Sabbath

Teachings

SEVEN PRACTICES OF SABBATH KEEPING

The Practice | Rabbi Evan Moffic

After casting a beautiful vision for what Sabbath is and why we should practice it (Sabbath is Heaven. Sabbath is Freedom. Sabbath is Rest.) Rabbi Moffic led us through seven practical ideas of how we can set the Sabbath apart in our practice as separate and holy from the rest of our week:

• Take a walk

• Savor a special meal

• Spend time with someone you love

• Study the Bible

• Light candles

• Turn off your cell phone

• Take a nap

These suggestions are so simple and so practical, yet require so much intentionality to implement. I need to truly believe that I am free from my burden of work in order to exercise freedom and take a walk. Even if our practice begins small, I still believe this rhythm is a powerful practice of heaven, freedom, and rest in our faith.

HOW TO PRACTICE SABBATH

The Practice | Jason Feffer

Jason Feffer opened our eyes to new ways of seeing and keeping the Sabbath (the only one of the ten commandments Christians brag about breaking). He began by reminding us of something we already know but regularly ignore—we all have rhythm. God built a rhythm into every element of the created world. If we look, we can see that we are part of these rhythms. And more specifically, the rhythm Jason wanted us to grasp last night was the rhythm of work and rest, the rhythm laid out in the creation story of Genesis 1 and 2. The most compelling part of this teaching for me was the idea that keeping Sabbath is not a weekly practice, but a daily practice. For three days, we look forward to Sabbath. On one day, we welcome the Sabbath. Then for three days, we remember the Sabbath.

Aligning with this rhythm requires intentionality, of course, and Jason gave us some helpful guidelines to consider as we dip our toe into the practice of Sabbath. He reminded us first and foremost that Sabbath is a balance between resting and engaging. Just resting can lead to legalism. Just engaging can lead to meaningless busyness.