A comfortable Shabbat

Yes, the world has changed and the place of the Jewish people in their homeland has created a new set of circumstances. Yet what does this have to do with keeping the laws of Shabbat? I am national-religious, and for me and many others I know, our desire to observe the Sabbath is just as strong now as it was for our ancestors. Moreover, the technological innovations that are so characteristic of our times have made such observance easier and, in most cases, allowed for the integration of family, work and security in a much more palpable fashion.

http://m.jpost.com/Opinion/November-28-2017-A-comfortable-Shabbat-515349

One Shabbat can be life-transforming

https://www.thejc.com/comment/columnists/one-shabbat-can-be-life-transforming-1.446232

...a strong case can be made for the argument that Shabbat observance is a positive keystone habit for life itself. It propels a greater awareness of and sensitivity towards many other values that underpin not only a positive Jewish life but positive living in general.

And here’s the really interesting bit. Traditional Shabbat observance involves many of the same activities as those identified by Duhigg as keystone habits in the context of nurturing emotional well-being and developing a positive lifestyle.

Shabbat can unite a divided nation

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/florida-jewish-journal/opinion/fl-jjps-goch-1025-20171020-story.html

The weekly ritual of observing Shabbat might just be the remedy that unites a divided nation.

One need not be observant to aspire to incorporate more spirituality and Jewish practices into daily life, and celebrating Shabbat together affords us that opportunity.

We traditionally light two Shabbat candles for a reason. With one candle we stand alone; with two we unite many.

Watch new rendition of 'Shabbat Hayom'

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/237015

"If I only had the strength, I would go out to the market, I would stand and declare to all, that today is Shabbat. Yes, today is Shabbat, for Hashem."

The late Rabbi Yehoshua Yagel, legendary head of the Midrashiat Noam yeshiva high school in Pardes Hana, would walk around singing the song "Shabbat Hayom" at the end of the Kabbalat Shabbat Friday night prayers, mezmerizing students with his devotion. Yair Peleg pays tribute to the charismatic and G-d fearing mentor in his own rendition of the song written by the "Admor Hachalutz".

A Shabbat Dinner for Wine Country Survivors

A Shabbat Dinner for Wine Country Survivors

OCTOBER 19, 2017 With California’s wine country reeling from this week’s horrific wildfires—the most destructive of their type in California’s history—Chabad of Sonoma County is rallying the forces to bring comfort and unity to a community ravaged by disaster.

A Friday night, Shabbat dinner seemed a good idea to many of the people struggling in the face of this disaster. Dubbed “Shabbat of Comfort & Unity,” more than 200 have already RSVPd.

“We’re all going to be supporting each other and this will bring a sense of comfort,” he says. Multiple vendors are contributing to Chabad’s efforts by sponsoring goods for the dinner, which is free of charge. The Flamingo Resort Hotel in Santa Rosa has offered a venue, and other businesses are sponsoring grape juice, hummus, flowers and more. “Everyone is pitching in,” the rabbi says gratefully. “There’s a lot of special energy.”

The dinner will provide an opportunity to memorialize the people who’ve died in this tragedy and also acknowledge the generosity of those who’ve stepped up to help bring relief and aid to a traumatized community.

Refuge in Sabbath

http://redemptionsbeauty.com/2014/09/17/refuge-in-sabbath-kris-camealy/

Lately, I’ve been wondering how I managed before I began actively embracing the Sabbath. I work hard day after day, juggling kids and schooling, writing, activities, mentoring meetings, cooking, cleaning, and other various typical tasks. For years I did this seven days a week with virtually no real rest. I never thought about what Dr. Matthew Sleeth calls, “building a refuge in the Sabbath.” I knew there was work to be done and so I kept on going, day after day, ignoring the commandment to honor the Sabbath.

In observing God’s commandment to honor the Sabbath, I am discovering a deeper friendship with the Lord. I’ve come to see the time spent in retreat is not wasted, but rather, it enriches my faith and deepens my own love for God. In his book 24/6, Sleeth points out that “you need quality and quantity to make intimacy happen. Fortunately God designed our schedules to accommodate both”. Sabbath presents itself as a designated space in my busy life to move closer to God, apart from the nagging to-do’s of my usual schedule. Sabbath is where I remember that “God is the source of my life.” Sabbath reminds me that the world will spin even if I do not.

Taking Back the Sabbath

Taking Back the Sabbath

The world tells us more, more, more when what we really need is less, less, less. Take a step back from what the world is saying and you will find renewal, I promise you, I’ve experienced it. When I made the concerted effort to slow down, starting with taking back the Sabbath, I felt a deeper faith connection, refreshed and rejuvenated spiritually, mentally, and physically.

Now, if I am completely honest with you—this overwhelming sense of contentment and joy probably won’t happen after observing your first Sabbath. Nor will it happen after a few attempts at slowing down. But it does happen, with time, patience, and a determination to make the change to your lifestyle.

After several years of choosing less over more, I can confidently say that I am in a different mindset than I once was, that my default is now a much slower pace. But I won’t lie; there are times I still struggle with shutting off and removing stress. There are so many things I thoroughly love about being able to work from home, but it has been an adjustment to create boundaries that keep my work/home balance in check.

Taking back the Sabbath is one of those boundaries.