Shabbat part 6

The men walk home from synagogue, but they are not alone. According to Talmudic tradition, two angels follow a man home on Friday night; a good angel and a bad angel. When he gets home, if the house is ready for Shabbat; the candles lit, the table ready, the good angel says "May it be this way next week as well!", and the bad angel is forced to answer "Amen".But if there is no Shabbat in the home, the bad angel says with a smirk "May it be this way next week as well!", with the good angel, tears in his eyes, forced to respond "Amen". In nearly all communities, the man of the house recites (or sings) "Shalom Aleichem Malachei HaShareit" (Peace upon you, ministering angels). I say "nearly all", in that some rabbis consider some or all of the song to constitute angel worship, which is a form of idolatry. Others (including yours truly), consider that objection to be the result of an overactive imagination. In Kabbalistic circles, the man now takes in his hand the bundles of myrtles, or other sweet-smelling spices, announcing "this is the meal of the Field of Consecrated Apples" (Paradise, Malchut, Shechinah, the Divine Feminine) recites the appropriate blessing on the fragrance, and says "Observe and Remember were said in one utterance; a sweet savor, a burnt offering for Hashem". This is a reference to the fact that the commandment of keeping Shabbat in Exodus says "Remember", while in Deuteronomy it says "Observe". The rabbis say "Remember and Observe were said in one utterance" This, together with the double portion of Manna that fell on Fridays, is the prototype of many aspects of Shabbat being set around twos, as we shall see. Sadly, most Jews are unaware of this fragrance ceremony. Among Hasidim, it is usually performed by Rebbes only. We are now ready for Kiddush; the sanctification over wine. Kiddush, sanctifying the Shabbat with words, is a Biblical mitzvah. It is debatable if the recitation over wine is Biblical, or rabbinical. If no wine is available, one may make kiddush over the bread itself. Most consider this as second best. But RAMBAM considers it equal to wine in every way. During prohibition in the U.S. (1920-1933), many took grape juice as a substitute for wine. This has become almost standard in many families but is halachically problematic. If one has an alcohol problem, however, one should definitely use grape juice. Before the Kiddush, one should kiss the hand of his Mother, if present. This is a further expression of recognizing woman as a manifestation of the Shechinah. The structure of Kiddush is three sections. We first testify to the Creation by G-d, and His resting on the seventh day. Then comes the blessing on wine. After that, we declare the Shabbat as sanctified. The head of the household then drinks most of the cup, dividing up the remainder among his family. In some families, a small cup of wine sits in front of each participant, which is drunk at the conclusion of the recitation of kiddush. In many families, especially Hasidim, each male family member makes his own kiddush. This is, to say the least, halachically problematic. (Please, it is meaningless to say "but so and so did that"). Most people stand for the Friday night Kiddush. Some sit. Some stand for the first part, but then sit. One can make arguments each way. In the Sepharadic (and some Hasidic) version of Kiddush, there are exactly thirty-five words in both the first and last paragraphs. This is based on a teaching of the ARI. Seventy words. Seventy Biblical nations. What's the connection? Next time