Zachor et Yom HaShabbat L'Kadsho

זכור את יום השבת לקדשו: ששת ימים תעבוד ועשית כל-מלאכתך: ויום השביעי שבת לה' אלוקיך: לא-תעשה כל מלאכה
(שמות כ' ח')

Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. Six days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord, your G-d; you shall not do any work
(Exodus 20:8)

By Jewish law remembering the Shabbat and keeping it holy involves a number of things, based on the 39 melachot (defined types of work) that were involved in the building on the mishkan or sanctuary during the period of wandering in the wilderness. This is a long story in itself and isn't what I intended to write about but, needless to say, the prohibitions include a lot of things which are part-and-parcel with ordinary life in the modern world - driving or using a computer, playing music or writing, using a phone or flicking a light switch. Hey, even cooking and carrying outdoors are restricted.

A few months ago, when I arrived in Israel, I decided I'd give it a go. I'd been thinking about it for a while but never actually did it, I was a bit concerned about the impact it would have on my life. But when in Rome, do as the Romans do (anyone seen that stupid movie Anchorman?) and, in Jerusalem, Shabbat is certainly done!
So I gave it a try.
And really quite enjoyed it, so I kept it going so long as I was in Israel, quite sure that things would be too difficult when I got back to Sydney.
Now I've been back a month and am loving keeping Shabbat. Rather than being stressed about the wasted say in which I "can't do anything" I find myself more relaxed, more in tune with myself.
I have a day in which I can sit and read (Jewish, medical, neither or a combination), sleep in the sun or on the couch, go for a walk, enjoy the finer things and not have to worry about the time, all the other things i have to do. And I come out of it energised for the week ahead.

How strange that unplugging yourself can leave you so recharged. Or perhaps when we unplug like that we're really plugging into something else at the same time.

Anyway, the point is it's wonderful and I think this change in my life will be a permanent one (inevitable exceptions to be made in my professional life for Pikuach Nefesh, the saving of a life).

So, to everyone out there, have a great week - six days of work - and then a wonderful day of rest, free of all that work. So for then, Shabbat shalom!