Shabbat

In the four weeks that I have been here, I am surprised to have not touched upon Shabbat in the Holy Land. In talking with friends and family back home, I'm reminded that although on Sundays certain stores and offices are closed down, it is not the average thing for trains and buses to stop working, for restaurants and stores to shutdown, for facilities to close, and for people to stay in their rooms. On Shabbat in Israel, however, it is.

At first it was an adjustment...having to make sure that I would have food and things to do and people to see. And having to make sure of all of this, obviously, before Friday afternoon. Even as a planner it is hard for me to make sure on Friday morning that Saturday will bring what I need. And yet, I quickly adjusted to this and couldn't ask for anything less than what Shabbat in Israel brings.

With all of that said, however, it's hard for me to understand a certain way of life here: during the week, and even during Shabbat. God set aside Saturday as the day of rest for the chosen people. I find myself contemplating if he really did this because HE needed the rest after the 6 days of hard work, or because WE need the rest after the 6 days of our own hard work. And because I am at a new phase in my life where I am going to be an optimist whether or not I truly am, I conclude that I am leading towards the latter. We need the day of rest and so God provides us with just that.

But then why do people care more about regulations than they do about the actual resting?

I understand that there is a guideline for how to observe. Of course there should be a certain way of doing this task, it is a holy one after all. But my reservations appear when people start to care about the way other people want to preform the ask for themselves. I am all about everyone having their own way of doing things, but I am not all about the criticizing, rolling of the eyes, and judgement when someone rests differently than another. In my opinion, it defeats the purpose of why we are resting at all.

It is 6pm here, and I am happy to say that I am a very well-rested human being. Shabbat allows me to hit the pause button in my life, rest, and then hit play again. It allows me to rejuvenate and gear up for the week to come. And it allows me to connect back with nature, with myself, and with God. And so what if I am not doing it the way other people command...I am living my Shabbat the way I am supposed to live it, realizing that my friends are living it the way they are supposed to live it. And maybe next week I will welcome Shabbat differently, or maybe I won't. As long as I feel fulfilled, and all four weeks have given me that feeling, I am happy.

So yes, I am happy to be living in a country right now that understands that Shabbat is a day of rest. And I am happy to connect to that country the way I have.

Shabbat Shalom to all, and good luck at finding your way of resting. I believe everyone should have one.

L'chaim, cheers and peace!

(thanks to Mario for providing the pictures....)