The Sabbath
I had a chance to have some time of rest this weekend which was nice and much needed. I am definitely not a "go-go-go" type of person and when life gets busy I just need to slow down. Relax. Chill. Breathe in life and live in the moment. I started reading a book called The Sabbath, by the great Jewish scholar, Abraham Joshua Heschel. In the opening chapter he describes the Sabbath as being all about time rather than space. Humans tend to view spirituality through the realm of space, focusing on things. We even tend to view God as if He were a thing, rather than a spirit.
Here are some quotes that I found extremely interesting and insightful.
"To gain control of the world of space is certainly one of our tasks. The danger begins when in gaining power in the realm of space we forfeit all aspirations in the realm of time. There is a realm of time where the goal is not to have but to be, not to own but to give, not to control but to share, not to subdue but to be in accord. Life goes wrong when the control of space, the acquisition of things of space, becomes our sole concern."
"Indeed, we know what to do with space but do not know what to do about time, except to make it subservient to space. Most of us seem to labor for the sake of things of space. As a result we suffer from a deeply rooted dread of time and stand aghast when compelled to look into its face. Time to us is sarcasm, a slick treacherous monster with a jaw like a furnace incinerating every moment of our lives. Shrinking, therefore, from facing time, we escape for shelter to things of space."
"The higher goal of spiritual living is not to amass a wealth of information, but to face sacred moments."
"One of the most distinguished words in the Bible is the word quadosh, holy; a word which more than any other is representative of the mystery and majesty of the divine. Now what was the first holy object in the history of the world? Was it a mountain? Was it an altar?
It is, indeed, a unique occasion at which the distinguished word qadosh is used for the first time: in the Book of Genesis at the end of the story of creation. How extremely significant is the fact that it is applied to time: 'And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy.' There is no reference in the record of creation to any object in space that would be endowed with the quality of holiness."
"The meaning of the Sabbath is to celebrate time rather than space. Six days a week we live under the tyranny of things of space; on the Sabbath we try to become attuned to holiness in time. It is a day on which we are called upon to share in what is eternal in time, to turn from the results of creation to the mystery of creation; from the world of creation to the creation of the world."
posted by Jared Ulrich at
6:30 PM
1 Comments:
Glad it was a restful weekend! Man, we all need those more often, especially at this time of year. This sounds like an insightful and reflective book. Plus the cover has a great design.
Have you ever read "Sabbath" by Wayne Mueller? It sounds similar to what you're reading.
As the business of the holiday season is upon us, it especially seems the right time to reflect on the importance of Sabbath in our lives. How much rest, how much nothingness, how much Sabbath do we allow our lives? If you are like me, the answer is "not enough."
Sabbath can be a day of the week, but it can also be honored at other times, as Mueller explains:
"In Sabbath time we remember to celebrate what is beautiful and sacred; we light candles, sing songs, tell stories, eat, and nap. Within this sanctuary, we become available to the insights and blessings of deep mindfulness that arise only in stillness and time. If we do not rest, if we do not surrender into some kind of Sabbath, how can we find our way, how can we hear the voices that tell us the right thing to do?"
(page 7)
God dwells within each of us, but in our busyness, I think that we lose touch with God and with the goodness within ourselves. I know that during my busiest times, I often feel empty and out of sorts. This is not just because I am tired, but because the natural rhythm of my life is off. Sleep, healthy food, laughter, conversation, and quietness are essential parts of life. Without them I become less able to deal with problems, think of creative solutions, and even do normal tasks. Mueller's book reminded me that I have created a life for myself that values busyness, accomplishment, and doing. My challenge is to place as much value on nothingness, rest, and Sabbath. I know that my prayer life will improve if I do this. I also know that I will find new wisdom within myself. If we can find a way to slow down, we will discover both God and ourselves waiting for us.
December 8, 2008 at 12:29 AM
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