Rabbi Dina Shargel teaches that the Friday night Kiddush sets a mood to welcome Shabbat by connecting it to Creation and to the Exodus.
Friday night Shabbat at home includes blessings over children, the song Shalom Aleichem, kiddush, and the blessing over bread, the motzi.
Friday night services on Shabbat include both Kabbalat Shabbat, a joyous recitation of psalms, and a Shabbat Maariv, the evening service.
Shabbat begins with the lighting of candles, in part, because they are symbolic of the spiritual light that Shabbat can bring into our lives.
There are three major categories of Shabbat preparation that must be attended to: physical setting, food preparation, and personal grooming.