The Sabbath starts at sunset. Amongst the Orthodox Jews, the practise is to stop working at least 30 minutes before Sabbath in case they accidentally work when the Holy Day has begun.
It is custom to light two candles before the Sabbath begins on Friday. The two candles symbolise the two words of command in the two versions of the Ten Commandments. One of the other explanations is that old houses had two rooms and one light was for each room. Lighting the candles, is the responsibility of the mother of the family because the mother used to stay at home (which in my opinion shows sexism in this religion, which plays a part in most religion). In some cases the male member of the family or whoever mainly stays at home, lights the candle ( my opinion is supported by the old interpretation that says, it is the task of the woman to light candles to make amends for the fact that Eve, the first woman brought the darkness of sin into the world”).
Many Jewish people have two loaves of bread every Friday. This is out of respect for their ancestors who spent weeks in the wilderness, when no manna was provided on the Shabbat, God supplied them with double on Friday morning.
“See, because the Lord has given you the Sabbath, therefore he gives you on the sixth day, the bread of two days.” Exodus 16,29.
Others see the two loaves as a reminder of the two loaves that were used in the temple. Today we have smaller families so they intertwine the bread. It is called challoh or challot. I think this is a good way to remind the Jews that God provides.
The cloth over the challoh symbolises the manna they had in the desert. This proverb “and when the dew that lay was gone, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as hoarfrost on the ground” Exodus 16,14 Pesachim 100b
I think this is a way to respect their forefathers and show they will never forget.
In many families it is custom to have salt on their challah. Which is based on the verse: And every sacrifice of your meal of offering shall you season with salt. I think this a way illustrate they know to obey God’s rules.
