Sabbath Summary

שבת

The Jewish Sabbath is a cornerstone of Jewish life and faith. Containing a theological message: the world has a Creator, who cares for His creation; social and ethical lessons: man is not a machine, and deserves one day a week dedicated to rest, family, study, and spirituality; and a recipe for solidarity and brotherhood: we must all rest once a week, in order to make sure that each of us, even the poorest,  can rest with us as well, the Sabbath is one of Judaism's great gifts to humanity. Many forms of work are forbidden, including  things which may not seem like work - such as striking a match, carrying even the lightest of things in public,  or tying double knots, creating a spirit of sanctity and oneness with nature. Space is made for family meals, trips to the synagogue, and Torah study. The Shabbat is, indeed, God's gift to His people, and a gift we give to one another by creating a society in which no one is forced to work seven days a week.

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Every week, parshaoftheweek.com brings you a rich selection of material on parshat hashavua, the weekly portion traditionally read in synagogues all over the world. Using both classic and contemporary material, we take a look at these portions in a fresh way, relating them to both ancient Jewish concerns as well as cutting-edge modern issues and topics. We also bring you material on the Jewish holidays, as well as insights into life cycle rituals and events...

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