Sabbath through a jews eyes
A 5.781 year old tradition (based on the Hebrew calendar) that reflects the importance of believing and the power of devotion
When learning about new rituals, I always find it interesting to study concepts through abstract theory, but also by observing how they are conducted in practice. That’s why on this report about the holy day of Sabbath in Jewish culture, in addition to giving a detailed analysis about this weekly celebration, I’ve decided to interview a very close friend of mine who just so happens to be an observant Jew.
I met Shlomo a year ago at Barcelona Airport on my way to New York City. During the flight, we talked for hours and decided to keep in contact once we landed. He was my guardian angel in the city and taught me a lot about the States and his religion. To this day we still keep in touch and he’s agreed to answer my questions regarding Sabbath, which was a total enigma for me before I met him. What better way to learn about one of the core pillars of Judaism than to get first-hand clarification from a person who has practiced this celebration since he was born?
On this post, first I will explain in-depth the celebration of Sabbath and its origins. Second, through an interview with Shlomo, we’ll discover the things we can’t truly understand by just reading books and we’ll describe Sabbath on a more personal level. Finally, after explaining the theory and practice of the Sabbath, we’ll reflect on the longevity of the holiday after 5.781 years of Jewish religion.
The concept of Sabbath
“The concept of time in Judaism can be understood in terms of a circular pattern of festive days along the year, starting with the first divinely revealed holy day: Sabbath”. This is how Jess Olson, associate professor of Jewish history at the Yeshiva University in New York, introduces the concept of Sabbath in his book titled Jewish culture: A Quick Immersion. Through his words, we can sense the high status and recognition that Sabbath has for the Jewish community. In order to understand why this day is so prominent, we need to return to the biblical origins of the world. The Sabbath was born as a living memory of God’s creation of the world, narrated in the Torah, calling on Israelites to refrain from all work for a period of twenty-five hours on the seventh day of the week. Sabbath is a day for religious purposes and for rest designated by the authority of God himself. On this date, jews emulate God’s own rest after the six days of creation, as he told Moses to do on Mount Sinai:
“Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed”. — Exodus 31:16–17
Unlike what most people might think, Sabbath does not take place exclusively on Saturday. According to the literal description of time in the Torah, Sabbath (as well as the remaining days of the week) starts at the previous day’s sundown. Hence, the first Sabbath prayer service is ma’ariv which is fridays’ evening prayer.
According to the Torah, all forms of work are prohibited during Sabbath. Those who study the Talmud thoroughly explain that the prohibition of “work” includes 39 banned categories of labour. These specific categories are derived from important activities that were performed during the construction of the Mishkan, since the passage in the Torah that prohibits labour on Shabbat is placed immediately after the passage describing the building of the Mishkan. To this day, these prohibitions are still being followed inside the orthodox communities and among many others in the Jewish tradition. This, of course, has a significant impact on Jewish peoples’ lifestyles. For instance, since it’s forbidden to travel by any means other than walking, Jews that practice Sabbath live in areas near religious infrastructures like synagogues. But for jews, this is not perceived as a constraining factor, rather, on the contrary, it’s something that creates a strong sense of unity within the Jewish community.
During Sabbath, Jews tend to dedicate their time to praying, eating festive food, resting, and spending time with the community. It is customary to eat three meals, which are each called a seudah. The first two seudahs are sanctified through Kiddush, a blessing recited over wine. In the course of Sabbath, people dedicate time to relaxing activities that are far removed from the stress and intensity that one can find at the workplace during the rest of the week. Many use this time to study the Torah and other holy texts.
Sabbath ends with a specific ceremony called Havdalah, which is Hebrew for “separation”. It refers to the verbal declaration made at the end of Shabbat in which the holy day is separated from the mundane period that follows for the rest of the week. Havdalah is recited only once darkness has fallen on Saturday night since Jewish tradition defines sundown as the conclusion of the day. In addition, the declaration is made with a glass of wine, spices and a candle with multiple wicks. The glass of wine serves as the blessed object through which jews sanctify the ending of Sabbath. The aromatic species represent the departure of Sabbaths’ “spirit” which every jew takes in during the festivity and leaves them at the end of the day. Finally, the candle with various wicks represents the renewal of the week to come and the start of the active practice of work once again until next Sabbath.
The reality of Sabbath today
Shlomo, student
I’m 20 years old. I was born in New York City. I’m the child of immigrants; my father was born in Lebanon and my mother was born in Syria. I study Finance and Data Science at NYU. Three years ago, I spent an entire year in Israel where I learned more about Judaism.
What’s the first thing you remember about Sabbath? One memory stands out from the rest. I remember being with my mom and my sisters on Saturday night when Sabbath was almost ending. My sisters were having a conversation with my mom. I remember playing with a comb that I took from my moms' dresser and then, a few minutes later, I heard my sisters saying “there are 3 stars out so that means Sabbath is over.” That’s when I learned that Sabbath ends when you’re able to see more than 3 stars out in the sky, which in practice means that Sabbath ends 40 minutes after sunset.
For a non-Jewish person, what would surprise him/her most about Sabbath? One thing a lot of people don’t know about Sabbath is that it involves a lot of eating! Every Friday night everyone has big meals with their family, that’s the best food of the week. On Saturday morning, synagogues usually have breakfast after prayers where all the people get together and eat. There’s another big meal on Saturday afternoon and another one a few hours later in the synagogue after prayers… all that adds up a lot.
During these numerous meals, do you eat special food? Yes! Friday night food is the best. In my house, since my mom is originally from Syria, we eat all Syrian foods that are so tasty and amazing.
Are there any blessings specific to Sabbath or that you typically say on this day? There are! Firstly, when you greet people on the Sabbath you tell them “Shabbat Shalom” which means “Have a great Sabbath!”. Also, the text of Sabbath prayers is different from the weekday prayers, plus on the Sabbath, we take out the Torah scrolls and read them in synagogues. Finally, during the week Jews pray 3 times a day but on Sabbath, we actually pray 4 times a day since its a holier day.
Has something changed from the traditional Sabbath to todays? This is a really good question. Technology has exploded in the last hundred years and it’s difficult to integrate modern technology with Sabbath. Meaning, they obviously didn’t have phones 3.000 years ago so, should we be allowed to use them on Sabbath or not? What about turning on a light? We try to keep Sabbath in line with the laws that the Rabbis made thousands of years ago and we try to figure out how to apply those laws to modern technology, and that’s something that’s been very interesting to study.
What happens when you travel? Great question. Travelling and doing the Sabbath could get hard. All the laws of the Sabbath apply (no phones or electronics, you can’t handle money, etc) but it becomes a lot harder to keep them when you’re away from home and in a foreign country. I’ve gotten lost many times walking around a foreign city and not being able to use my phone for Google Maps. Also, for countries that are more hostile to Jews, it’s difficult to observe the Sabbath because it makes it obvious to people that you’re Jewish…
How does Sabbath implement or strengthen the union of the Jewish community? It makes the community so much more connected! All the people in every Jewish community come together in synagogue on the Sabbath and pray. Also, having shared laws and rituals that we all do gives us a sense of togetherness, like we’re all part of one big family.
Can a non-Jewish person participate on Sabbath? Gentiles (that’s the polite name for non-jews) are actually discouraged from keeping the sabbath. This is because the Sabbath is regarded as “a covenant between God and the people of Israel” and we consider it something holy and special.
What does Sabbath teach you? It teaches me the importance of needing to not get distracted and how important it is to spend time with the people you love. I’m sure you know how damaging phones and social media could be in making people feel lonely and in leading people to spend less time face to face with one another. Sabbath is a way of reversing all of that.
As a young person, how do you feel about Sabbath? Does it feel like an obligation? When I was really young it felt like an obligation- I couldn’t play with electric toys and I wasn’t even allowed to turn on the lights! But as I got older, I realized how necessary it is to have a day of rest and just be able to relax and enjoy the beauty of the world without any distractions. As me and my friends became busier and busier and it was hard to see each other, the Sabbath was so awesome because it gave us the opportunity to spend time with each other without worrying about the work we needed to do.
To end this interview, can you describe Sabbath in 1 word? Bliss. Meaning a state of perfect happiness.
Reflection
“Hey, Sabbath is starting now so I won’t be near my phone… I hope you have the best weekend and that you have so much fun!!! We’ll speak tomorrow night”. — Shlomo
It’s crazy to imagine that in the fast-paced society we live in one can stop and pause his life for a period of 25 hours every single week. No phone, no Netflix, no car, no work. At first glance, this can seem like a punishment a parent gives to his young child for behaving badly. But, if you consider the importance of religious fulfilment and the fact that Sabbath makes you a part of a larger community, it is something that makes its observers happier and more connected to what’s really important in life. Sabbath, as Shlomo described it, is a state of happiness in which one has time to rest and enjoy the beauty of the world without distractions. It’s a day to disconnect from the crazy agitated world of the 21st century and instead engage with the basis of what makes up society: its people. Millions of Jews around the world today still go back to a tradition that was born 5.781 years ago to feel connected to God on this holy day.
I admire people like Shlomo for their determination, patience and faith. Despite the challenges of committing to keeping a day of rest every week for life, they still do so for their religion and love of God. Messages like the one I’ve cited above make me reflect on the importance of believing and the power of devotion. It keeps people sane and lively and makes us all remember where we should be directing our time and efforts. More social interactions, less technology. More time to think and meditate, less rushing. More connection to our loved ones, less fixated on a consuming job.
-Vicky