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Shabbat
(the Jewish Sabbath) occurs
each Friday just prior to
sundown and lasts through
Saturday, until nightfall
Saturday night. In practice,
this 25-hour weekly
occurrence emphasizes
restraint from physical work
and labor. It allows man
time to rest from a long
arduous work-week, and to
re-strengthen himself fro
the next week. However,
Shabbat is much more
than this. It is a frame of
mind as well as a cause for
celebration.
The first mention of
Shabbat occurs in
Genesis 2:1, just following
the story of creation.
“On
the seventh day, G-d
completed his work that
he did. He rested on the
seventh day from the
work that he did. He
blessed the seventh day
and hallowed it, for on
it, he rested from all
the work that G-d
created to make.”
Principally, Shabbat
is a celebration of creation
itself, as well as an
acknowledgement of G-d as
the ruler of creation. By
resting from work, we can
more readily appreciate
God’s handiwork and allow
nature, and, perhaps, even
technology, to work for us,
instead of our providing
the work.
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