I really liked this article of a Rabbi Elisha Greenbaum from Australia about the shabat project : ...... My Musings Parshas Noach Candlelighting Melbourne: 7:29pm, Shabbat Ends: 8:28pm Whats the worth of a 1-off Shabbos? I was standing in line yesterday at one of the kosher stores and chatting to the guy behind the counter as he was ringing up my groceries. He told me, with justified pride, that he’d be staying over at a relative’s house this Shabbos and was looking forward to keeping a complete, Halachic Shabbos this week. His wife was going to light candles at the right time and once she’d realised that you’re supposed to make the brocho on candles while covering your eyes, she’d been practicing the blessing with her daughter so they’d know it by heart when needed. They’d decided to do it properly; no TV, no driving, no mobile phones for the full 25 hours, just quiet family time and plenty of good food and relaxation. They’d booked a place at one of the large communal meals and he was looking forward to the whole experience. He told me that he wasn’t alone in this ambition. A significant percentage of his friends had similarly made the pledge to keep Shabbos properly this week. Even many regular Shul goers are intending to attend Synagogues closer to home and the resulting mixing of the multitudes of Jews should make for some interesting encounters. I even know people who have taken the further step of kashering their kitchens, considering it incongruous to keep Shabbos properly while eating non-kosher food. While we were talking, I became aware that the guy behind me in line was shifting from one foot to another and sighing in what seemed to be exasperation. I assumed that he was growing frustrated at waiting to be served, so I quickly concluded my purchases and yielded my place at the counter. But that wasn’t his issue. Although he at least had the sense to keep his mouth shut while in the store, he actually followed me outside to justify to me in a whisper the reason for his aggravation. He doesn’t agree with the Shabbat Project. He just could not see the value of keeping Shabbos once and then reverting to type the following week. He saw the whole project as one big marketing exercise, with nearly nothing to do with religion or G-d. I disagree vehemently. Firstly, how can he possibly be confident that there will be no long term ramifications of signing up? Maybe the day to come will be so entrancing and enhancing to one’s health and mental well-being that people will choose to do it all over again by themselves. Secondly, no one knows the long term affects of even a one-time Mitzvah. An infinite G-d has given us an infinitely pleasurable and purposeful day of connection, and keeping it even the once is infinitely real and rewarding. To quote another friend of mine, reflecting on his own commitment to keep this week, while simultaneously musing about his possible mortality “even if I die soon, at least I’ll have kept one Shabbos in my life”. I have so much more I want to share on this topic, but Shabbos is approaching and I want to go prepare. All I can do, if you are reading this before Shabbos, is urge you to try it. Do it right. Do it this week. Make new friends and reintroduce yourself to your family. You will love it. You will feel great. You will thank Hashem for giving us this weekly chance to connect and, in the best case scenario, you will enjoy it so much that you will prove the guy in line completely wrong and you’ll keep on keeping the Shabbos day for now and forever.
Posted on: Fri, 24 Oct 2014 06:49:11 +0000
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