Good Evening ! Someone once said, The problem with the rat race is - TopicsExpress

Good Evening ! Someone once said, The problem with the rat race is that even if you win, youre still a rat! We live in hectic times. Perhaps more hectic, intense, frenzied, pressured, multi-tasking, pulled in all directions at once than any time in history. With the cell phone, blackberry, instant messaging, WI-Fi we are connected 24 hours a day. Even our vacations are scheduled and crammed to milk every last experience out of our time away from the grind. Is it true that he who dies with the most toys wins? Is this life? Running on a treadmill and only getting off when you fall off dead? For thousands of years the Jewish people have had the secret to balancing life - Shabbat! One day a week from before sunset on Friday to after the stars come out Saturday night the Jewish people have celebrated Shabbat (Shabbat in Sephardic pronunciation of Hebrew; Sabbath in English). For 24 hours no telephone, no televisions, no traffic, no rushing. Shabbat is a time to reconnect to the Almighty, to things spiritual and to put the material world in proper perspective. For as the Almighty said, You shall observe My Sabbaths for it is a sign between Me and you for all generations to know that I am the Lord, Who makes you holy (Exodus 31:13). It used to be that the norm for the Jewish people was to celebrate and observe the Shabbat. The declination in observance is not because we know more or are better educated in our heritage than our ancestors. Perhaps in secular knowledge we know more than our forebearers, but a Jew in our age can have a Ph.D. in physics and be on a kindergarten level in his Torah knowledge. For many Jews of our generation, observing Shabbat is considered perhaps quaint, possibly medieval, even antiquated. One might hear comments like Ridiculous! Not turn off and on lights? Not answer the telephone? It could be important! There is even a fear amongst some non-Shabbat observers about trying to observe a Shabbat - Ill be embarrassed because I dont know what to do! I might make a mistake! Id like to paint a picture of what Shabbat is like in the mind of a Shabbat observer: All week long its work hard, run around, accomplish ... but in the back of ones mind its 4 days to Shabbat, its 3 days to Shabbat, its 2 days to Shabbat, tomorrows Shabbat! And then on Friday, its preparation to finish off the days work in time to come home in time to shower, change into Shabbat clothes (what in America they used to call Sunday go meeting clothes) and help with the last minute preparations. Eighteen minutes before sunset, the candles are lit and if its a mother who is lighting them she will say a special prayer and then give each of her children a blessing. A sense of peace spreads over the household. A special quiet. A spiritual warmth. Thats it; the work week is over. Whatever was supposed to be accomplished was accomplished. What didnt get accomplished will just have to wait until Shabbat is over. Shabbat has been called an Island in Time ... peace and tranquillity, a time for family and friends. A time which puts life in perspective. The Friday night meal starts with Kiddush prayer said over wine or grape juice. Then comes the motzie, the blessing for bread over the 2 Challahs. Why 2 Challahs? The Torah tells us that on Shabbat during the 40 years in the desert, we received a double portion of maneh on Friday to last through Shabbat. The meal may go on for 2 to 3 three hours starting with questions for the kids on the weeks Torah portion, special Shabbat songs, words of Torah giving insights into life ... and talking and being with the ones you love! And all of that punctuated by delicious courses of food - soup, fish, salad, chicken, kugels, drinks, desserts. Shabbat is special and every effort goes into making it special, particularly the food. Want to bring Shabbat into your life? The easiest way is to find a Shabbat observant friend and ask him if you could come for a meal. Dont be hesitant. He will be thrilled that you ask! Avraham, our forefather, had a tent with 4 doors open to all directions so that passersby could come for a meal. He instilled the value of kindness and hospitality into our Jewish nature. Probably if a friend asked if he could come to your home for a meal with your family, you would be happy; dont think your friends reaction would be any less than yours! As you see how different families celebrate the Shabbat, you can incorporate into your own Shabbat celebration the foods, customs and even songs.