7 Ideas for a Pleasant Shabbat Table

The special time at the Shabbat table can contribute to strengthening family bonds and serves as a source for enhancing spirituality and instilling values in children. How can you create an uplifting, relaxed, and joyful atmosphere? How can you make the Shabbat table the cherry on top of your week? Here are a few tips.

1. Shabbat table design. Invest in the appearance of your Shabbat table. A table set with a nice tablecloth and elegant dishes creates a respectable and unique atmosphere.

2. Delicious and special food. For the holy Shabbat, prepare unique and different delicacies from the weekday meals. From time to time, look for a new recipe to add variety to the Shabbat meals.

3. Compliments and appreciations. Look for every opportunity to shower one another with words of praise or thanks. The husband compliments his wife on the food she prepared, the wife compliments her husband on the story or Torah thought he shared, and parents compliment their children for helping prepare the food and setting the table. Each of us desires and delights in words of appreciation or a pleasant compliment. Use this time to uplift each other and endear the Shabbat table to the family.

4. Words of Torah and interesting stories. The head of the family should try to find time during the week to prepare a Torah thought related to the weekly Torah portion. It is advisable to think of a moral or current idea from the weekly portion that will interest the household.

Additionally, you can tell interesting stories related to the weekly portion or share points of interest through various books. It's wonderful to learn two halakhot from different halacha books with the family during each Shabbat meal.

5. Shabbat songs and sacred songs. What also characterizes the Shabbat table is the sacred songs that accompany it. You can purchase songbooks for Shabbat that contain the lyrics of these sacred songs.

6. Respectable and nice Shabbat clothes. The sages taught us: "After the actions follow the hearts." Therefore, to create an uplifting and respectful internal feeling, one should wear nice and respectable clothing that will influence our inner feeling and honor the Shabbat as well.

7. Involve the children. It is very important to give children and all household members the opportunity to express themselves and to have a say. Involving the children in the Shabbat table will instill in them a desire and interest in it. There is great value in providing children with the opportunity to express themselves, creating a sense of self-confidence and internal respect. Devote full attention and patience to the children's words, ask them various questions related to the topics discussed and show interest in their opinions. Another way to spark interest among the children and get them involved is by asking riddles related to the weekly Torah portion.

It is important to know that the commandments of honoring Shabbat and enjoying Shabbat were learned from the words of the prophets: "And call Shabbat a delight, holy to Hashem, honored... and honored it by not doing your ways" (Isaiah 58:13). Every effort and prior investment for the honor of Shabbat is essentially the fulfillment of these commandments.