Kabbalat Shabbat is a group of psalms and prayers we recite at the beginning of Friday night services. Shabbat is a time of joy, and the six Psalms that make up the bulk of the Kabbalat Shabbat are celebratory, corresponding to the six days of creation; but it is Lecha Dodi that many feel is the true centerpiece of this portion of the Shabbat evening service.
Tisch - The Tisch occurs before the Jewish Wedding Ceremony takes place and involves the Bride/Groom spending time with friends and family. The word ‘Tisch’ literally means ‘table’, and the common theme of every Tisch is there’s a table in the middle, laden with food and drinks for the guests to enjoy before the ceremony. Come ready to have a drink (a l'chaim is what Jews call shots) or two and give well wishes to the couple. Bedeken - This is the ceremony where the groom veils the bride. The term comes from the Yiddush word ‘to cover’. It’s often the most emotional moment of a Jewish wedding, where the bride and groom see each other for the first time before the main ceremony begins under the chuppah. This is the Jewish equivalent of a first look. Chuppah - This is the Hebrew name of the canopy under which Jewish couples get married. It’s also colloquially used as another word for ‘ceremony’. It symbolizes the home that the couple will build together in their married life and is open on all sides like the biblical tent of Abraham and Sarah, signifying that everyone is welcome and everyone will be treated hospitably. Ketubah - Ketubah means “written” and refers to the Jewish marriage contract. An ancient document, the ketubah represented an advancement in women’s status by protecting the rights of the bride. In its original form, the ketubah specified such things as the dowry and the groom’s responsibility to support his wife. Kippah - The Hebrew word for yarmulke is a brimless Jewish skullcap, usually made of cloth and traditionally worn by Jewish men to fulfill the customary requirement that the head be covered. We will have these available to be worn during Kabbalat Shabbat and the wedding ceremony. Remember to take yours home from the ceremony to memorialize the event! Breaking the glass - This commemorates the falling of Jerusalem and destruction of the temple. When the groom breaks the glass the crowd immediately says "Mazal Tov!"