Waves of Shabbat Blessing
11 × 14 Photographic Print — $29.99
The print is professionally produced on premium photographic paper, capturing the vibrant colors and intricate details of the original artwork. Shipping available within the United States only.
Waves of Shabbat Blessing portrays the sacred moment when a Jewish woman welcomes Shabbat by lighting the candles and making the traditional hand movements that draw the light and blessing toward herself. Her covered eyes express kavanah, turning inward from the ordinary world and toward the holiness of Shabbat.
From her hands, ribbons of flowing color sweep across the landscape like waves of blessing. The movement suggests that the light of Shabbat does not remain confined to the candles. It radiates outward, touching the home, the natural world, and generations yet to come. The flowing forms also evoke mayim, water, symbolizing life, renewal, and the continuous movement of divine blessing.
The two candles represent the traditional lights of Shabbat, recalling “Zachor” and “Shamor”, the commandments to remember and keep the Sabbath. Their flames become living symbols of or, light, illuminating both the woman and the world around her. The surrounding landscape, sky, trees, and sweeping currents create a sense of creation itself participating in the arrival of Shabbat.
Jewish visual symbolism is woven throughout the composition, including the shofar-like spiral form in the heavens, suggesting awakening, remembrance, and the call to return to God. The intricate patterns of the woman’s garments evoke the richness of Jewish tradition, while the circular and flowing forms suggest the eternal rhythm of Shabbat, returning week after week.
Artistically, the work combines expressionistic oil painting with mixed media techniques, featuring energetic, visible strokes, layered textures, richly patterned surfaces, and luminous colors. The influence of post-impressionist brushwork can be seen in the swirling movement of the sky and water, while the highly detailed decorative elements give the painting a distinctly mystical and contemporary Jewish character.
At its heart, the painting celebrates Shabbat not simply as the lighting of two candles, but as a moment when light becomes blessing, blessing becomes movement, and movement spreads outward into the world.