Rest physically and renew spiritually

Psalm 92 תהלים

א  מזמור שיר ליום השבת	1 Mizmor, song for the day of Shabbath.
ב  טוב להדות ליי ולזמר לשמך עליון	2 It is good to give thanks to the LORD, and to sing to your name, O Most High;
ג  להגּיד בבקר חסדּך ואמונתך בלילות	3 To declare your mercy in the morning, and your faithfulness in the night.

ELOHIM completed the creation of this beautiful world by the seventh day, according to the poetry of Genesis. Therefore, the seventh day, when ELOHIM rested from the work of creation, was called Shabbath. It was Moshe, according to the Book of Exodus (20:8), that instituted the seventh day as a time of rest from all work. 

זָכ֛וֹר אֶת־י֥֨וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֖֜ת לְקַדְּשֽׁ֗וֹ

The commandment is quoted later (attributed to Moshe) in the long speech of Deuteronomy (5:12). There it says:

שָׁמ֣֛וֹר אֶת־י֥וֹם֩ הַשַׁבָּ֖֨ת לְקַדְּשׁ֑֜וֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוְּךָ֖֣ ׀ יי אֱלֹהֶֽ֗יךָ

Notice that in Exodus says remember (זכור) while in Deuteronomy says guard  (שמור). In the Kabbalistic poem Lekha Dodi (לכה דודי) in reference to these two verses Shlomo Halevi Alkabetz wrote, following the Talmud (Rosh Hashanah 27a:2):

שמור וזכור בדבור אחד

This legend developed obviously to explain the differences in these verses. Instead of accepting that perhaps the speaker did not remember the exact words or simply was instructing everyone to keep what was taught earlier. Of course, no one knows which text was first. Chronology within the Torah as well as in the rest of the biblical text is very complex. However, the instruction is very clear: remember to keep the seventh day as a sacred day. A day to set aside to rest and renew both physical and spiritual life.

Shabbath is a gift from Heavens. Accept it into your life. It will make a difference. Set aside this beautiful day for prayer. Read those wonderful prayers of ancient times in both the biblical text and the siddur. Write your own prayers or spontaneously speak to the Holy One. Read devotionally or study carefully and academically the parasha of the week. Abstain from work. Rest, relax and take time for meditation on the Haftarah of this day. Rabbis have debated what work should not be done (cf. Talmud, Shabbath 49b). The basic prohibited work, by rabbinical understanding, is any task done during the construction of the Mishkan. There are still some debates about it. 

Take time and think carefully and ask yourself: What distracts me from physical rest and spiritual renewal this sacred day? Then be sure not to do that. Everything and anything you do on Shabbath must enhance your spiritual life and will contribute to your mental and physical health. Obviously buying and selling or making any financial profit during Shabbath is prohibited (cf. Isaiah 58:13-14). You have six days to make all the profit you need. 

Resting on Shabbath without spiritual renewal  or insist on spiritual renewal and neglect physical rest, does not fulfill the command to observe the Shabbath. Neither selecting another day during the week. It is an eternal covenant between the Almighty and Ancient Israel, inherited by its descendants and everyone of any nation who join the House of Israel. The day will come when all nations will celebrate this day, as it was set at the Creation. In the third book of Isaiah (66:23) says:

וְהָיָ֗ה מִֽדֵּי־חֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ בְּחָדְשׁ֔וֹ וּמִדֵּ֥י שַׁבָּ֖ת בְּשַׁבַּתּ֑וֹ יָב֧וֹא כָל־בָּשָׂ֛ר לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֺ֥ת לְפָנַ֖י אָמַ֥ר יי

 

Let us be Light: An Interfaith Reflection

Let us be Light: A brief Interfaith Reflection 

The writer  of  the Book of Genesis (Bereshyt) included a beautiful song on the Creation. The author wrote like he or she was witnessing it. The details and logical order make the two first chapters some of the best Hebrew Poetry found in the Torah. Through centuries scholars have debated if these songs can be understood literally, instead of enjoying the sublime experience of reading it. 

The description of ELOHIM amazed by what was created reflects the love of GOD for everything on this perfect and beautiful Creation. Planet Earth, the perfect home for humanity. A man and a woman, the perfect friendship. Without light nothing could be seen and enjoyed. Therefore early in the song (1:5) it is written:

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֖ים יְהִ֣י א֑וֹר וַֽיְהִי־אֽוֹר׃

Let there be light and the light just brighten the Creation. Adam and his wife Hava are commanded to be good administrators of this beautiful world. They themselves, therefore humanity, were the image of the Eternal Light, ELOHIM.  It is written in the Qur'an (24:35):

اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ

In chapter 3 that light is almost overcome by darkness. This light is renewed in the call of the nation of Israel. In the second Book of Isaiah (49:6 cf. 42) it is written:

וּנְתַתִּ֙יךָ֙ לְא֣וֹר גּוֹיִ֔ם לִֽהְי֥וֹת יְשׁוּעָתִ֖י עַד־קְצֵ֥ה הָאָֽרֶץ׃

The Prophet proclaims that Israel is chosen to be a light to all the nations. The nations will know the Eternal Light. These words(Matthew 5:14-16) are attributed to the preacher Jesus of Nazareth: υμεις εστε το φως του κοσμου ... ουτως λαμψατω το φως υμων εμπροσθεν των ανθρωπων οπως ιδωσιν υμων τα καλα εργα και δοξασωσιν τον πατερα υμων τον εν τοις ουρανοις  (cf. Isaiah 58).

Each one of us are called to be a light to each other. People of faith, of any faith tradition, are called to overcome evil with acts of righteousness, overcome hatred with acts of love and mercy. Overcome the darkness of greed, lies, and selfishness with compassion, justice and truth. Overcome violence and wars with love. Be instruments of peace. Be a light in a world full of darkness. Bring the light of the Torah to humanity. It is the light in our journey of faith. The song (Psalm 119:105 cf. Proverb 6:23 ) says: 

נֵר־לְרַגְלִ֥י דְבָרֶ֑ךָ וְ֝א֗וֹר לִנְתִיבָתִֽי׃

Let us celebrate Hanukkah, let us be a light! Let our words and actions brighten this world. Bahá’u’lláh taught: "A kindly tongue is the lodestone of the hearts of humans... it is the fountain of the light of wisdom and understanding."

Happy Hanukkah!  חג חנוכה שמח

כִּֽי־עִ֭מְּךָ מְק֣וֹר חַיִּ֑ים בְּ֝אוֹרְךָ֗ נִרְאֶה־אֽוֹר׃

Psalm 36:10