Erev Shabbat

[Ainsley]

It is my understanding that an observant Jewish family should light the candles shortly before sunset, say Kiddush, and have a meal that evening. But then there are the evening services to attend, and it seems that the Orthodox requirement is to have an early evening service rather than a late one. So how can people do what they need to do at home and still have time to attend the service? Do they have to choose between one or the other, or is there some way to do both?

 

[simchat_torah]

Typically, the erev shabbat services for an Orthodox community start anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour before sunset (varies upon the synagouge and the sect). The family gathers for a meal before heading out to shul, at which time they light the candles, say the blessings, etc.

Shalom,
Yafet.

 

[SonWorshipper]

Living close by also helps, we are working on doing such right now.

Many times though the men attend the services on Erev Shabbat and the woman stay at home (they can go to the morning services) to prepare the meal and light the candles themselves or with their daughter(s), then the family eats together when the Father/sons gets home.

We perform a service at home because of the distance now and travel on Saturday morning an hour to services.

Just in case you need to find the candlelighting time in your area here is a site that i use, you can get pretty acurate as it goes by zip code.

http://www.chabad.org/

 

[simchat_torah]

In a true orthdox community, you live close enough to shul to walk.