The Day of Sacred Rest
Shabbat is a weekly sanctuary in time devoted to rest, reflection, and the affirmation of human dignity. It is a day when we cease to force our will upon the physical world, refraining from creative activities that attempt to change the world around us. Instead, we allow ourselves to revel in what we already have, enjoying wine and good food in the company of family and friends.
In Parashat Ki Tisa and Shabbat
Which is holier: the Temple, Shabbat, or a human life? The Torah’s answer is startling. By forcing us to suspend even the holiest acts for the sake of life, it reveals a radical truth: the ultimate sanctuary is the human being.
When the light of the setting sun announces the entrance of Shabbat, a miracle happens: the light assumes the quality of light in a Rembrandt painting. The light slows down. It strolls! There is no way to see the strolling of the light unless one actually opens the door to let it in. One cannot talk about mystery. One must be grasped by it. And that is only possible when insight and creative inaction become one.
In Jewish Thought and Philosophy, Parashat HaShavua and Shabbat
To set one’s schedule around fixed times—for prayers, for meals, for learning, etc.—does not only inject order into one’s life, but also meaning; and as such one gains an opportunity to sanctify those moments. The chaos of a week without order, of days without set times, is yet another manifestation of the secularization of society and the profanation of the sacred.
In Contemporary Issues, Halacha and Shabbat
However much money Israel may make from hosting Eurovision, it is absolutely wrong and shameful that Israel’s leadership will allow violation of Shabbat on this occasion. It is self-evident that this has nothing to do with pikuach nefesh. Israel should cancel the Eurovision Song Contest if its organizers are not prepared to find a solution so that Israel can keep its head high and show the world what it means to stand for one’s principles.
In Jewish Thought and Philosophy, The Jewish Year and Shabbat
It is well known that the institution of Shabbat is one of the best inventions God ever came up with. It no doubt qualifies Him to receive the Nobel Prize for innovative thinking, and the venerable judges in Sweden should sincerely consider bestowing this honor on the Lord of the Universe.
By E.S.
Several recent events—the Olympic Games and the proposal to work on the railway line construction on Shabbat—are excellent opportunities to start a conversation on the role of halacha in the Jewish State. The question is: what form should the conversation take? It should not, I believe, primarily take the form of a formal halachic argument.
In Contemporary Issues and Shabbat
Shabbat is serious business, not only because of its halachic requirements but also because of its magnificent and majestic message. To violate it is not just a transgression but a tragedy.
One of the great challenges, if not the greatest, is Shabbat, the only official day of rest in Israeli society when people enjoy visiting their parents and friends who live far away or who may be in hospital. Many would love to go to a restaurant and enjoy an afternoon ride through neighborhoods in Yerushalayim or other cities. But none of this is possible without the use of cars or taxis and with no open restaurants. This article offers some suggestions to overcome these obstacles.
In Miscellaneous and Shabbat
The fact that Judaism constantly surprises us is not a surprise. That the institution of Shabbath is one of the best inventions God ever came up with is well known.