Sabbath Effect

The drive to improve is deeply seated in the human soul. We intuit that we have the potential to be so much more than we are today. In the Jewish world, that impulse has given rise to a tradition of thought and practice called Mussar. From within the perspectives of this 1,100-year-old tradition, focused on spirituality and transformation, the primary method for achieving our highest potential and purpose in life involves refining our personal traits of character. But how can we do this? What steps can we take that will truly make a difference? One of the most important of the biblical commandmentsso significant that it numbers among the Ten Commandmentsis the directive to observe a weekly day of rest. A Spirituality of the Sabbath unpacks and demonstrates how the practice of a weekly day set aside for rest brings about a deep, lasting, and pervasive transformation of character, not just on that seventh day but every day a rest that brings about the change we hunger for. A Sabbath practice gives respite from the relentless assault of information (as well as misinformation), the intrusion of social media into every waking moment, the shrill hysteria of the online hucksters and influencers, our addiction to our cell phones, the fearmongering of politicians, the heated divisiveness that wracks our world. But it turns out that when we give ourselves a day of rest away from that noise, it gifts us back an unexpected dividend: not only do we get the break we crave, but the activities undertaken on that day of rest have an impact on our capacity to be aware, joyful, content, and trusting, and happier every single day of our lives. When we give ourselves a Sabbath, it rewards us with a lasting and far-reaching transformation of character.Drawing on venerable Mussar sources as well as the experiences of contemporary practitioners, this accessible guide offers a radical and moving exploration of how the practice of Shabbat enhances and refines core traits of character. Readers will find that it contributes immeasurably to their enjoyment of life, as well as helping them fulfill their highest human potential.