוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ אַדִּירֵנוּ בּוֹרְאֵנוּ גֹּאֲלֵנוּ יוֹצְרֵנוּ קְדוֹשֵׁנוּ קְדוֹשׁ יַעֲקֹב... הַמֶּלֶךְ הַטּוֹב וְהַמֵּטִיב לַכֹּל.
Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha'olam, ha'El Avinu Malkeinu Adireinu Bor'einu...
"Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, God, our Father, our King, our Mighty One, our Creator, our Redeemer... the King who is good and does good for all."
Special Shabbat addition (Retzei):
רְצֵה וְהַחֲלִיצֵנוּ אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ בְּמִצְוֹתֶיךָ וּבְמִצְוַת יוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי הַשַּׁבָּת הַגָּדוֹל וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ הַזֶּה...
"Be pleased, Lord our God, and strengthen us through Your commandments, and through the commandment of the seventh day, this great and holy Shabbat..."
Source: The obligation to bless after eating comes from the Torah: "And you shall eat and be satisfied, and bless the Lord your God" (Deuteronomy 8:10 | Parashat Eikev).
Separation ceremony after nightfall on Saturday
A full cup of wine or grape juice
Fragrant spices (besamim)
A braided havdalah candle
Opening verses:
הִנֵּה אֵל יְשׁוּעָתִי אֶבְטַח וְלֹא אֶפְחָד כִּי עָזִּי וְזִמְרָת יָהּ אֲדֹנָי וַיְהִי לִי לִישׁוּעָה: וּשְׁאַבְתֶּם מַיִם בְּשָׂשׂוֹן מִמַּעַיְנֵי הַיְשׁוּעָה: לַאדֹנָי הַיְשׁוּעָה עַל עַמְּךָ בִרְכָתֶךָ סֶּלָה: אֲדֹנָי צְבָאוֹת עִמָּנוּ מִשְׂגָּב לָנוּ אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב סֶלָה: אֲדֹנָי צְבָאוֹת אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם בֹּטֵחַ בָּךְ: אֲדֹנָי הוֹשִׁיעָה הַמֶּלֶךְ יַעֲנֵנוּ בְיוֹם קָרְאֵנוּ: לַיְּהוּדִים הָיְתָה אוֹרָה וְשִׂמְחָה וְשָׂשׂוֹן וִיקָר כֵּן תִּהְיֶה לָּנוּ: כּוֹס יְשׁוּעוֹת אֶשָּׂא וּבְשֵׁם אֲדֹנָי אֶקְרָא:
1. Blessing over wine:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן:
Borei P'ri HaGafen
2. Blessing over spices (smell the spices):
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם בּוֹרֵא מִינֵי בְשָׂמִים:
Borei Minei V'samim
"...who creates species of spices."
3. Blessing over fire (look at fingernails by candlelight):
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם בּוֹרֵא מְאוֹרֵי הָאֵשׁ:
Borei M'orei HaEish
"...who creates the lights of the fire."
4. The Havdalah blessing:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַמַּבְדִּיל בֵּין קֹדֶשׁ לְחוֹל בֵּין אוֹר לְחשֶׁךְ בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לָעַמִּים בֵּין יוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי לְשֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי הַמַּבְדִּיל בֵּין קֹדֶשׁ לְחוֹל:
"Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who distinguishes between the sacred and the secular, between light and darkness, between Israel and the nations, between the seventh day and the six days of work. Blessed are You, Lord, who distinguishes between the sacred and the secular."
After Havdalah: Drink from the wine, extinguish the candle in the remaining wine, and wish everyone "Shavua Tov" (שָׁבוּעַ טוֹב) - A good week!
Each blessing transforms ordinary moments into sacred ones. The Shabbat candles bring Shalom Bayit (peace in the home), Kiddush sanctifies time itself, and Havdalah teaches us to carry holiness into the new week.
"One who is careful with the Shabbat candles will have children who are Torah scholars" - Talmud (Shabbat 23b)