Sabbath

Historically

The Sabbath (or Shabbat) is a time of rest beginning Friday night at sundown until the following night with a service. In the Jewish faith, it is a reminder of the world's creation in 6 days and rest on the seventh.

It begins with prayer over bread wine and lit candles and marks a time of prayer and reflection. According to Jewish law, no one may work, shop, handle money, cook or clean so on Friday during the 1905 time period, Jewish families would spend the day shopping cooking and cleaning to prepare for the Sabbath's start. Usually Sabbath dinner is more elaborate than the rest of the week and food must be cooked prior to beginning at sundown.

Although work is not defined anywhere, Rabbis have interpreted work to mean many different activities required to maintain. Modern Orthodox Jews extend the Sabbath restrictions to using electricity and driving cars.

In Fiddler on the Roof

In the musical, one of the earliest scenes shows Tevye's family preparing for the Sabbath. As the women cook and clean the home, Tevye goes to deliver his orders as the town dairyman. Many of the townspeople also come to his home to pick up their orders as they will not be able to shop or handle money once the Sabbath begins.

Once the families surround the table, they say prayers over candles and bread before they begin their Sabbath meal.