The Guide
How to Make Shabbat
Six practices at the heart of Shabbat. Each one an invitation. Tap any card to learn the why and how.
Hadlakat Neirot
The Sanctuary in Time
Light two candles and watch everything change.
Why
Eighteen minutes before sunset on Friday, Jewish women around the world perform one of Judaism's most universally observed acts. The two flames represent the Torah's dual command: "remember" (Zachor) and "observe" (Shamor). In that single moment, the week is over and something holy begins.
How
Look up your candle-lighting time at chabad.org/candlelighting (it's specific to your city). Light the candles, wave your hands over the flames three times, cover your eyes, and say: "Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha'olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu l'hadlik ner shel Shabbat Kodesh." Uncover your eyes. Say "Shabbat Shalom."
Oneg Shabbat
The Art of the Table
The best meal of your week, every week. The Torah commands it.
Why
The mitzvah of Oneg Shabbat (literally "Shabbat delight") requires us to actively enjoy the day. Better food, nicer clothes, unrushed conversation, singing around the table. For centuries, the Shabbat dinner has been the living room of Jewish identity, where traditions get passed down.
How
Start with Kiddush, a blessing over wine that declares the day holy, then wash hands and say HaMotzi over two whole challahs. Before the meal, sing "Shalom Aleichem" (welcoming the Shabbat angels). Share one thought on the week's Torah portion. The full Kiddush text and weekly parsha are always free at Chabad.org.
Shmirat Shabbat
The Digital Freedom Act
Step away from the screen. Jewish law has been telling us to do this for 3,300 years.
Why
Shabbat observance prohibits melacha (creative, transformative labor), including, by rabbinic extension, electricity and electronics. This isn't a digital detox trend. It's a mitzvah: one day a week, we stop building and making and simply rest in what already exists.
How
Start simply: put your phone in a drawer from Friday dinner through Saturday night. No texting, no scrolling. When that's natural, explore the full 39 categories of melacha at Chabad.org. Use chabad.org/candlelighting to find the exact time Shabbat ends (nightfall, about 42–50 min after sunset) in your city.
Menucha
The Rest Revolution
One full day with nothing to produce. The most countercultural act available.
Why
The Torah's Shabbat rest isn't burnout recovery. It's theology. By ceasing creative labor, we acknowledge that we aren't the ultimate owners and makers of this world. The Hebrew word menucha doesn't just mean rest. It means peace, completeness, a sense that nothing is missing. Shabbat is the only day that actually feels that way.
How
Beyond not working, embrace real rest: read something you love, take a long walk, have a slow lunch, take a nap. Many people find Shabbat afternoon, after the meal and a rest, to be the most peaceful hours of their week. No to-do list. No errands. Nothing on the agenda. Just Shabbat.
Tefillah b'Tzibbur
The Community Call
Your people are gathering in a shul near you. You're invited.
Why
Shabbat's prayer services (Kabbalat Shabbat on Friday night, Shacharit and Musaf on Saturday morning) are some of the most beautiful in Jewish liturgy. But they're designed for community, not solitude. Praying with a minyan (ten people) is the halachic ideal, and the warmth of a Shabbat shul is something you can't replicate at home.
How
Find a local Orthodox or Chabad synagogue. Most welcome anyone without invitation. Friday night is around candle-lighting time; Saturday morning starts around 9 AM. Pick up an Artscroll or Koren siddur, both of which have full English and transliteration. Just show up. You will be welcomed.
Talmud Torah
The Wisdom Window
One afternoon a week. The same text. A different conversation every year.
Why
The Zohar calls Shabbat the day the soul is most open to nourishment. Torah study on Shabbat afternoon is one of the deepest ways to experience the day: unhurried, undistracted, present. The weekly Torah portion (parsha) cycles through the entire Torah every year, giving every Shabbat afternoon its own topic and its own conversation.
How
Before Shabbat, look up the week's parsha at Chabad.org or OU.org. Both have accessible summaries and Rashi's commentary. If you want to go deeper, TorahAnytime.com has thousands of free shiurim (lectures) on every parsha. On Shabbat afternoon, set aside 20 minutes. Read it and discuss it with whoever's around.
Tap any card to flip it over.