ICJudaism: A Teacher’s Guide to Judaism
Hosted by ICTeachers Formerly: Mike’s Rough Guide to Judaism
Disclaimer:
The contents of these pages represent the author’s personal views, experience and
understanding.
There are bound to be some things here that some Jews would disagree
with.
Shabbat
According to Torah, God created the world in six days. On the 7th day He rested from His creative labours and commanded that we should do the same. We are told to observe the 7th day of each week as a day for the Lord. The English word sabbath is derived directly from the Hebrew, Shabbat, which comes from a root word meaning to cease or rest.
Although many Jews will spend time praying in the synagogue on Shabbat, it is not specifically a day of prayer. Rather, it is a time to change focus from the workaday world of the other days of the week and to have time for higher thoughts. Shabbat is a day for spiritual renewal and rest. It is a day to look forward to, to enjoy and to regret the passing of. Many Jews consider that Shabbat lasts 25 hours and the first day (Sunday) only 23. Jews often use the metaphor of Shabbat being a bride. There is a popular Sabbath hymn which says, "Come, my beloved, to meet the bride". When it is sung in synagogue during the Friday night service many congregations have the custom of turning towards the door as they sing it, to welcome "the Sabbath Bride".
Shabbat is the most important Jewish day (more important even than Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement). It is the only ritual observance mentioned in the 10 commandments.
Observing Shabbat requires that a Jew refrain from any activity that would be considered as melachah. This Hebrew word is often translated as work but actually means something more akin to creative activity. The word is related to the word melech, (meaning king) and refers to those activities by which we exercise control over our environment. Thus, writing is forbidden but reading is OK; making fire or cooking are forbidden; general working tasks, such as agriculture and hunting or their modern day equivalents with similar purposes (ie earning a living) are forbidden on Shabbat. Of course, anything to do with commerce, trade or finance is quite out of the question. It is also not allowed to carry things outside the home (such as money, handbags etc.). Domestic animals, however, must be fed and cared for, since they are unable to care for themselves.
Shabbat is a time for being with your family. It is a time for eating in a more leisurely and luxurious fashion than during the rest of the week. It is a time for talk about the higher things, a time not to think about the daily grind.
