Shabbat, A Life Saver

This was first posted on Israel Bloggers

I wasn't raised in a Sabbath observing family, but when I was a child weekends in New York were very different from the rest of the week. All stores, except a few small food stores, restaurants and bakeries were closed on Sundays, and many people didn't have to work on Saturday. 

Things have definitely changed. Nowadays the weekends are super-busy shopping times, whether for clothes, or food or household and garden supplies. There is no day of rest. Weekends are more hectic than midweek for many people, and I don't know how people who work at all the stores manage to care for their kids who are off from school. Maybe they just don't have too many kids. Demographics aren't like in Israel.

For over half a century, since I was in high school, I've been an Orthodox Jewish Sabbath Observer. That means, no cooking, no writing, no television, no computer, no shopping, no telephone, no cleaning, no traveling, arts, crafts, etc.

And when life is stressful, and it seems like the whole world is against us, I take a break from it including the news, for twenty-five 25 hours. On Shabbat we rest not only our bodies, but we refresh our souls. 

After all these decades, I just can't imagine surviving without this special holy day.

I sincerely thank Gd for giving us Shabbat.

Shabbat Shalom UMevorach, 

May You have a Peaceful and Blessed Sabbath