Resting on Shabbat is not the lack of activity. Indeed, it is the activity.
Though no longer young, I’m a very high-energy active person. There are not enough hours in the day for my many pursuits. Boredom and lack of purpose have never been issues. I am also a proud Jew who sincerely values the wisdom and time-tested traditions of our heritage. One of those, of course, is the brilliance of Shabbat, the weekly Jewish day of rest commencing on Friday night and concluding on Saturday night.
And why should we rest? Because even God needed a break. God created the entire universe in six days and devoted a full 24 hours to rest on day seven. Actually, God didn’t just rest, but created the Sabbath, the day of rest. Indeed, we are commanded not only to rest like God did but also to renew our souls. In other words, take a deep breath and refresh. In biblical Hebrew: “Shavat va-yinafash:” God ceased and God’s life energy was restored.
I was raised in a semi-observant Conservative household. We observed Shabbat, but never strictly. We did enjoy a traditional family dinner on Friday nights, along with candle-lighting, blessings, challah, wine, chicken soup, often with guests. We even went to synagogue regularly in elementary school, as this was expected of us in our Hebrew school environment. But we certainly did not spend the remainder of the day resting.
Jewish summer camp provided a model for a more relaxed pace of activities on Friday nights and Saturdays, which at least made the feel of the day different. And Shabbat still has a feeling of slowing down in Israel. Even in Tel Aviv, it’s hard to find a taxi on Friday night!
Ever since the Hamas massacre of Oct. 7, 2023, I’ve been going to the synagogue on Saturdays with my preschool-age grandson, which is definitely a change of pace, and I now find that more and more I’m trying to actively rest in the afternoon. This could involve walking, napping, reading, listening to podcasts, writing a reflection, etc. Just not working (and definitely no errands or shopping).
Let’s face it: Our daily to-do lists in life are endless. They will actually never get completed. Somehow Judaism knows this and is telling us it’s OK. Even God needed a break from a never-ending to do list.
Could resting even be holy? Maybe. Especially if it leads to a sense of renewal once a week. Anyway, for now I’m making a conscious effort to slow down on Saturday afternoons. Besides, my life actually makes me very tired, so a little R&R can’t hurt.
And you, too, can do this in your own way, even if it’s not perfectly Halachic (in accordance with Jewish law). After all, the perfect is the enemy of the good, and we should all aim to be “good enough” Jews and “good enough” humans.
May the peace of Shabbat make space for slowing down and savoring life, resulting in weekly personal restoration.
Shabbat shalom!
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