The Sabbath (FSG Classics)

This is an excellent book, but it demands to be read carefully and repeatedly. In many respects, the book is like poem on the Sabbath. It is meditative and philosophical in many places, but it is firmly rooted in Judaism and the Hebrew Bible. Heschel was a rabbi, and the book is written for Jews, but there is much of value in this book for Christians as well. Unfortunately, many Christians do not observe the Sabbath, and many do not understand the treatment of the Sabbath in Scripture. Such Christians may find the book hard to follow in places, especially if they have not had much exposure to Judaism, for the book presupposes a basic familiarity both with Judaism and the teaching of Scripture (i.e., the Hebrew Bible) on the Sabbath. Nonetheless, even Christians who lack such background can read the book with profit. Heschel's book contains some important meditations on the nature of life, society, and time. However, the Sabbath is the unifying theme, and so these subjects are subordinated to the Sabbath. Heschel discusses the importance of time in human life, and he explains how the Sabbath helps people both to manage their time well and to improve the quality of their lives. Heschel rightly observes that one of the chief problems in life is that of dealing with the pressure to accept society's values. Popular culture tells us that our personal value is largely measured in terms of how successful we are, what kind of car we drive, how we dress, and so on. The pressure to accept this way of thinking can be hard to resist; and, as Heschel points out, many of us devote our lives to trying to secure our personal value through the pursuit of wealth and success. However, in pursuing these goals, we often find ourselves both deeply unhappy and divided from God, who is our true happiness. One way of dealing with this problem is to retreat from society, as many monks do. Another way of dealing with this problem is to remain in society and face it head on by resisting the materialist values of society and clinging to God. Prayer can help in this endeavor, but so can the Sabbath. In fact, the Sabbath typically involves much prayer, but it is much more than a single session of prayer - it is a whole day that is set aside each week to dedicate oneself to the things of God. If we can observe the Sabbath faithfully and well - that is, if we can observe it in the proper spirit - then our Sabbath observance will serve as a shield against the materialist values of society, and it will draw us closer to God. This is one of the central points of Heschel's book, and I think that it is absolutely correct. There is nothing mysterious here about the benefits of the Sabbath. Think about it. Properly observing the Sabbath requires, at the very least, that one set aside one's work to relax, pray, and celebrate. In fact, the Jewish observance of the Sabbath - and I think that Christians should take notes here - requires one not merely to celebrate but to feast. Of course, feasting doesn't mean stuffing oneself to the point of passing out, as many Americans do on Thanksgiving. True feasting occurs when family or friends gather to enjoy (not simply devour) a good meal while also enjoying one another's company. To feast on the Sabbath is to feast in this way while also maintaining an awareness of God's blessings. Suppose that you did this faithfully week after week. Do you really suppose that this wouldn't draw you closer to God and help you to resist the materialist values of society? Of course it would. I think that to a large extent, though not entirely, the value of the Sabbath can be explained in much the same way that the value of prayer can be explained. Done right, the Sabbath is something like a regular day of prayer. As I said, one also relaxes, celebrates, and even feasts, but all of this done prayerfully. So, the Sabbath involves prayer, which helps draw us to God, and it helps us to achieve some measure of independence from the more pernicious influences of society. For Jews, the Sabbath also involves synagogue attendance and religious study; and, for Christians, it should involve church attendance and religious study. All this, of course, helps to draw us closer to God as well. Then there is the relaxation, celebration, and feasting. Again, done right - i.e., prayerfully - this too helps draw us to God, but it is also helps to recharge us and supplies us with strength to face the new week. Then there are the many benefits - both spiritual and domestic - that derive from celebrating the Sabbath with our families at home. I have just sketched a few of Heschel's insights into the benefits of the Sabbath, but there are many more to be found in the book. I haven't really said anything here about the nature of the Sabbath or its institution in Scripture, things about which Heschel has a great deal to say. For example, Heschel draws an important - and biblical - distinction between labor and toil. He also discusses the connection between the weekly Sabbath and the eternal Sabbath rest that God will win for us at the end of time. Of course, Christians believe that Christ is the Messiah and that He has already inaugurated the kingdom of God; but, both Christians and Jews believe that we still await our eternal Sabbath rest, and there is much that Heschel says about the connections between the weekly Sabbath and the eternal Sabbath rest that Christians could learn from. There are many stories about rabbis in the book that are both enjoyable and educational. Christians may benefit from these too; I certainly did. I particularly benefitted from the story about Rabbi Judah ben Ilai. Here is the story about him, taken from the Talmud: "This was the practice of Rabbi Judah ben Ilai--on the eve of the Sabbath a basin filled with hot water was brought to him, and he washed his face, hands and feet, and he wrapped himself and sat in fringed linen robes, and he was like an angel of the Lord of hosts." The devotion of this great sage to the Sabbath is inspiring. As Heschel remarks, and as Jewish tradition has long taught, one should prepare diligently for the Sabbath. In this story from the Talmud about Rabbi Judah ben Ilai, we see that he not only prepared for the Sabbath diligently, but that he properly acknowledged - and was awed by - the holiness of this day. At first blush, this idea might seem strange to Christians, but it's really not. Just as Christians prepare for Christmas with great anticipation and acknowledge the holiness of the time when God became man, so too they can prepare for each Sabbath with great anticipation of the eternal rest that Christ has won for us. Jewish tradition teaches that we can experience a foretaste of the eternal Sabbath rest during the weekly Sabbath, and Christians can accept this too. After all, this teaching is rooted in Scripture. Judaism understands the Sabbath day, i.e., Saturday, to be holy itself (Genesis 2:3). Christians who celebrate the Sabbath on Sunday will not view the day as being holy itself, but they will nonetheless view the day as special, as it commemorates the resurrection of Jesus. This is not the place to examine in detail how Jews celebrate the Sabbath, and it is certainly not the place to suggest how Christians might decide to celebrate the Sabbath. However, I would like to urge Christian readers to observe the Sabbath by attending church, praying, and studying Scripture. I would also like to urge them to refrain from work on the Sabbath - including cooking - and to relax, celebrate, and feast. After all, Scripture commands this. I am grateful to Heschel for writing such a marvelous book. I look forward to reading it again on numerous Sunday afternoons as I celebrate the Sabbath with my family. More generally, I am grateful to Judaism for helping to teach me the value of the Sabbath. Finally, I should mention that the introduction to the book was written by Heschel's daughter, Susannah Heschel. She is a chaired professor of Jewish studies at Dartmouth College, and her introduction is a good read itself.

I am not a Jew. I am Christian and absolutely LOVED this book. The writing is beautifully poetic, sensitive and evocative. The forward, written by the author's daughter, is also very lovely. It is the kind of book you read when you are in a contemplative mood. Dont rush it... This is not the kind of book to hurry through. Enjoy the word-smithing and the incredible love behind the writing. The passion and intelligence in the writing is perfectly paired with a cup of tea on a stormy day. Allow yourself to think about what is being communicated. I can certainly understand why this book is so beloved by practicing Jews. It is definitely worth the read if you are a fan of descriptive writing.

The Sabbath seeks to find meaning of the weekly celebration for the servant of The Lord in a contemporary setting. This quest does not inject new meaning into the observance but persuades readers to take a step back and earnestly contemplate how an eternal God invites those whom He loves to sanctify time, who in turn therefore demonstrate their love for God. In my opinion, the greatest value of this book is that it challenges you to rethink the reality you have become accustomed to and to scrutinize the assumptions that animate the spiritual status quo. The modern world focuses its attention on gaining more space—that is, things that occupy literal space such as money, land and resources—yet time is what stands above that space. The realm of space turns people and things into commodities. The realm of time invites people to simply be and begins to understand the vast ocean of limitless time that characterizes God. The book elucidates that an eternal God made a certain segment of time holy, and thus explains how we can build a sanctuary of time—a figurative structure concerned with internal convictions and sacred moments that is separate and distinct from a world of outward possessions. The Sabbath certainly is not a book that prescribes specific behaviors, nor does it burden the reader with endless spiritual rules for Sabbath observance. Rather, it equips the reader in the process of formation so that proper meaning and understanding can be found. It is from this stance that individuals are left to decide how to execute their Sabbath freedom. Despite the fact that this book is written from the Jewish perspective, Heschel draws upon timeless Biblical truth in order to make readers aware of God’s imperative in drawing our attention to an alternative consciousness. Hence, as a Christian and one who instructs others in Christian doctrine, The Sabbath is readily applicable to contemporary Christianity and will certainly act as a catalyst to in the transformative process that God orchestrates in our lives. It re-centers readers on the peace found in God in the midst of a distracting world—a focus similar, for example, to books such as Brueggemann’s The Prophetic Imagination and Sabbath as Resistance. Read this book in order to be enlightened, inspired, and energized by a revolutionary new theological imagination.

This is an excellent treatment of the Sabbath through a Jewish world-view. The author is a very profound and deep thinker / philosopher and theologian. His approach to the topic is very well supported and researched. The only issue I have with the work is that it is not an easy read and his singular approach, though beautiful, will be limited by his experience and worldview. This is not a bad thing but just something the reader needs to be aware of. I would use this book as a companion other works to provide me with a full picture.

Dipping into the pages of this thin volume is like drinking from a fresh spring in an oasis; it satisfies, but never stops bubbling up from below, refreshing again and again. Though it might not affect others as it did me, this work launches my mind off on a chain of speculations. And "The Sabbath" is quite poetic! Every (!) page is filled with gems like the following (p67): "A thought has blown the market place away. There is a song in the wind and joy in the trees. The Sabbath arrives in the world, scattering a song in the silence of the night: eternity utters a day." Another: "Israel is engaged to eternity. Even if they dedicate six days of the week to worldly pursuits, their soul is claimed by the seventh day." "The Sabbath" is also intellectually satisfying. Heschel offers fresh ways of looking at existence: "...time is that which never expires...it is the world of space which is rolling through the infinite expanse of time." At the level of daily existence, this work challenges a common perspective, asserting: "Labor is the means toward an end, and the Sabbath as a day of rest, as a day of abstaining from toil, is not for the purpose of becoming fit for the forthcoming labor. The Sabbath is a day for the sake of life. Man is not for the purpose of enhancing the efficiency of his work." I mentioned that "The Sabbath" unleashed my speculative mind. For example, I tried to imagine the bubble of space-time suspended in an otherness we call God. Space is visible, filled with things; time is invisible but no less real. We and all around us float atop the river of time.... It occurred to me that at all instants, we are supported by the otherness that is in front of us in time, as well behind us in time. I drifted into another rumination: The First and Second Temples were works of men. While wandering in Sinai, tents were sufficient. And today, with neither temple nor tent, our new temple is one of temporal structures, carried inside each of us from place to place. Then, thinking of thingness, it occurred to me that Moses destroyed the tablets upon which the Divine laws were inscribed. He left the broken slabs where they fell. The stone was merely a tool - not the substance. The words (seemingly evanescent) were the truly enduring element. I hope other readers of this volume will find it the springboard for meditation that I found it to be. I recommend it in the belief that it will.

Rabbi AJ Heschel's book, "The Sabbath" is a short, but densely profound book. Even if you know the abriged version, i.e. the thesis, themes and reasoning, the religiously philosophic prose not only captures the author's feelings for/about Shabbat, but can also be a vehicle for self-reflection. I was aware of the books themes, arguments, and many of its sources, but during and after the reading my Shabbat experience has become more intense and fulfilling. R. Heschel crafted a work that is more than just for learning, but for practice and self-refinement. Also, given the great obsession with things & space in our culture and time (especially with an ailing economy), this book can perhaps help remind us of the human need for sacred/sanctified time. A couple times directly, but mostly indirectly it also relates to us that our "rest" is often not truly restful since we neither are defining it according to the whole human condition nor are we sanctifying time or things correctly - at least when rest proves ineffective. While I do not share as much of R. Heschel's mystical/Chassidic bent, I still find (as I usually do) much practical wisdom in regards to the human psyche & condition. That said, one can apply such wisdom without literalist interpretations and in context that nuances are crucial to a more complete understanding which evolve through time, behavior, and study (i.e., though for instance it is wrong to be sad on Shabbat and yom tovim, what do we do in those times when we are or a loved one has passed recently - in these instances, we learn more about the wisdom and why we are commanded to be happy). Minor hashkafic and halakhic quibles aside, the book is a true gem and a blessing for welcoming, keeping, and observing Shabbat.

As a Christian, I was taught that Sunday (our Sabbath) was a day of worship and rest because the Bible said so. This book leads you to understand the depth of meaning in both worship and rest and not the kind or rest needed after working hard. Rest in God. You have to read a little, ponder it, apply it, then take in the next thought. This book led me to read Between God and Man to understand the Jewish thought of the nearness of God in a,way that is deeper that what I had been taught. My church emphasises our salvation (important) but Heschel helps s me learn about His closeness. So thankul for this reaching.

Rabbi Heschel was one of the great theological thinkers of the last century. One of the characteristics of his books is that every paragraph contains a thought-provoking, often very profound insight into humanity's relation to God and to Creation. The Sabbath is no exception. Rabbi Heschel advances the important insight that Jewish religion in the ancient world was unique in that it relates the holy not to space or to things, but to time. As.such, time is where the person encounters the holy. Hence, the Sabbath is more than a day of rest; it is an encounter with the holy. Therefore, Rabbi Heschel's teachings on the meaning and proper observance of the Sabbath are the key to the meaning of life itself. Scholarly and beautifully written, this is one of the great theological works of the 20th Century. The book is challenging in that it introduces theological insights from thousands of years of Jewish thinking; however, a layperson who is willing to read slowly and attentively will derive great wisdom from this book. The Sabbath is more than a day of rest; it is God's gift than permits us to encounter the holy in time. A must read for anyone seeking a deeper relationship with God.

Nunca entendi tão bem o que é o sábado e como vivê-lo quanto agora, depois de ler este fascinante livro de Abraham Heschel. Recomendo a todos os sabatistas e todos os que se interessam pelo tema. Ou, melhor: como o sábado é universal e é um presente de Deus para a humanidade, recomendo a todos os seres humanos! I had never understood so fully what the Sabbath is and how to live this day as now, after reading this fascinating book by Abraham Heschel. I recommend it to all Sabbatarians and to all those who are interested in the Sabbath. More than this: since the Sabbath is a gift from God to humanity, I recommend it to all human beings!

金曜の日没から土曜の星が見える時間まで、さまざまな生活上の制約や禁止事項がもうけられている安息日、シャバット。それを古くさい制約や単なるレクリエーション・休息のためなどと、人間にとって自己中心的・功利的にとらえることに作者は反対する。 物質でなく精神のための一日、空間を物質でうめつくすため時間を ’消費’するのではなく、金持ちも貧乏人も、どの人にも等しく豊かに与えられた時間という恵みの、本来の豊かさを取り戻し、精神的な存在としての人の完全性を回復することの大切さを、切実に訴えかける。「時間の宮殿」を築き、自己を超える永遠の生に近づくための大切な一日として、安息日のもつかけがえない創造的価値の再考を促す。 シャバットを義務ではなく特権と考える作者の温かい思いが伝わってくる。アシュケナージとして生まれた作者は、英語を母国語としませんが、そうとは信じられないほど美しい散文でまたやさしい言葉を使って、短い章でたたみかけるようにメッセージを訴えかけてきます。すぐに読了でき、英語もやさしいが洞察に満ちた短い文が多く、何度も読む価値があります。

Abraham Heschel (1907-72) was one of the foremost Jewish scholars and theologians of the 20th century, as well as an activist (he joined Rev Martin Luther King on marches) and prolific author. On the evidence of this beautiful book, he was also something of a poetic mystic. This handsomely bound and stunningly illustrated meditation on the theme of the Sabbath, in all its aspects and implications, is just that: a meditation. Professor Heschel, again and again, suggests that the Sabbath is more than merely a 'day of rest' but rather a temporal epitome of the divine, the holy, given to us to not only 'rest from our labours' but help create a time of restoration, serenity, peace, renewal. We in the more and more secular world we inhabit have all but discarded the whole idea of a Sabbath, be it Jewish or Christian. This benignly argued book convinces me of what we have lost. I say 'benignly argued' but, beneath the sincerity and compassion of Heschel's words, is a rigorously intelligent mind at work. Using dozens of examples from both the Old Testament and Jewish scholars down the ages, he builds his case for the spiritual, as well as social, necessity - indeed the intrinsic meaning - of the Sabbath. His central idea, and one which elevates this book into a philosophical meditation, is the essential importance of time and its (literally) eternal mystery. 'Eternity utters a day' as Heschel puts it. The final chapters rise, crescendo-like, to a most moving, stirring last few pages on the very nature of time in relation to the spiritual, and, crucially, in relation to space - by 'space' he means all that is spatial, contingent. Perhaps this is best exemplified in this passage near the end: Creation, we are taught, is not an act that happened once upon a time, once and for ever. The act of bringing the world into existence is a continuous process. God called the world into being, and that call goes on. There is this present moment because God is present. Every instant is an act of creation. A moment is not a terminal but a flash, a signal of Beginning. Time is perpetual innovation, a synonym for continuous creation. Time is God`s gift to the world of space. But this is an endlessly quotable book, one to re-read, dip into, open at random... Always will be found food for thought and contemplation. With a touching introduction by his daughter, writer-scholar Susannah Heschel, which among other things gives a loving picture of life chez Heschel, and the many vivid wood engravings by Ilya Schor adorning each brief but brimming chapter, this unique book is both a work of art and a timely reminder (60 years after its composition!) of the beauty and necessity of what we have all but lost. A beautiful book.

C’est un excellent livre. Il nous aide à comprendre d’avantage le repos du sabbat

This book has been recommended to me for years, and finally, due to presenting on the topic, I picked it up. I'm so glad I did because it helped so much. There were so many gems to take away.