Rosh Chodesh Society
"Pause & Affect"
Lesson 1: Gift of Rest
With Mrs. Dena Schusterman
It is difficult to imagine today a society functioning without a weekend, but this institution was unheard of in the ancient world. Societies customarily celebrated seasonal holidays, but the notion of a universal weekend -- where an entire society would take a day off each week -- was nonexistent. In fact, Greek and Roman writers habitually mocked the Jews for their Shabbat. Yet, these mockeries were ignored by Jews because of the profound meaning they found in Shabbat.
This lesson explores the deep riches that Jews have found in the
past -- and continue to find today -- in Shabbat observance. We learn that some of the restrictions of Shabbat allow us to experience its power: increased productivity, enhanced physical and emotional health, a more robust sense of liberty, a better fostering of relationships, and amplified feelings of happiness. We then climb to the next rung to discover the vast spiritual treasures embedded into this day -- how Shabbat is a different day, a loftier day, a more spiritual time, rendering it a conducive period for us to ponder and explore our relationship with G-d and our overall life’s mission.
