True rest doesn’t affect us only when we are resting.
It spills over into our weeks, our years, our very lives…
The days succeeding the day of rest become days of light too.
They shimmer with the afterglow of a revived spirit.
True rest gives us a completely different perspective
on all of life’s difficulties.
It allows us to heal, to reflect, to give thanks,
and to face whatever lies ahead
with a renewed sense of calm.
[Rabbi Naomi Levy, To Begin Again]
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: