Recently in Defining Work Category

A few weeks ago, many of our colleagues and friends participated in the Riding4Reform, a fund-raiser for the Israeli Reform movement. Cantor Ross Wollman, of Congregatin Sukkat Shalom in Wilmette, IL was kind enough to share part of his experience, which he describes as "five shabbatot in a row" with us:

Last week,
published an article about one journalists foray in the world of secular sabbath.  You can read the article and then let us know what you think. In what ways is this "secular sabbath" the same as our Jewish understanding of Shabbat? In what ways is it different? If you adopt a "secular sabbath", are you also fulfilling the mitzvah of Shomer Shabbes, keeping the sabbath?

What do you think? 

 

I'm writing a few days before Shabbat Ki Tisa - the Torah portion that contains the text of V'shamru.  For weeks, the God has been telling Moses about the construction of the Tabernacle.  And then suddenly, in the midst of this week's Torah portion, the tone shifts - "Above all, you shall keep my Shabbat". The rabbis taught that this verse was a commandment to rest from the work of building the Tabernacle.


Ten years ago, I was president of my congregation.  I worked six days a week for two years trying to build a building for our congregation.  It looked like success was in our grasp.  The plans were complete, we had reached our fundraising goal, and we had secured a loan.  The architect assured us that the bids would come in well within our budget.  And ten years ago this week, it all fell apart.  The bids came in much higher than we expected, and the bank withdrew their loan commitment.  I was scheduled to give the d'rash that Friday, and all I could hold onto was that one verse - "Above all, you shall keep my Shabbat" - that somehow, if we kept Shabbat, and if we came together as a community, we would somehow find a way to build the building.  And that's exactly what happened.  Ultimately, our members donated more money to the building fund, because they felt that we were a community where people really lived Jewish values


How about those of you who are lay leaders?  Do you rest from congregational business on Shabbat?   Do you attend services or go to Torah study?  How does your behavior as a Jewish role model effect your congregations?

- Art Grand
Chair of Joint Commission on Worship, Music & Religious Living
President of URJ Pacific Central West Council

I am self employed and work from home.  Much of my work is computer based and I had developed the habit of checking email regularly and spending some time working everyday.  Once in "work mode" it is hard to escape and before I know it my Shabbat has been eaten up by work.  Last month, I made the decision that prior to leaving for Friday Shabbat services, I would turn off my computer and not turn it on until after Shabbat.  Thanks to caller ID, I no longer take business calls on the weekend either.  For me, this change is radical!  This Shabbat ritual has changed my mental state for the entire weekend and I believe it has made me a better father and husband.

 

In our hectic, fast paced, business-oriented lives, it can be especially difficult to turn off our working selves and make time and space for Shabbat.  The statement above is one way of doing it. Any other ideas?

What works (no pun intended!) or doesn't work for you?