Blessing Out In The Open

Each Friday evening Charlotte looks forward to setting the table for Shabbat with her Daddy when he returns from work. Tablecloth, candlesticks, wine goblet, grape juice, Challah tray, Challah cover, Challah, and some other things I can't remember but I'm sure she would.

Before dinner is served we bless the candles, wine and grape juice. Charlotte enjoys joining in on these blessing but I guess we didn't realize how much she is involved.

Last week I did some Dollar Store shopping for some playtime Shabbat tablesettings for Charlotte's IKEA table. On Saturday morning, she set her small table, sat with her Bunny and began to say a blessing over the candles: "Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheynu Melech HaOlam, Asher Kidshanu Bmitzvotav Vitzivanu, L'hadlik Nare Shel Shabbat".

David and I stared at eachother and tried to not to distract her from this amazing task. This is the longer of the blessing (shorter end in HaOlam and a short ending) and not one we rehearse with her at all other than Friday evenings. She is now saying the blessing over and over to anyone who is interested in hearing.

This is not a blessing in disguise...it is a blessing out in the open for sure....shinning in our presence. G-d has blessed us with her.