Sabbath blessings images

As adults hold a tallit (prayer shawl) above them.Jewish families traditionally bless their children shortly after arriving home from their Friday night prayers at the synagogue.How this Sabbath Blessing is given varies from home to home. For instance, sometimes the mother will say the blessing over the daughters and the father over the sons; in other homes, just the father says the blessings over each child.Some parents lay both hands on the child’s head while others lay one hand on the head and one on the shoulder.In Fiddler on the Roof, Tevye and Golde sing their own Sabbath Prayer of blessings over their children and friends of their children just before sitting down to eat Sabbath dinner. (YouTube capture)Though the traditional words we speak over boys and girls seem fairly similar, the meaning behind each one is especially insightful for Messianic Believers.Moreover, each blessing is intended to be tailored for each child. Therefore, after reciting the traditional blessings, a word of encouragement, praise, or favor is spoken over each child individually.Let’s now explore each part of this special Sabbath Blessing.Ruth, the Dutiful Daughter-in-Law, by William BlakeThe Sabbath Blessing for GirlsYe’simcha Elohim ke-Sarah, Rivka, Rachel ve-Leah.May God make you like Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah.In the Western mindset, it might seem odd to ask God to make a girl like these early matriarchs of our faith.But in this blessing, we are not only asking that our girls become good role models in the midst of difficult home lives, envy, jealousy, and

“They shall put My name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.” (Numbers 6:27)God’s heart is for each of us is to live blessed lives.But with so many temptations in our daily lives from ungodly teachers, religions, and media, how can we nurture this blessing for ourselves and for the children in our spiritual reach, whether they are our own children, relatives, students, or neighborhood kids?The Bible gives us many opportunities to impart blessings, and we will look at one here: the Sabbath Blessing.God blessed one day during the week as holy. That set-apart day gives us a unique opportunity to impart blessings of His protection, wisdom, and encouragement over others, especially the children in our care.“God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all His work that He had done in creation.” (Genesis 2:3)What is the connection between God blessing the Sabbath and us blessing another person?“On the seventh day God finished His work that He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work that He had done.” (Genesis 2:2)The divine privilege to bless another person comes from each of us being created in the image and likeness of God. “Within our DNA is an inbuilt desire to receive spiritual blessing—it is the way God has made us. God’s first action after creating man (male and female) was to bless them. The spiritual power released in the blessing provided a foundation for them to

Of Creation, rested on the seventh day and instituted the Sabbath for all people as a memorial of Creation. The fourth commandment of God's unchangeable law requires the observance of this seventh-day Sabbath as the day of rest, worship, and ministry in harmony with the teaching and practice of Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a day of delightful communion with God and one another. It is a symbol of our redemption in Christ, a sign of our sanctification, a token of our allegiance, and a foretaste of our eternal future in God's kingdom. The Sabbath is God's perpetual sign of His eternal covenant between Him and His people. Joyful observance of this holy time from evening to evening, sunset to sunset, is a celebration of God's creative and redemptive acts. (Gen. 2:1-3; Ex. 20:8-11; Luke 4:16; Isa. 56:5, 6; 58:13, 14; Matt. 12:1-12; Ex. 31:13-17; Eze. 20:12, 20; Deut. 5:12-15; Heb. 4:1-11; Lev. 23:32; Mark 1:32.)21. StewardshipWe are God's stewards, entrusted by Him with time and opportunities, abilities and possessions, and the blessings of the earth and its resources. We are responsible to Him for their proper use. We acknowledge God's ownership by faithful service to Him and our fellow men, and by returning tithes and giving offerings for the proclamation of His gospel and the support and growth of His church. Stewardship is a privilege given to us by God for nurture in love and the victory over selfishness and covetousness. The steward rejoices in the blessings that come to others as a result of his faithfulness. (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:15; 1 Chron. 29:14; Haggai 1:3-11; Mal. 3:8-12; 1 Cor. 9:9-14; Matt. 23:23; 2 Cor. 8:1-15; Rom. 15:26, 27.)22. Christian BehaviorWe are called to be a godly people who think, feel, and act in harmony with the principles of heaven. For the Spirit to recreate in us the character of our Lord we involve ourselves only in those things which will produce Christlike purity, health, and joy in our lives. This means that our amusement and entertainment should meet the highest standards of Christian taste and beauty. While recognizing cultural differences, our dress is to be simple, modest, and neat, befitting those whose true beauty does not consist of outward adornment but in the imperishable ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit. It also means that because our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit, we are to care for them intelligently. Along with adequate exercise and rest, we are to adopt the most healthful diet possible and abstain from the unclean foods identified in the Scriptures. Since alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and the irresponsible use of drugs and narcotics are harmful to our bodies, we