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Tarbut: Jewish Identity and Contemporary Israeli Culture

Shabbat and Contemporary Life | עמוד דיון

Synopsis

Shabbat and Contemporary Life

Overwhelming Demands?

Overwhelming Demands?

Do you find yourself overwhelmed by the demands of school work, clubs and teams, or other activities?

Digital distraction?

Digital distraction?

Are you driven to distraction by email, text messages, and cell phone calls?

Quality Time

Quality Time

Do you seek more quality time in community, with friends or family, or in private reflection?

Among the core religious practices of Judaism is the weekly celebration of Shabbat, the Sabbath. The great Jewish theologian and social activist, Abraham Joshua Heschel, referred to the Sabbath as a “Palace in Time,” a day of rest, reflection, and reconnection.

In our contemporary age, when so much of life moves so quickly, Shabbat comes every Friday at sunset and beckons us to pause from our work-a-day routines and celebrate the gifts of life.

Importantly, the power of Shabbat is not restricted to the one day a week we celebrate it; by observing various Sabbath practices we can learn how to live the rest of our days with greater focus, joy, and balance.

The Discussion

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A Palace in Time – Questions for Reflection & Discussion
Kushiya

A Palace in Time – Questions for Reflection & Discussion

Unedited
15.5.2016| 14:18
We open our exploration of Shabbat with a brief, but poignant, text from the great twentieth-century theologian and social activist, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel (1907-1972) about our relationship to space and time:

  1. How would you describe Heschel’s approach to the dimension of “space,” that is to nature and technology, in this quotation?
  2. Why does Heschel call on us to loosen our attachment to the domain of space, to “remaking” or “reshaping” our physical world?
  3. How might the celebration of Shabbat every seventh day help one recalibrate her relationship to space and time?
  4. Heschel elsewhere calls Shabbat a “palace in time.” Why?
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The Journey to & from Shabbat -Questions for Reflection & Discussion
Kushiya

The Journey to & from Shabbat -Questions for Reflection & Discussion

Unedited
15.5.2016| 14:25
The following source is an ancient teaching from the Talmud about the impact of our preparation for the Sabbath on our experience of this special day:

  1. What are the markers of preparedness in this story? Why is attention given to these seemingly mundane tasks?
  2. How might we understand the references to the “good angel” and the “evil angel” in our contemporary age? What do these messengers teach us about our intentions and actions?
  3. What does this text teach us about the momentum we can create through action or inaction (thoughtful or careless action)?
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We now move from Babylonia to Los Angeles, and from the ancient sages to a contemporary rabbinic voice. We also shift our attention from preparation for Shabbat to its relationship to the other days of the week:

The Journey to & from Shabbat – More Questions
Kushiya

The Journey to & from Shabbat – More Questions

Unedited
15.5.2016| 14:35
We now move from Babylonia to Los Angeles, and from the ancient sages to a contemporary rabbinic voice. We also shift our attention from preparation for Shabbat to its relationship to the other days of the week:

  1. How does Rabbi Levy use the image of light in this teaching?
  2. What do you think the author means by “true rest?” How would you describe such an experience?
  3. Can you think of situations in which pausing from your usual patterns of thought or behavior has helped you gain a new perspective on a challenge or difficulty? Have you considered making this a regular practice?

 

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