Frequently Asked Questions
Chatzos Shabbos is the idea of completing the bulk of your Shabbos preparations by midday on Friday, so the hours leading into Shabbos can be calm and focused on Shabbos, rather than rushed and frantic. It’s not about perfection. It’s about earlier preparation so Shabbos arrives with excitement, dignity and joy.
There is no halachic prohibition to doing work after chatzos. However, preparing for Shabbos in advance is a Torah-based mitzvah (“Zachor es yom haShabbos”), and many rabbanim and rebbetzins emphasize the importance of entering Shabbos calmly and prepared. The Shulchan aruch advises people to rise early on Friday to prepare for Shabbos; and states that no bracha comes from heavy labor done after chatzos that’s not for the sake of Shabbos. Gift of Chatzos is about aligning your week with that value, not enforcing new rules.
Not at all. Some people choose to avoid all errands and unnecessary tasks after chatzos because they know it will make things more hectic before candlelighting. But doing light tasks, such as cutting up a salad, heating up prepared foods, bathing, arranging flowers, and other light tasks are standard with a chatzos Shabbos.
The guiding question is: Does this help me enter Shabbos calm and present, or rushed and distracted?
This is a common concern, and the answer is no. Chatzos Shabbos is not about doing more. It’s about:
Spreading tasks across the week
Simplifying menus
Letting go of unnecessary extras
Choosing systems over last-minute heroics
Then you start where you are. Many working adults don’t arrive home until after chatzos, and for them it’s even more helpful to implement an earlier prep system. But whether you work in or out of the home, success looks different at different stages. For some people, it’s being done by 2:00 pm instead of 5:30. For others, it’s having the table set, food mostly cooked, and feeling a sense of calm because they pared down their to-do list to a realistic level. You can view Chatzos Shabbos as a journey, not an “all or nothing” test.
Real examples from our community include:
Preparing candles on Motzei Shabbos
Menu planning and inviting guests on Sunday
Baking or freezing early in the week
Peeling and chopping vegetables mid-week
Making dips, dressings, or marinades on Tuesday
Setting the table Thursday night
Small changes make a huge difference.
Not at all. Gift of Chatzos makes a huge difference by shifting the mindset for singles, younger or older couples, small and large families - it’s for anyone who is observing Shabbos.
Life happens; guests, weather, power outages, sick kids (or parents) failed recipes, equipment breakdowns. The beauty of Chatzos Shabbos is that earlier readiness gives you flexibility. When most things are done, you can say pivot, or let go, with calm.
Absolutely not. Buying prepared food, using shortcuts, repeating simple menus, or serving fewer courses are all fully aligned with the goal: coming into Shabbos like a mensch.
Gift of Chatzos offers:
Bi-weekly emails with gentle structure and reminders, tips, and resources
Women’s WhatsApp community for encouragement, ideas, overcoming challenges, and celebrating wins
Simple daily prompts (not long to-do lists)
Programs, guides, and initiatives - fireside chats (women’s gathering in a local home to discuss Chatzos Shabbos); Chatzos Family Initiative (run through local Shuls to loop in the entire family).
There is a suggested framework, but no mandatory list. Many women create their own personalized checklists and weekly schedule based on their family’s needs. It has to work for you, and no two homes run in the same way.
That’s normal and expected. We’ve seen that once people adopt a new mindset and start making small changes, they experience a paradigm shift so that even when things work out in a less than ideal way, they face the challenges with more calm and acceptance. Particularly on the whatsapp chat, we celebrate all efforts, keeping it real, and a mindset that we do the best we can and the rest is up to G-d.
Yes. Our website and our weekly emails are open to everyone, men and women of all ages. Key
content is shared through both channels, and WhatsApp participation is optional. We’re mindful
not to require constant screen time or social media dependence.
Not at all, many join because they feel disorganized and overwhelmed.
Gift of Chatzos is designed to reduce mental load, and create space again for joy and
excitement of Shabbos and the prep leading up to it.
Many women start with taking upon themselves not to start making a new dish on Friday
afternoon, and to ensure the table is set Thursday night. Once those commitments are in place,
they move one or two tasks a week to an earlier day until that becomes the new norm.
Take a close look at what’s happening in your home on Friday afternoons, and shift some of
those activities or tasks to other days - and simply eliminating others.
We’re big fans of the 4D list, as well - Do, Delegate, Defer, Delete when things are
overwhelming.