Benefits of observing Shabbat
There are many benefits of observing Shabbat for Jews. It allows Jews to have quality family time, away from the hustle and bustle of busy, everyday life and gives them the opportunity to have regular breaks from work and technology. It also gives them time to think about their religious beliefs, for example God and the Torah.
The importance of the home is also expressed during the weekly Shabbat celebrations. By observing Shabbat, Jews are obeying two of the mitzvahA commandment or a good deed. The plural is mitzvot. as well as remembering the freedom of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.
Every family will celebrate Shabbat in their own way, but most celebrations will include lots of preparation before the start of Shabbat, eg:
- the lighting of candles
- a family meal which will include two braided loaves of bread known as challah breadA special braided bread eaten on Shabbat.
- prayers
- visits to the synagogue
Challenges of observing Shabbat
Despite Shabbat having many benefits, it can also present some challenges to modern Jewish families.
It may be that a Jewish person has to leave work early on a Friday, as Shabbat begins at sunset on Friday evenings. This means that Shabbat can start as early as 15:29 during the winter months in certain parts of the UK, and this could be problematic in some jobs if people find it difficult to leave work early. Students might also need to leave school early on a Friday afternoon and miss important lessons.
It can also mean a lot of preparation for Orthodox Jews who take the Shabbat laws very seriously. Jews are expected to turn off all electrical devices, such as ovens, dishwashers and lights during Shabbat. This means that they may have to set timers to turn lighting on and off and prepare the meal beforehand.
Avot melakhah
There is a list of prohibited tasks and activities during Shabbat. This is known as avot melakhah. Judaism teaches that Jews must observe the following during Shabbat:
- no working
- no cooking
- no driving
- no using the telephone
- no laundry
- no handling of money
This can be a struggle for many modern families and can result in families having to walk several miles to their local synagogue on the Saturday morning, as they are prevented from using their cars or public transport during Shabbat.
Question
Explain the Jewish celebration of Shabbat.
Shabbat is observed every week from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday. This is an important time for Jews as they are observing the commandment from God to keep the Sabbath day holy. During the lead up to Shabbat, Jewish families might prepare many jobs in advance, as there are many things which Jews are prohibited from doing during this time. They may do things like cooking the dinner, cleaning the home and setting timers for the lights to come on and off. During Shabbat Jews may have a family meal, which traditionally includes two braided loaves of bread known as challah. They might spend a lot of time as a family away from technology such as the television and mobile phones. They may pray, study the Torah and visit the synagogue. Some of the things Jews are prohibited from doing during Shabbat include handling money, working and driving.