It's all about time

March 5, 2010 | 19 Adar, 5770

Rest is valuable. It is also a value. Unfortunately, radically sleep deprived, many of us live a fractured life on the edge of exhaustion. Rest sits at the core of human life, so much so that it is incorporated into the “Big Ten” (Commandments, that is). Creation cannot take place 24/7. If it did, surely the quality of what was created would be greatly diminished, inferior in every way. Rest enables us to look with discernment at what we have created and what has been created around us – for better or for worse. Rest reconnects us to the oneness of the universe. It frees us to be present in the moment – long enough to feel connected to something greater than ourselves.

This day set aside for rest and renewal is called, for many, the Sabbath. Years ago, in many parts of the country, the “Blue Laws” ensured, at least, that people could not spend their day shopping on the Sabbath. Many “Blue Laws” have been rescinded, and today we can do virtually anything we want at any time of any day!

So what is the “incentive” to have a self-imposed boundary?

According to the Creation story, God rested on the seventh day and therefore so should humankind. The Sabbath would elevate the experience of rest by setting apart one day each week for just that. How might our week change if we tried to cease creating, slowed down enough to notice the world around us, ate a leisurely candlelight dinner with our family and friends, regained perspective on what is truly important, considered what brings meaning into our lives, and filled ourselves with hopes and dreams of what might yet be?

The Sabbath can be seen as an inheritance, something bestowed or given. But, some, or perhaps even many, find little value in this inheritance.

Perhaps this explains a section of this week’s reading from Exodus, parashat Vayakhel/Pekude, which begins: “These are the things that the Lord has commanded you to do: On six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a Sabbath of complete rest, holy to the Lord; whoever does any work on it shall be put to death” (Exodus 35:1-2).

Well, there’s an incentive! Perhaps the text is not meant to be read literally. One commentator explains that those who ignore the Sabbath forfeit their souls – become “dead” to the spiritual dimension of life. There is some truth to this - just look into the faces of those dragging through each day, day after day, without any rest, reflection or renewal – enslaved by time. Then look into the faces of those who govern time at least one day a week.

It is taught that “More than the people have kept the Sabbath, the Sabbath has kept the people" (Echad Ha-Am). Shabbat happens every week, whether we participate in it or not. However, the Sabbath was never intended to be a choice. It is an integral part of a transcendent rhythm. We know how hard it is to push the “pause” button in our lives, but it is necessary. It’s the stopping that makes us human, and presents us with a paradigm for becoming our best selves. When you think about bringing a Sabbath into your life, focus on what you might gain, rather than what you think you have to give up. And, once you make it your own, it is an inheritance that you will want to keep, and even hand down.

Shabbat Shalom

Nina J. Mizrahi