This essay, Joshua, is so thoughtful and meaningful about Shabbat. It's a lovely feeling when Friday arrives and our candles are lit. We await services, and after, spend some quiet time reading and talking about what we've read. Shabbat has been more meaningful for us in our present world, which tends to turn everything upside down. It gives us time to think about the people and times in our life that continue to be so important to us. Without Shabbat, Friday would be just another day, and thankfully, it remains our joyful day of the week.
I like that phrase, "Christian light," which describes me, even though I was deeply immersed in church as a teen for the social aspects, I left as soon as I graduated, without a sacred practice for years.
Now I am married to a beautiful Jewish woman who introduced me to Shabbat, which is the highlight of our week: turn off the gadgets Friday sunset. Gather with friends for a meal and music, Saturday to do yoga, read the Torah portion, admire the natural beauty that surround, give praise and gratitude, make love, eat nutritious food. We don't turn the gadgets or Internet back on till Sunday.
Several of our goyish friends are so impressed they have begun their own version.
1 So says the Lord, "Keep justice and practice righteousness, for My salvation is near to come, and My benevolence to be revealed." אכֹּה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה שִׁמְר֥וּ מִשְׁפָּ֖ט וַֽעֲשׂ֣וּ צְדָקָ֑ה כִּֽי־קְרוֹבָ֚ה יְשֽׁוּעָתִי֙ לָב֔וֹא וְצִדְקָתִ֖י לְהִגָּלֽוֹת:
2 Fortunate is the man who will do this and the person who will hold fast to it, he who keeps the Sabbath from profaning it and guards his hand from doing any evil. באַשְׁרֵ֚י אֱנוֹשׁ֙ יַֽעֲשֶׂה־זֹּ֔את וּבֶן־אָדָ֖ם יַֽחֲזִ֣יק בָּ֑הּ שֹׁמֵ֚ר שַׁבָּת֙ מֵֽחַלְּל֔וֹ וְשֹׁמֵ֥ר יָד֖וֹ מֵֽעֲשׂ֥וֹת כָּל־רָֽע:
3 Now let not the foreigner who joined the Lord, say, "The Lord will surely separate me from His people," and let not the eunuch say, "Behold, I am a dry tree." גוְאַל־יֹאמַ֣ר בֶּן־הַנֵּכָ֗ר הַנִּלְוָ֚ה אֶל־יְהֹוָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הַבְדֵּ֧ל יַבְדִּילַ֛נִי יְהֹוָ֖ה מֵעַ֣ל עַמּ֑וֹ וְאַל־יֹאמַר֙ הַסָּרִ֔יס הֵ֥ן אֲנִ֖י עֵ֥ץ יָבֵֽשׁ:
4 For so says the Lord to the eunuchs who will keep My Sabbaths and will choose what I desire and hold fast to My covenant, דכִּי־כֹ֣ה | אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה לַסָּֽרִיסִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֚ר יִשְׁמְרוּ֙ אֶת־שַׁבְּתוֹתַ֔י וּבָֽחֲר֖וּ בַּֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר חָפָ֑צְתִּי וּמַֽחֲזִיקִ֖ים בִּבְרִיתִֽי:
5 "I will give them in My house and in My walls a place and a name, better than sons and daughters; an everlasting name I will give him, which will not be discontinued. הוְנָֽתַתִּ֨י לָהֶ֜ם בְּבֵיתִ֚י וּבְחֽוֹמֹתַי֙ יָ֣ד וָשֵׁ֔ם ט֖וֹב מִבָּנִ֣ים וּמִבָּנ֑וֹת שֵׁ֚ם עוֹלָם֙ אֶתֶּן־ל֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֖ר לֹ֥א יִכָּרֵֽת:
6 And the foreigners who join with the Lord to serve Him and to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants, everyone who observes the Sabbath from profaning it and who holds fast to My covenant. ווּבְנֵ֣י הַנֵּכָ֗ר הַנִּלְוִ֚ים עַל־יְהֹוָה֙ לְשָׁ֣רְת֔וֹ וּלְאַֽהֲבָה֙ אֶת־שֵׁ֣ם יְהֹוָ֔ה לִֽהְי֥וֹת ל֖וֹ לַֽעֲבָדִ֑ים כָּל־שֹׁמֵ֚ר שַׁבָּת֙ מֵֽחַלְּל֔וֹ וּמַֽחֲזִיקִ֖ים בִּבְרִיתִֽי:
7 I will bring them to My holy mount, and I will cause them to rejoice in My house of prayer, their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be acceptable upon My altar, for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.
This essay, Joshua, is so thoughtful and meaningful about Shabbat. It's a lovely feeling when Friday arrives and our candles are lit. We await services, and after, spend some quiet time reading and talking about what we've read. Shabbat has been more meaningful for us in our present world, which tends to turn everything upside down. It gives us time to think about the people and times in our life that continue to be so important to us. Without Shabbat, Friday would be just another day, and thankfully, it remains our joyful day of the week.
I like that phrase, "Christian light," which describes me, even though I was deeply immersed in church as a teen for the social aspects, I left as soon as I graduated, without a sacred practice for years.
Now I am married to a beautiful Jewish woman who introduced me to Shabbat, which is the highlight of our week: turn off the gadgets Friday sunset. Gather with friends for a meal and music, Saturday to do yoga, read the Torah portion, admire the natural beauty that surround, give praise and gratitude, make love, eat nutritious food. We don't turn the gadgets or Internet back on till Sunday.
Several of our goyish friends are so impressed they have begun their own version.
I ❤️ Israel forever!
Shabbat Shalom!
Shabbat shalom umevurach... beautifully written... thank you...
Simply beautiful 😍 Shabbat Shalom 🙏
💕💖⭐🌹
I was just thinking that I wonder if there is any adult who keeps Shabbos who doesn’t love it.
Can a rabbi say something about the prohibition against a ben Noach (completely?) observing Shabbat?
Isaiah 56
1 So says the Lord, "Keep justice and practice righteousness, for My salvation is near to come, and My benevolence to be revealed." אכֹּה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה שִׁמְר֥וּ מִשְׁפָּ֖ט וַֽעֲשׂ֣וּ צְדָקָ֑ה כִּֽי־קְרוֹבָ֚ה יְשֽׁוּעָתִי֙ לָב֔וֹא וְצִדְקָתִ֖י לְהִגָּלֽוֹת:
2 Fortunate is the man who will do this and the person who will hold fast to it, he who keeps the Sabbath from profaning it and guards his hand from doing any evil. באַשְׁרֵ֚י אֱנוֹשׁ֙ יַֽעֲשֶׂה־זֹּ֔את וּבֶן־אָדָ֖ם יַֽחֲזִ֣יק בָּ֑הּ שֹׁמֵ֚ר שַׁבָּת֙ מֵֽחַלְּל֔וֹ וְשֹׁמֵ֥ר יָד֖וֹ מֵֽעֲשׂ֥וֹת כָּל־רָֽע:
3 Now let not the foreigner who joined the Lord, say, "The Lord will surely separate me from His people," and let not the eunuch say, "Behold, I am a dry tree." גוְאַל־יֹאמַ֣ר בֶּן־הַנֵּכָ֗ר הַנִּלְוָ֚ה אֶל־יְהֹוָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הַבְדֵּ֧ל יַבְדִּילַ֛נִי יְהֹוָ֖ה מֵעַ֣ל עַמּ֑וֹ וְאַל־יֹאמַר֙ הַסָּרִ֔יס הֵ֥ן אֲנִ֖י עֵ֥ץ יָבֵֽשׁ:
4 For so says the Lord to the eunuchs who will keep My Sabbaths and will choose what I desire and hold fast to My covenant, דכִּי־כֹ֣ה | אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה לַסָּֽרִיסִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֚ר יִשְׁמְרוּ֙ אֶת־שַׁבְּתוֹתַ֔י וּבָֽחֲר֖וּ בַּֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר חָפָ֑צְתִּי וּמַֽחֲזִיקִ֖ים בִּבְרִיתִֽי:
5 "I will give them in My house and in My walls a place and a name, better than sons and daughters; an everlasting name I will give him, which will not be discontinued. הוְנָֽתַתִּ֨י לָהֶ֜ם בְּבֵיתִ֚י וּבְחֽוֹמֹתַי֙ יָ֣ד וָשֵׁ֔ם ט֖וֹב מִבָּנִ֣ים וּמִבָּנ֑וֹת שֵׁ֚ם עוֹלָם֙ אֶתֶּן־ל֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֖ר לֹ֥א יִכָּרֵֽת:
6 And the foreigners who join with the Lord to serve Him and to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants, everyone who observes the Sabbath from profaning it and who holds fast to My covenant. ווּבְנֵ֣י הַנֵּכָ֗ר הַנִּלְוִ֚ים עַל־יְהֹוָה֙ לְשָׁ֣רְת֔וֹ וּלְאַֽהֲבָה֙ אֶת־שֵׁ֣ם יְהֹוָ֔ה לִֽהְי֥וֹת ל֖וֹ לַֽעֲבָדִ֑ים כָּל־שֹׁמֵ֚ר שַׁבָּת֙ מֵֽחַלְּל֔וֹ וּמַֽחֲזִיקִ֖ים בִּבְרִיתִֽי:
7 I will bring them to My holy mount, and I will cause them to rejoice in My house of prayer, their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be acceptable upon My altar, for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.