TITLE: Kiddush for Shabbat

PAGE: Siddur Sim Shalom, 318

ba-ROOH a-TA a-do-NY

e-lo-HAY-noo ME-leh ha-o-LAM

bo-RAY pi-REE ha-GA-fen.

ba-ROOH a-TA a-do-NY,

e-lo-HAY-noo ME-leh ha-o-LAM

a-SHER kee-di-SHA-noo

bi-meetz-vo-TAV,

vi-ra-TZA VA-noo,

vi-sha-BAT kod-SHO

bi-a-ha-VA oo-vi-ra-TZON

heen-hee-LA-noo,

zee-ka-RON

KEE HOO YOM ti-hee-LAH

li-meek-ra-AY KO-desh,

ZAY-her lee-tzee-AT meetz-RA-yeem.

KEE VA-noo va-HAR-ta

vi-o-TA-noo kee-DASH-ta

mee-KOL ha-a-MEEM,

vi-sha-BAT kod-shi-HA

bi-a-ha-VA oo-vi-ra-TZON

heen-hal-TA-noo.

ba-ROOH a-TA a-do-NY,

mi-ka-DAYSH ha-sha-BAT.

Kiddush [pronounced: kee-DOOSH] menas "sanctification" and every Shabbat and festival begins with a Kiddush. There are at least two blessings in every kiddush. The first is over wine, a very fine drink which reminds us that we are about to celebrate a special occasion. The second is always a blessing over the day. The Kiddush points to the two fundamental mythologies upon which Shabbat is based. The first is that integral to the creation of the universe was rest—a divine rest. The second is that God redeemed the Jewish people from Egypt and as such established as a fundamental value the value of freedom. In short, Shabbat is a day of both rest and freedom. The true test of a person is how he or she uses free time.