Kiddush transliteration and translation2/13/2024 ![]() This is why some prayer books translate shamor not as guard, but as “observe.” Some biblical translations also use this translation when translating the fifth of the Ten Commandments as written in the fifth chapter of Deuteronomy. ![]() Without Jews observing the Sabbath, the Sabbath would cease to exist. But how do we guard Shabbat, a day of the week? What can this mean? How do we guard a day of rest? To guard something is to protect it, usually an item or a place from someone or something. In V’shamru, we are the guardians of the Sabbath. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He ceased from work and was refreshed. The Israelite people shall keep the sabbath, observing the sabbath throughout the ages as a covenant for all time: it shall be a sign for all time between Me and the people of Israel. Taken from Exodus 31:16-17, the prayer reads as follows: This prayer is recited during Friday night services, at the onset of Shabbat, and is repeated the following morning as part of the blessing over Sabbath wine. In the prayer V’shamru, we recite the biblical command to guard the Sabbath. It comes from the Hebrew root shin-mem-resh - שמר - and usually has a meaning associated with “guard” or “protect.” In modern Hebrew, a shomer is a guard you might find at a border crossing or at the airport.īut in the Jewish prayer book, shomer refers to a different type of guardian. One place where this observation proves true is the biblical word shamor. The word shema, for example, is commonly translated as “hear,” but it can also mean “respond,” “learn,” “obey,” even “repeat.” The precise meaning can sometimes be derived from the context, but quite often many meanings are possible, and the one we choose can reflect the context and goal we seek. My Jewish Learning is a not-for-profit and relies on your help DonateĬertain Hebrew words contain many layers of meaning.
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