Shabbat is, above all, a time for the family. In some families, Friday night is the one night of the week that all members of the family have a dinner together. There are many customs and rituals that happen at the Shabbat table that are family oriented.
One of these is the blessing of the children by the parents. The blessing is said either after lighting the Shabbat candles, or just before Kiddush. Both customs are common. Parents, either mother or father, put their hands over the children's heads for the blessing.
The boys are blessed:
The girls are blessed:
The Blessings strengthens the link between parents and children.
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