7
& 7 STEPS TO ENRICHING SHABBAT 7
& 7 STEPS TO ENRICHING SHABBAT
Of all the practices in Judaism, it is Shabbat that occupies the prime position in the Torah. In the beginning, Shabbat appears as the culmination of God's creation, the seventh and final part which is made special and set aside as holy.
Shabbat is one of the great gifts Judaism can give us. Some of us need to be reminded that the "earth is the Lord's" and that our technological abilities do not make us masters of the world. For others the Shabbat teaches that enslavement to their Jobs, the life of a "workaholic," is insufficient. Everyone needs time off, to go beyond work, to see what is truly important and to recalibrate our priorities. Shabbat serves to free us from the tyranny of work and allows us a time to rest. It puts us in harmony with others, the world and God.
So much of what Is needed to create the right mood and atmosphere for Shabbat comes from us. Yet, as rushed and hurried individuals, we often find ourselves unable to open ourselves to this gift. As difficult as it may seem, we must relax! Once we let go of our Intense daily routines, we can move into exploring the spiritual aspects of this crown of days.
Even as we recognize the value of Shabbat,
giving ourselves the gift of Shabbat can be difficult.
We need to find a place to start and, if we have started, some
next steps to take. To help, here are seven suggested entry
points and seven next steps. One more suggestion - whether you
choose these or others, commit yourself to doing them for a given
period of lime to get the feel and give your comfort level a
chance to grow. Then Shabbat might become "a day for
the rest of your life."
| Go to the "SEVEN
ENTRY POINTS" Towards Shabbat Growth |
Go to the "NEXT
SEVEN STEPS" Towards Shabbat Growth |
