Around The Table

Customs.

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Al HaNissim for Hannukah

Al HaNissim is a short paragraph added to the Amidah prayer and the Grace After Meals on Hannukah, thanking God

Abbreviated Grace After Meals: The Four Blessings

This post includes the Hebrew text of the abbreviated version of the Grace After Meals, along with a printable PDF

Mizrahi Grace After Meals (Hebrew Audio & Text)

This post presents the Hebrew text and an audio recording of the full weekday Grace After Meals, according to the custom

Ashkenazi Grace After Meals (Audio + Text)

This recording presents the complete Grace After Meals according to Ashkenazi custom, sung with the modern Israeli pronunciation of Hebrew in

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Informative Articles & Videos.

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Women and Zimmun

This two page article by Jennifer Breger summarizes the complicated subject of a women’s participation in a “Zimmun,” (literally, “invitation”)

JOFA: The Women’s Role in Kiddush, HaMotzi & Havdallah

The following excerpt from the article “Halachot of Kiddush, HaMotzi and Havdalah, printed by The Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance (JOFA),

Braided Challah: Integrating the Mundane & the Holy

This article explores the meaning behind the braiding of the Shabbat challah, suggesting that it symbolizes the weaving of our

Six Strand Braided Challah: The Unity of Shabbat

This article explores the meaning behind the custom of braiding of the Shabbat challah with six strands, suggesting that it

Shabbat Home Ritual: Challah

In this short post, Sarah Fishman describes the basics of the challah ceremony, as part of an article introducing the

“Benching” 101: The Origin, Stucture, Customs and History of the Grace After Meals

This comprehensive introductory article by Kate Palley provides a thorough explanation for people of all knowledge levels on the origin, structure, customs, and history

Friday Night & Beyond: Insights on Shalom Aleichem (Plus Text & Audio)

This thorough excerpt from “Friday Night and Beyond” by Lori Palatnik provides meaningful explanations as to why Shalom Aleichem is recited at the

Alone Time: Why We Usher the Shabbat Angels Out

In this article from Chabad.org, Rabbi Elly Krimsky explores why we bid farewell to the accompanying angels in Shalom Aleichem, focusing on

Introduction to the Blessing over the Bread

This short article offers a brief introduction to the blessing over the bread, including an explanation of the purpose of

Challah Kabbalah: How to Make Mystical Bread for Shabbat

This short video, created by the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute (JLI), transforms the mundane act of making bread into a holy and

The Mitzvah of Separating Challah

This introductory article by Rabbi Mendy Hecht explains the commandment of ‘Hafrashat Challah’ (‘separating challah’), complete with the English transliteration and

Reform: Explaining the HaMotzi Ritual

The following excerpt from “Shabbat Customs,” published by ReformJudaism.org, describes the various customs pertaining to the blessing over the bread on

Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan: The Connection Between the Exodus and Challah

This excerpt from “Sabbath: Day of Eternity” by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan describes the deep spiritual connection between the Exodus from Egypt

Rav Kook on HaMotzi: For All Times

This excerpt from “Gold from the Land of Israel” by Rabbi Chanan Morrison is a textual analysis of the word “HaMotzi” as

Rabbi Ovadia Yosef: Women’s Obligation in HaMotzi and Shabbat Meals

This article, written by Halacha Yomit (Daily Laws), describes the women’s obligation to participate in the blessing over the bread and

HaMotzi: The Primordial Past & The Messianic Future

This excerpt from “The Way Into Jewish Prayer (Jewish Lights)” by Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman explores how the words of the blessing over

Friday Night & Beyond: Insights on HaMotzi

This thorough excerpt from “Friday Night and Beyond” by Lori Palatnik includes spiritual explanations for many of the customs surrounding the HaMotzi ritual

Rabbi Yechial Eckstein: The Spiritual Significance of Challah

In this clear video, Rabbi Yechial Eckstein describes the spiritual meaning of challah and how it differs from regular bread. Rabbi Eckstein

Friday Night & Beyond: Insights on HaMotzi

This thorough excerpt from “Friday Night and Beyond” by Lori Palatnik includes spiritual explanations for many of the customs surrounding the HaMotzi ritual

Why We Cover the Bread During HaMotzi

This article from Chabad.org provides biblical, Talmudic and halachic reasons for the custom of covering the challah before and during the HaMotzi blessing. In

Why We ‘Scratch’ the Challah before Bircat HaMotzi

This article from Chabad.org discusses the halachic (legal) and Kabbalistic (mystical) explanations for ‘scratching’ the Challah before the blessing over the bread on

Why We Dip the Bread in Salt During the HaMotzi Ritual

This responsum from Chabad.org discusses the origins of dipping bread into salt before eating it as part of the HaMotzi ritual. Rabbi Yehuda

A Historical Approach to the Composition and Structure of the Grace After Meals

This thorough article by Rabbi Yizchak Etshalom outlines the structure of the Grace After Meals, explaining how the Biblical command to

Chabad Customs: The Background and Details of Shalom Aleichem

This short post presents the background and halachic details surrounding Shalom Aleichem, according to the Shulchan Aruch Harav – the

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Learn How.

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Let’s Learn T’fillah: The First Paragraph of Ashkenazi Birkat Hamazon

This short animated video from Rabbi David Paskin demonstrates how to sing the first paragraph of the Ashkenazi Grace After Meals

How to Recite the Reform Abbreviated Grace After Meals

In this instructional video, Rabbi Gary Pokras demonstrates how to recite the abbreviated version of the Grace After Meals for Shabbat

Traditional Ashkenazi Shalom Aleichem (Audio & Text)

This post includes the Hebrew, English, and transliterated lyrics to Shalom Aleichem, traditionally sung before Kiddush at the beginning of

The Shabbat Project: How to Sing Shalom Aleichem (Sephardic/Mizrahi)

This post includes a two-page step-by-step guide explaining how to recite Shalom Aleichem according to Sephardic (Mizrahi) tradition, including the

Printable Hand Washing & Hamotzi Guide

This simple one-page card from Aish.com provides the Hebrew, English and transliterated texts of the blessings for the ritual washing

How To: The Ritual Hand Washing and Blessing Over the Bread on Shabbat

This short instructional video, part of The Jewish Living Series of Perelman Jewish Day School, provides a detailed explanation of the ritual

The Shabbat Project: Sephardic Hand Washing & HaMotzi Guide

This two-page resource includes a detailed step-by-step guide explaining how to fulfill the ritual washing of the hands and the blessing

Laws and Customs Practiced in Preparation for the Grace After Meals

In this halachic discourse, Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir of the Orthodox Union, discusses the obligations and customs Jews practice before

Learn the HaMotzi Blessing with “Prayer-eoke”

This short, to the point video demonstrates the singing of the blessing over the bread on Shabbat clearly and slowly with Hebrew

Clear Recitation of Blessing Over the Bread with Subtitles

This short, to the point video clearly demonstrates how to recite the blessing over the bread according to most traditions. It not

HaMotzi: Origins, Laws and Customs

This detailed article by Chaviva Gordon-Bennett explains the meaning, origins, customs, and practical how-to’s of the blessing over the bread on Shabbat,

How to Separate Challah: Sephardic & Ashkenazi Customs

This excerpt from “The Secret of Challah” by Shira Wiener & Ayelet Yifrach provides clear and concise directions for both Ashkenazim and

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks: How To Make Hamotzi

This short video from Former Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks demonstrates how to perform the blessing over the bread on Shabbat according to Orthodox

Chabad: Origins, Laws and Customs of the Two Loaves

This thorough article, written by Rabbi Aryeh Citron of Chabad.org, discusses both the meaning behind the two loaves used for the blessing

Students Explain the HaMotzi Customs

This short, humorous video, created by students at Makor of Hebrew College, describes several customs pertaining to the HaMotzi ritual performed

Aish: How to Make HaMotzi

The following responsum, written by Rabbi Dovid Rosenfeld for Aish.com’s Ask The Rabbi, column, describes how to perform the blessing over the

Blessing the Challah: A 3-Step Guide

This short post outlines the basic order of blessing the challah, including the text of the blessing in Hebrew, English

6 Challah Recipes & The Mitzvah of Separating Challah

The following article from Aish.com provides six different challah recipes, including eggless, whole wheat, and the “always successful” recipe, reprinted

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Traditions.

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Let Us Bring Forth Food: Humanist Ha-Motzi

This blessing for breaking bread, inspired by HaMotzi, meaning “the one who brings forth,” was composed by Machar: The Washington Congregation

Traditional Ashkenazi Shalom Aleichem (Audio & Text)

This post includes the Hebrew, English, and transliterated lyrics to Shalom Aleichem, traditionally sung before Kiddush at the beginning of

Ribbon Kol Haolamim: A Prayer Based on Shalom Aleichem

This post includes the Hebrew and English translation for “Ribbon Kol Haolamim,” a prayer that is recited or sung after

Alternative HaMotzi: Humanistic & Theistic Version

In this alternative blessing over the bread, Lesley Reuter encourages readers to gratefully reflect on the source of their food,

Secular/ Humanist HaMotzi Texts

The following excerpts from a Secular/Humanist Shabbat Service emphasize our connection to the land and themes of social justice, in

Printable Hand Washing & Hamotzi Guide

This simple one-page card from Aish.com provides the Hebrew, English and transliterated texts of the blessings for the ritual washing

Motzi: A Chain of Work – Prayer Prior to HaMotzi

This poetic prayer, meant to be recited prior to the blessing over the challah, brings one’s intentions toward all of the

Words Of Prayer and Intention: A Sustainability Motzi

This poetic blessing over the bread brings one’s intentions toward all of the people, powers, and systems that allowed for the

The Shabbat Project: Sephardic Hand Washing & HaMotzi Guide

This two-page resource includes a detailed step-by-step guide explaining how to fulfill the ritual washing of the hands and the blessing

HaMotzi(ah) with Masculine and Feminine God-Language

This post presents the blessing over the bread both in its traditional format (i.e. with masculine God-language) and using feminine

JOFA: A Tchina for Putting Challah in the Oven

The following prayer is meant to be recited by women prior to putting the challah into the oven. It asks

How to Separate Challah: Sephardic & Ashkenazi Customs

This excerpt from “The Secret of Challah” by Shira Wiener & Ayelet Yifrach provides clear and concise directions for both Ashkenazim and

Modernizing Birkat HaMotzi: A Feminist Spiritual Approach

This excerpt from Marcia Falk’s “The Book of Blessings” discusses both the significance of Birkat HaMotzi (the blessing over the bread) as a

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Music.

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Al HaNissim for Hannukah

Al HaNissim is a short paragraph added to the Amidah prayer and the Grace After Meals on Hannukah, thanking God

Rabbi Shefa Gold Chants the Ben Ish Chai’s Shortened Birkat Hamazon

This post presents Rabbi Shefa Gold’s meditative Aramaic and English chant based on the Ben Ish Chai’s one-line version of the Grace After

Piamenta’s Rock Song Inspired by the Grace After Meals

This video presents Yosi Piamenta’s original rock song inspired by the Grace After Meals. Although most of this 8 minute long song is

Fortuna Performs “Bendigamos” Sephardic Grace After Meals Hymn

This video clip presents Brazilian singer, songwriter and actress, Fortuna, performing “Bendigamos Al Altísimo,” a Spanish hymn traditionally sung after meals by

Idan Yaniv & Kinderlach: Upbeat Shalom Aleichem for Unity in Israeli Society

This music video presents a joyous, upbeat version of Shalom Aleichem, performed by Idan Yaniv, a popular Israeli, Bukharian singer, and Kinderlach, an