HOLY SMELLS (BESAMIM)
What does the word besamim translate to?
“fragrances” or “spices”
This blessing is recited before eating challah at a Shabbat meal.
hamotzi
This ritual is typically performed on Friday before sunset to mark the beginning of Shabbat.
Lighting Shabbat candles
Being “good with people” is not something you’re born with, its a
set of skills
These are defined as 39 categories of creative labor prohibited on Shabbat, based on activities used to build the Tabernacle
the 39 melachot
What sense is engaged by besamim during Havdalah?
Smell
Challah is made from these 4 basic ingredients, which must be combined and kneaded before baking.
flour, water, yeast, and salt
In Jewish thought, the flame of a Shabbat candle is often compared to this part of a person, symbolizing spiritual striving, awareness, and inner life.
soul (neshama)
the most popular people have the longest list of...
people they like
The rabbis derived the 39 melachot from this structure described in Exodus, linking its construction to Shabbat restrictions.
the Tabernacle (Mishkan)
According to the Talmud, this “extra soul” is present on Shabbat and departs at its end.
neshama yetera?
This mitzvah involves separating a small portion of dough as a symbolic offering before baking challah.
hafrashat challah
Shabbat candles are traditionally associated with this concept, which refers to peace within the home.
shalom bayit
This behavior involves fully focusing on someone while they speak, without interrupting, and later being able to retell their story.
Active listening
This melacha, part of food preparation, involves transforming raw ingredients into a finished product through heat.
baking/ cooking
Besamim are used at the end of Shabbat to provide this emotional or spiritual effect as the extra soul departs.
comfort or revival of the soul
Challah is often braided, and the two loaves on Shabbat represent this historical provision in the desert.
double portion of manna
Lighting candles marks this shift in Jewish thought, separating weekday activity from Shabbat holiness.
the transition from chol (ordinary) to kodesh (holy)
This skill involves identifying shared experiences or similarities with someone to build rapport.
finding common ground
The melachot are not about physical effort but about this type of activity that involves changing or shaping the world
creative or constructive work
In Kabbalistic thought, why is smell is considered the most spiritual sense?
it is subtle, intangible, and closely tied to memory and emotion
In Jewish thought, challah is not just food but a symbol of this divine concept that sustains both physical and spiritual life.
sustenance or blessing (shefa)
This Hebrew term refers to the focused intention and mindfulness brought to candle lighting, often emphasized when covering the eyes.
kavanah
what are the 6 things you should do in conversation to make people like you?
-bring good, happy energy
-eye contact
-active listening, using your hands
-make them feel seen
-find common ground
-ask questions
According to thinkers like Abraham Joshua Heschel, Shabbat is described as building this instead of a physical structure.
a sanctuary in time