Preparing a Special Shabbat Table: A Reminder of Thoughtful Gestures and Togetherness

Here’s something really special
that only a Jewish house is gonna celebrate.
But I feel like anyone could do something like this in their own home.
I just came down the stairs,
the shades aren’t even open yet.
Like, it’s still dark in this house.
Justin went to work, but before he went to work,
he set the Shabbat table. Just such a special thing to do.
We’re preparing for Shabbos,
and he set the table,
which is just one last thing that I have to do later,
or he has to do later. It’s not always like this.
He doesn’t have the chance to do this every Friday morning,
but obviously this morning he did,
and I just thought it was really nice.
You know, when there’s something in your house that needs to get done,
instead of saying, oh,
that other person will do it.
Well, if you have the chance to do it,
do it. It doesn’t have to be able.
This is his job or this is her job.
So I’m gonna make her do it later.
No, you could do it also.
So this is our Shabbat table,
and of course, most of it’s,
you know, empty over there,
cause it’s the four of us, me, Justin,
Zach, and Nora.
And we haven’t had a Shabbat like this in seven weeks.
Nora was in sleepaway camp,
Zach was away traveling for the summer,
and now we’re all back together.
We have this beautiful tablecloth from Israel.
This challah cutting board is also from Israel.
Oh, so is the knife for cutting the challah.
And this little, like,
salt holder, this is from Israel, too.
If you have a moment to do something special for your partner,
for your spouse, do it.
It obviously doesn’t have to be setting a table,
but maybe it is. Maybe you’re having a lot of people over later,
and there’s something you can do now,
like vacuuming. That, um,
be really stressful later if you were doing.
Oh, and when your partner says to help clean,
don’t go outside and start, like,
cutting down trees. That’s not helpful.