Fiddler on the roof Sabbath Prayer
Music - Jerrold Lewis "Jerry" Bock(1928-201o), Lyrics - Sheldon Harnick(1924)

The Sabbath was a cornerstone of Temple service and of popular observance in ancient Israel. Shabbat is supposed to be the weekly day of rest and abstention from work .This was required of the Israelites. The sabbath table is adorned with at least two candles (representing the dual commandments to remember and observe the sabbath), a glass of wine, and two loaves of challah should be available(representing the dual portion of manna that God provided for the Israelites in preparation for habbat in the desert). The challah loaves are usually whole, and it is customary that it is covered with a bread cover, towel or napkin. Candles should be lit no later than 18 minutes before the sun goes down. At least two candles should be lit, which represents the dual commandments to remember and to keep the sabbath. The candles are usually lit by the woman of the house. After lighting them , she waves her hands over the candles, welcoming in the sabbath. Then she proceeds to cover her eyes, so as not to see the candles before reciting the blessing. She then recites the blessing ). Her hands are then removed from her eyes, and she looks at the candles, completing the mitzvah of lighting the candles.Blessing over Candles (see lyrics ) Fiddler on the Roof is a musical based on Tevye and his Daughters (or Tevyethe Milkman and Other tales by Sholem Aleichem.)
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