Transforming Shabbat Dinners: A Dream of Unforgettable Experiences

Friday evening. Soon the sun will set over the earth, and silver stars will begin to twinkle beneath the blackened skies. The streets will fill with fathers and sons, glowing in fine and bright garments, hastening to the synagogue to welcome the Shabbat queen.

Inside the home – peace and calm. The living room glows with precious light, the table is set with wine, challah, and various delicacies, and at its center – two flickering and radiant candles. Soon the head of the family will arrive, accompanied by two angels; then the family will join together, lifting their voices in the melody of "Shalom Aleichem," followed by songs from "Bar Yohai" to "Ki Eshmera Shabbat."

"This is My Goal"

The book "Sweetness of Shabbat Songs" is a special initiative by Akiva Ben-David. Ben-David has a long history of public outreach through the Hidabroot channel: he has managed the 'Community Shabbatot' department, the 'Zofiyah' initiative, and other major projects within the organization. He also hosts a weekly live broadcast, and for many years, he presented the main news edition of 'Zofiyah'. Among all the projects he managed, and still manages, the new book that has just been published is, in his eyes, an integral part of his public service. "This is my love for the Shabbat songs," he shares in an interview with Hidabroot. "These are hymns all written by great kabbalists and revered leaders, holy individuals. They contain profound depths, and my dream was to make accessible the ideas they conceal and to initiate a transformation of the Shabbat table experience."

Ben-David's initial step in the project of releasing the book "Sweetness of Shabbat Songs" was to present the collection of ideas he accumulated over the years to the neighborhood synagogue's congregants during the Friday night sermon. The community was captivated and appreciative, motivating Ben-David to raise the bar with a short radio segment every Friday – where the concept gained momentum and significant admiration. He then progressed to producing a series of brief videos on the Shabbat hymns and the secrets behind them. In these videos, he presented each hymn separately, offering a unique interpretation and deep, particularly sweet perspective.

In no time, Ben-David's videos became viral online, receiving tens of thousands of views and shares. This was the moment he decided to take a further step forward. He approached "Zuf Publishing," managed by Rabbi Natan Feldman, and provided them with a file full of innovations and ideas. "Zuf Publishing did an amazing job," he praises. "The editing, layout, design, and printing – everything came out at a very high level."

"The book 'Sweetness of Shabbat Songs' contains dozens of hymns, and it is structured in a way that next to each hymn, a short biography of its author is presented, along with one or two ideas about the hymn itself. This is a complex process that took me a long time to bring to fruition. For over a year, I collected and gathered materials from ancient books that I found and accumulated over the years, and there are quite a few ideas that were told to me by listeners who were exposed to the radio broadcasts and excited about the initiative."

Have you received any feedback from readers?

"Endlessly. The most touching feedback is from readers who stop me on the street and tell me that the book changed their Shabbat table. That the book makes their Shabbat table more experiential, more interesting. And that's my goal. What excites me is the fact that the Shabbat table of the Jewish people is becoming sweeter."

"An Experience Hard to Leave Behind"

Ben-David attributes his connection to Shabbat hymns to his grandfather, Rabbi Eliezer Ben-David, of blessed memory. "Shabbat dinner with Grandpa was such a powerful experience that it's indescribable in words," he recalls from his childhood. "His modest home was lit with radiant light, Shabbat candles burning in the center of the living room, and Grandpa would sit at the head of the table with all of us surrounding him. He would start a hymn, and we would all be swept away with him. We would dive into songs and hymns into the night."

Rabbi Eliezer Ben-David was one of the greatest leaders in bringing people back to faith in the last generation. His guidance was characterized by drawing those distant with love and warmth, and this is how he led even at the Shabbat table. "When students asked him how they could get their children to sit with them around the table, Grandpa would tell them that you should never force kids to sit, as this will have the opposite effect," Ben-David recounts.

The solution Rabbi Ben-David offered for the Shabbat table was creatively profound. "He explained to the students that the depth behind handing out nuts to children on Passover is that when a child is focused on something – their ability to absorb information increases. When you give your child a nut and they are focused on playing with it or cracking it, that's the best time to fulfill the commandment of 'And you shall tell your son.' When the child is focused, their mind is open to absorb and understand. The same applies to the Shabbat table: don’t convince the children by force to sit around the table, but rather let them play where they want, and during that time, as they play and are focused on their game – sing Shabbat songs. This will be absorbed by them much more than if you force them to sit with you at the table."

What is your final message?

"If we take a moment to try and understand the depth hidden in the Shabbat hymns, our Shabbat table will look entirely different. The book 'Sweetness of Shabbat Songs' will take the whole family on an uplifting and sweet experience, one that's hard to part with."

To purchase the book "Sweetness of Shabbat Songs" click here