Week's Roundup

Highlights from this week's learning and events; An eternal message from the Torah about Shabbos that applies to every reader, Jew and non-Jew

Did you know that the Torah has an eternal Divine Message that applies to every single human being? Authentic Torah learning grounds us in reality, both what we can observe and what is beyond our observation, grasp and even understanding, and leads to practical positive action. Positive for us and positive for those around us.

If you have adopted some or all of Enlightenment thinking, learning Torah will challenge everything you believe and hold dear.

Here’s to wishing you a Gut Shabbos, which means Good Shabbos. Shabbos is the seventh day — after six days of Creation, G-d Al-mighty rested, meaning He withdrew from creative activity and just is, Being.

Shabbos is the cornerstone of belief in G-d Al-mighty because remembering it acknowledges that the universe is an intentional and loving act of Divine Creation and that every human being is also an intentional and loving act of Divine Creation. Not only 5783 years ago, but every instant anew, something from nothing.

Take that to heart. G-d Al-mighty sees you as so essential and valuable that He recreates you anew from nothing every instant. That’s quite a compliment for you.

And when you see everyone else that way, all your interactions will be different. No more writing people off, dismissing them or classifying them, even in thought, and how much more so not in speech or action.

A non-Jew, too, must know that when the sun sets on Friday afternoon, it is Shabbos until nightfall on Saturday evening.

Not acknowledging Shabbos is idolatry, because it’s a denial of G-d Al-mighty’s Creation. But, in ‘selling short’ G-d, you are actually selling yourself short, preferring to hyper-focus on what you can observe, measure and rationalize, and ignoring that you are an intentional and loved Divine Creation. G-d Al-mighty will be able to handle the slight, but can you? The end result of ignoring the Divine in each of us is despair.

You deserve better.

This Shabbos pay attention to the fact that you are created in G-d Al-mighty’s Divine Image. And, so too, are those around you. And, so too, those on the other side of the world.

While complete cessation from the labor forbidden on the Shabbos (‘guarding’ the Shabbos) is a particular responsibility of the Jewish People, a non-Jew must know that it is Shabbos and know the significance of Shabbos.

And, if you aren’t Jewish, then take the opportunity to strongly encourage the Jews in your family, your community and your circles to properly honor and pleasure in the Shabbos by recognizing and remembering Shabbos and also by completely ceasing from any of the forbidden activities. Don’t be shy to encourage them, even repeatedly. Your words as a non-Jews can especially wake a Jew from slumber. Let him or her know that the world is depending on him or her as a Jew having the courage to emulate G-d Al-mighty and refrain completely from creative activity.

The Jew guarding the Shabbos is a message of hope to every human being that a human being can connect with the Divine, above the natural order, and thereby himself arise above the natural order by connecting to and encouraging the Jews, those with the Divine empowerment and responsibility to live above the natural order, not only on Shabbos but the entire week.

Action: Please email us and/or share in the comments below what you thought about this Shabbos, what you did differently this Shabbos and who you encouraged to live differently this Shabbos. Shabbos Candlelighting time in New York City this week (2/17/23) is 5:15 pm and Shabbos ends at 6:15 pm.