From "Introduction" in How to Be a Shabbes Queen: Supporting Shabbat practice in your community
(a Zine about Shabbes), p. 1
For six days we try to create a more just and compassionate world, and for one we rest our minds, hearts, and bodies from even these most crucial efforts. We conjure up ancient memories and we envision starry futures, in which perhaps all that we are fighting for is present, and we can release into it, and be. We return rejuvenated, and remembering something about why we do the work.
Shabbes for its own sake, a taste of the world to come. For the sake of sharing food and songs and walks and slowness and cuddles and naps, of joy, revelry, and compassion to ourselves. Because it's too easy to forget that this is the point of being alive.
Each week when I light the Shabbes candles, it feels like a gift I am giving myself. This is the part of the blessing of my Shabbes practice being my own choice. A gift of entering into another space, a different relationship to Time, a time-out from value in productivity, that can be hard to take fully without structure for it. Closing the door, as much as is possible, for a day, on capitalism. Opening the door for my second soul to come in and play.
In the following texts, the highlighted words are in the same color in Hebrew and in English.
With your chevruta - your learning partner, read the text and respond to the question(s) below it.
(א) וַיְכֻלּ֛וּ הַשָּׁמַ֥יִם וְהָאָ֖רֶץ וְכָל־צְבָאָֽם׃ (ב) וַיְכַ֤ל אֱלֹהִים֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י מְלַאכְתּ֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה וַיִּשְׁבֹּת֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י מִכָּל־מְלַאכְתּ֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָֽׂה׃ (ג) וַיְבָ֤רֶךְ אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־י֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י וַיְקַדֵּ֖שׁ אֹת֑וֹ כִּ֣י ב֤וֹ שָׁבַת֙ מִכָּל־מְלַאכְתּ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁר־בָּרָ֥א אֱלֹהִ֖ים לַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃
(1) And finished were the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them. (2) And on the seventh day Elohim finished God's [pronoun] work which God [pronoun] had made; and God [pronoun] rested on the seventh day from all God's [pronoun] work which God [pronoun] had made. (3) And Elohim blessed the seventh day, and holy-ed it; because in it God [pronoun] rested from all God's [pronoun] work which Elohim in creating had made.
Rabbi Judah Loew, Maharal of Prague, taught:
That world of matter has six dimensions - all measurable, weighable. East, West, South, North, up, down. But Shabbat adds a spiritual seventh dimension - k'dushah, sanctity.
In the Jewish narrative, both Shabbat and k'dushah - holiness - are embedded in the fabric of creation and they are interwoven. What might be the significance of that?
(ח) זָכ֛וֹר֩ אֶת־י֥֨וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֖֜ת לְקַדְּשֽׁ֗וֹ (ט) שֵׁ֤֣שֶׁת יָמִ֣ים֙ תַּֽעֲבֹ֔ד֮ וְעָשִׂ֖֣יתָ כָּל־מְלַאכְתֶּֽךָ֒ (י) וְי֙וֹם֙ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔֜י שַׁבָּ֖֣ת ׀ לַיהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑֗יךָ לֹֽ֣א־תַעֲשֶׂ֣֨ה כָל־מְלָאכָ֡֜ה אַתָּ֣ה ׀ וּבִנְךָֽ֣־וּ֠בִתֶּ֗ךָ עַבְדְּךָ֤֨ וַאֲמָֽתְךָ֜֙ וּבְהֶמְתֶּ֔֗ךָ וְגֵרְךָ֖֙ אֲשֶׁ֥֣ר בִּשְׁעָרֶֽ֔יךָ (יא) כִּ֣י שֵֽׁשֶׁת־יָמִים֩ עָשָׂ֨ה יְהוָ֜ה אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם וְאֶת־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֶת־הַיָּם֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֔ם וַיָּ֖נַח בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֑י עַל־כֵּ֗ן בֵּרַ֧ךְ יְהוָ֛ה אֶת־י֥וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֖ת וַֽיְקַדְּשֵֽׁהוּ׃ (ס)
(8) Remember the shabbat day, to keep it holy. (9) Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; (10) but the seventh day is a shabbat for Adonai Eloheicha (your God), in it you shall not do any manner of work, not you, your son, your daughter, nor your man-servant, not your maid-servant, not your cattle, not your stranger who is within your gates; (11) for in six days Adonai made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested on the seventh day; when Adonai blessed Shabbat, and hallowed it.
Zachor - remember.
What do you think it could mean to remember Shabbat?
If you were making rules or guidelines to help people remember Shabbat, what would you suggest?
What might be the distinction between a generic stranger and "your" stranger?
(טז) וְשָׁמְר֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶת־הַשַּׁבָּ֑ת לַעֲשׂ֧וֹת אֶת־הַשַּׁבָּ֛ת לְדֹרֹתָ֖ם בְּרִ֥ית עוֹלָֽם׃ (יז) בֵּינִ֗י וּבֵין֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל א֥וֹת הִ֖וא לְעֹלָ֑ם כִּי־שֵׁ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֗ים עָשָׂ֤ה יְהוָה֙ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם וְאֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ וּבַיּוֹם֙ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י שָׁבַ֖ת וַיִּנָּפַֽשׁ׃ (ס)
(16) . . . the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual (forever) covenant. (17) It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel for ever; for in six days the Adonai made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day Shabbat (God ceased from work) and rested/was refreshed.’
What could this text add to our understanding of the covenant (brit) between the Jewish people (bnei Israel) and God?
How might Shabbat be a "sign" between the children of Israel and God?
(יב) שָׁמ֣֛וֹר אֶת־י֥וֹם֩ הַשַׁבָּ֖֨ת לְקַדְּשׁ֑֜וֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוְּךָ֖֣ ׀ יְהוָ֥֣ה אֱלֹהֶֽ֗יךָ (יג) שֵׁ֤֣שֶׁת יָמִ֣ים֙ תַּֽעֲבֹ֔ד֮ וְעָשִׂ֖֣יתָ כָּֿל־מְלַאכְתֶּֽךָ֒׃ (יד) וְי֙וֹם֙ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֜֔י שַׁבָּ֖֣ת ׀ לַיהוָ֖֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑֗יךָ לֹ֣א תַעֲשֶׂ֣ה כָל־מְלָאכָ֡ה אַתָּ֣ה וּבִנְךָֽ־וּבִתֶּ֣ךָ וְעַבְדְּךָֽ־וַ֠אֲמָתֶךָ וְשׁוֹרְךָ֨ וַחֲמֹֽרְךָ֜ וְכָל־בְּהֶמְתֶּ֗ךָ וְגֵֽרְךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בִּשְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ לְמַ֗עַן יָנ֛וּחַ עַבְדְּךָ֥ וַאֲמָתְךָ֖ כָּמֽ֑וֹךָ׃ (טו) וְזָכַרְתָּ֞֗ כִּ֣י־עֶ֤֥בֶד הָיִ֣֙יתָ֙ ׀ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔֗יִם וַיֹּצִ֨אֲךָ֜֩ יְהוָ֤֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֤֙יךָ֙ מִשָּׁ֔ם֙ בְּיָ֤֥ד חֲזָקָ֖ה֙ וּבִזְרֹ֣עַ נְטוּיָ֑֔ה עַל־כֵּ֗ן צִוְּךָ֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת אֶת־י֥וֹם הַשַׁבָּֽת׃ (ס)
(12) Guard the day of Shabbat, to keep it holy, as Adonai Eloheicha (your God) commanded you. (13) Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; (14) but the seventh day is shabbat for Adonai Eloheicha, in it you shall not do any (all) manner of work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your man-servant, nor your maid-servant, nor your ox, nor your ass, nor any of your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates; that your man-servant and your maid-servant may rest as well as your. (15) And your shall remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and the Adonai Eloheicha brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore Adonai Eloheicha commanded you to keep the sabbath day.
Now we add "guard" Shabbat - shamor.
How might guarding be different from remembering in practice?
If you were making rules or guidelines to help peopleguard Shabbat, what would you suggest?
"Thinking Shabbat" Rabbi Lawrence Kusher in A Shabbat Reader, p 199-201
We need a way to describe liberal Jews who are serious about Shabbat. Shomer Shabbat, Keeper of Shabbat, based as it is on the language of the actual commandment in Deuteronomy, could be ideal. Unfortunately it has been appropriated and defined, meticulously and oppressively, by someone else. So we return to the text of the Fourth Commandment and realize that it is said twice, once in Deuteronomy and again in Exodus. In Deuteronomy (5:11) we are told "Shamor," keep the Sabbath. But in Exodus (2;7) the verb is different: we are told "Zachor," remember the Sabbath. Perhaps it is for us to create a new standard of Shabbat behavior called "Zachor Shabbat." One who is "Zocher Shabbat" would remember throughout the day's duration that it was Shabbat. (Not so easy as it first sounds.) We say to one another, Do anything you want--as long as you will remember that it is Shabbat, amd that will insure that whatever you do will be lichvod ha-Shabbat, for the honor of the Shabbat.
AND
In our home, before lighting our candles we recite this prayer by Rabbi Lawrence Kushner:
All my jobs, tasks, and work, whether they are done or not, I hereby declare that they are done. I reject their claim on me. I deny their existence. For six days I have tried with all my energy to complete my world. Now, erev Shabbat, I realize that another week has come and gone, but that I have not finished. It's not perfect. But I worked hard and did a pretty good job.
What might remembering Shabbat look like, sound like, and/or feel like - even if one were otherwise having a fairly ordinary weekend day?
וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בקֶר
יום הַשִּׁשִּׁי. וַיְכֻלּוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ וְכָל צְבָאָם
וַיְכַל אֱלהִים בַּיּום הַשְּׁבִיעִי מְלַאכְתּו אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה. וַיִּשְׁבּת בַּיּום הַשְּׁבִיעִי מִכָּל מְלַאכְתּו אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה
וַיְבָרֶךְ אֱלהִים אֶת יום הַשְּׁבִיעִי וַיְקַדֵּשׁ אתו. כִּי בו שָׁבַת מִכָּל מְלַאכְתּו אֲשֶׁר בָּרָא אֱלהִים לַעֲשׂות
סַבְרִי מָרָנָן וְרַבָּנָן וְרַבּותַי
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אַדָנָי אֱלהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעולָם בּורֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’ אֱלהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעולָם. אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְותָיו וְרָצָה בָנוּ.
וְשַׁבַּת קָדְשׁו בְּאַהֲבָה וּבְרָצון הִנְחִילָנוּ. זִכָּרון לְמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית.
כִּי הוּא יום תְּחִלָּה לְמִקְרָאֵי קדֶשׁ זֵכֶר לִיצִיאַת מִצְרָיִם.
כִּי בָנוּ בָחַרְתָּ וְאותָנוּ קִדַּשְׁתָּ מִכָּל הָעַמִּים.
וְשַׁבַּת קָדְשְׁךָ בְּאַהֲבָה וּבְרָצון הִנְחַלְתָּנוּ,
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אַדָנָי מְקַדֵּשׁ הַשַּׁבָּת
It was evening and it was morning: The sixth day. So the heavens and the earth were finished, with all their complement. On the seventh day, Elohim had completed God's [pronoun] work which God [pronoun] had undertaken, and God [pronoun] rested on the seventh day from all God's [pronoun] work which God [pronoun] had been doing. Then Elohim blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God [pronoun] ceased from all God's [pronoun] creative work, which Elohim had brought into being to fulfill its purpose.
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, Creator of the fruit of the vine.
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the all, who finding favor with us, sanctified us with mitzvot.
In love and favor, You made the holy Shabbat our heritage as a reminder of the work of Creation.
As first among our sacred/holy days, it recalls the Exodus from Egypt.
You chose us [for this covenant] and set us apart from the peoples.
In love and favor You have given us Your holy Shabbat as an inheritance,
Blessed are You, Adonai, who sanctifies Shabbat.
When we make kiddush - the blessing over wine on Friday night, we remember - zachor - two moments in our narrative: the work of Creation and the Exodus from Egypt.
What might be the significance of including these moments when we make this blessing specifically over wine? (Hint: Think about how wine is made and what is involved.)
Why is it insufficient on Shabbat to make only the short beginning blessing that ends with "Creator of the fruit of the vine"? What are we missing if we do that?
דאמר ר' שמעון בן לקיש נשמה יתירה נותן הקב"ה באדם ערב שבת ולמוצאי שבת נוטלין אותה הימנו שנאמר (שמות לא, יז) שבת וינפש כיון ששבת ווי אבדה נפש:
Talmud Beitzah 16a
As Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: The Holy One, Blessed be [God], gives a person an additional soul on Shabbat eve, and at the conclusion of Shabbat removes it from him, as it is stated: “[God] ceased from work and was refreshed [vayinafash]” (Exodus 31:17). Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish expounds the verse as follows: Since [God] ceased from work, and now Shabbat has concluded and his additional soul is removed from him, woe [vai] for the additional soul [nefesh] that is lost.
Thinking of this idea of an extra soul metaphorically, what might it mean?
The Sabbath Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, pg. 10
The meaning of the Sabbath is to celebrate time rather than space. Six days a week we live under the tyranny of things of space; on the Sabbath we try to become attuned to holiness in time. It is a day on which we are called upon to share in what is eternal in time, to turn from the results of creation to the mystery of creation, from the world of creation to the creation of the world...
(א) הִנֵּה אֵל יְשׁוּעָתִי אֶבְטַח וְלֹא אֶפְחָד כִּי עָזִּי וְזִמְרָת יָהּ יי וַיְהִי לִי לִישׁוּעָה:
(ב) וּשְׁאַבְתֶּם מַיִם בְּשָׂשׂוֹן מִמַּעַיְנֵי הַיְשׁוּעָה:
(ג) לַיי הַיְשׁוּעָה עַל עַמְּךָ בִרְכָתֶךָ סֶּלָה:
(ד) יי צְבָאוֹת עִמָּנוּ מִשְׂגָּב לָנוּ אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב סֶלָה:
(ה) יי צְבָאוֹת, אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם בֹּוטֵחַ בָּךְ:
(ו) יי הוֹשִׁיעָה, הַמֶּלֶךְ יַעֲנֵנוּ בְיוֹם קָרְאֵנו:
(ז) לַיְּהוּדִים הָיְתָה אוֹרָה וְשִׂמְחָה וְשָׂשֹׂן וִיקָר:
(ח) כן תהיה לנו:
(ט) כּוֹס יְשׁוּעוֹת אֶשָּׂא וּבְשֵׁם יי אֶקְרָא:
(יא) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן:
(יג) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא מִינֵי בְשָׂמִים:
(טו) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא מְאוֹרֵי הָאֵשׁ:
(יז) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, הַמַּבְדִּיל בֵּין קֹדֶשׁ לְחוֹל, בֵּין אוֹר לְחֹשֶׁךְ, בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לָעַמִּים, בֵּין יוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי לְשֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה, בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי, הַמַּבְדִּיל בֵּין קֹדֶשׁ לְחוֹל:
Havdallah Blessings
Hinei El yeshu’ati, evtach v’-lo efchad. Ki ozi ve-zimrat Yah Adonai , vayhi li liyshu’a. Ush’avtem mayim b’sason mi-ma’y’nei ha-yshu’a. L’Adonai ha-y’shu’a, al amkha virkhatekha selah. Adonai tz’vaot imanu, misgav lanu Elohei Ya’akov selah. Adonai tz’vaot ashrei adam boteakh bach. Adonai hosheea, ha-Melech ya’aneinu b’yom kor’einu. La-Yhudim hayta orah ve-simcha ve-sason viykar, ken tihyeh lanu. Kos yeshu’ot esa uvshem Adonai ekra.
Behold, God is my unfailing help; I will trust in God and will not be afraid. God is strength and song, my Deliverer. With joy shall you draw water out of the wells of salvation. God alone is our help; may God bless God's people. God of the universe is with us; the God of Jacob is our protection. There was light and joy; gladness and honor for the Jewish people. So may we be blessed. I will lift the cup of salvation and call upon God’s Name.
Blessing over the wine:
Barukh ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melekh ha-olam, borei peri ha-gafen.
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.
Blessing over the spices:
Barukh ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melekh ha-olam, borei minei v’samim.
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, Creator of many kinds of spices.
Blessing over the flames of the Havdalah candle:
Barukh ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melekh ha-olam, borei m’orei ha-eish.
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, Creator of the fire’s light.
Concluding blessing:
Barukh ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melekh ha-olam, ha-mavdil bein kodesh l’chol, bein or-le’choshekh, bein Yisrael la-amim, bein yom ha-shevi’i l’sheshet y’mai ha-ma’aseh. Barukh ata Adonai, ha-mavdil bein kodesh l’chol.
Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the universe, Who distinguishes between the sacred and the profane, between light and darkness, between Israel and other people of the world, between the seventh day and the six days of the week. Blessed are You, Who distinguishes between the sacred and the profane.
"Radical Shabbat: Free Time, Free People" Arthur Waskow Sojourners, May-June 2000
In short, the Jewish Sabbath is a day for being, not for making. [...] Doing, working, making are not intrinsically evil. . . . But a society that never pauses to catch its breath and reflect on its values, never pauses to love and affirm community and family such a society forms "making" into a grotesque mockery and turns production, consumption, and overwork into idols.
As the Holy darkness descends upon me, I offer this prayer to You, My God. May the peace and the holiness which I feel this night remain with me always. May my fears give way to faith, and may my pain soon give way to laughter. An may the lessons of the darkness fill my days with awe so that I may learn to experience You, my God, all the days and nights of my life. Amen.
Naomi Levy