The Creator of the world who gave us Shabbat.What is special about meals on Shabbat and Festivals? It is the Hymns we sing during these meals that make them special. In the middle ages rabbis and poets composed the songs which we sing to this every day.
Today, Zemirot appear in the Siddur or they are written in a separate booklet containing Grace after Meals and these hymns/songs.
There are three central themes to these Zemirot:
The Creator of the world who gave us Shabbat.
The importance of Shabbat as a day of rest and learning Torah.
A longing for the land of Israel and the rebuilding of the Temple.
Here is one of the best known Shabbat Zemirot: "SHALOM ALEICHEM". It is usually sung upon returning home from synagogue. The words are traditional, but each one has many melodies from all the countries and cultures in which Jewish people have lived:
Shalom aleichem malachei hasharet
Malachei elyon
Mimelech malachei hamlachim
Hakadosh baruch hoo.
Return to Shabbat Customs and Traditions