“The people of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath in every generation as
a covenant for all time. It is a sign forever between Me and the people of Israel, for in six
days the Eternal God made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day God rested from all
God’s labors.”
Exodus 31:16-17
Shabbat is the Jewish Sabbath‐‐though the English word actually came from Shabbat. It's a day of
rest and enjoyment at the end of every week that religious people undertake in imitation of God, who
rested on the seventh day of creation. Traditional Jews refrain from all work on Shabbat, reserving it
instead for prayer, study, visiting friends and family, large meals, pleasant walks and naps. It's
pronounced Shah‐baht, though some spell it Shabbos and pronounce it shah‐biss.
Shabbat lasts from just before sundown on Friday until an hour after sundown on Saturday evening.
The greetings for Shabbat are "Shabbat Shalom," or in Yiddish, "Gut Shabbos." (It sounds like "good
Shabbos" and that's what it means.)
From the InterfaithFamily.com Guide to Shabbat for Interfaith Families
