Can you imagine what our world would be like if once each week, all people put aside their strivings, their supposed needs, and instead embraced the simple but profound joys of a shared meal, of singing together, and of learning for spiritual growth?
The concept of Sabbath is so central to Jewish thinking, spirituality, and life that our sages of old remarked that without it the world could not be sustained. The Jewish vision of the universe is one of a creating G-d, busy animating and enabling every detail of all that is to continue to flow through time. Then, like a ripple in water that slowly comes to halt, G-d, we imagine, settles into rest, into an expression of peace and non-activity.
The word Shabbat, which has come to designate the Jewish people’s weekly day of rest and spiritual seeking, is derived from the Hebrew word which means ‘to dwell’ or ‘to abide’. We mirror the creating G-d’s moment of Divine peace by taking one day each week to look inward, to share time with family, and to focus on spiritual learning as we refrain from activities, and even conversations, of the typical days of the week.
The Israeli poet Ahad HaAm wrote beautifully, “More than the Jews have kept Shabbat, Shabbat has kept the Jews.” The poet understood that in a world which is filled with drama and trial, a world in which we are constantly striving to achieve more, Shabbat is an invaluable refuge, a “sanctuary in time,” that has held our people, and enabled us to withstand the strong winds of history.
In our modern era, the practice of Sabbath has become more important, not less. As modern individuals with phone alerts constantly buzzing in our ears, we are busier than ever before, and worse, more distracted mentally than ever before by the endless stream of news and media, our constant technological connections pulling at our hearts and minds.
The Hebrew word for peace, Shalom, means wholeness as well, because it is a state in which our minds, bodies, and hearts are unified and become whole in purpose. All people, Jewish or not, can benefit from making the commitment to spend a 24-hour period, truly any day of the week, to put away your phone, to turn off the television and the tablet, and instead to dedicate yourself to the goal of Shalom, to simply focus on being present for oneself and for the people you love the most. Just as our bodies need rest each night, our souls need periods of rest, our active minds need opportunities to settle into a quietness, without which, wholeness can never be tasted.
On a practical level, what could a Sabbath practice look like for a non-Jewish person? Traditional Jews spend time studying laws of how best to keep the Sabbath, wisdom of our sages that help us on the journey. But for non-Jews, even if you are hesitant to jump into the waters of Sabbath for the entirety of a day, or unsure about the myriad of practices typically associated with the Jewish Sabbath, perhaps you can simply use this concept to be more intentional, if only once per week, about setting time aside for your growth.
Our country has launched in recent years a ‘Global Day of Unplugging’. Once each year, we are encouraged to leave technology aside and simply be present for life as it is. To my mind, once a year is not nearly enough. Can you imagine what our world would be like if once each week, all people put aside their strivings, their supposed needs, and instead embraced the simple but profound joys of a shared meal, of singing together, and of learning for spiritual growth? Whether you call that ‘Sabbath’ or not, you begin to understand when you imagine that world why the Jewish sages proclaimed that the Sabbath is our taste, our hint, at the beauty of the world to come, of a type of heaven right here on earth.
Our minds are incessant, and our wills pull us in every direction imaginable. I pray that all who read this piece will meditate on the concept of Divine rest, and then, put into practice a plan which allows you to step outside the week, to step outside the normal structures and routines, and like G-d develop in the art of simply being present for the beautiful unfolding of life.
Our traditional Jewish salutation is Shabbat Shalom. We wish each other the peace of the Sabbath, that it may linger with us beyond the day of the Sabbath, and remain with us through life. I wish for all people that peace, together may it help us to become better agents of peacefulness in our world.
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