Shabbat: Why We Need the Sabbath More than Ever

Have you ever noticed the irony of our modern world — we have more time-saving technology, but less time to spend on the things that really matter to us? In today’s episode, the third in a series about the Shabbat, host Yael Eckstein talks about how the ancient observance of the Sabbath — a time to relax, rethink, and reset — is exactly what we all need to combat the challenges of today’s modern world. Yael will take a closer look at the Israelites’ enslavement in Egypt, how tired and hopeless they felt, and the parallel lessons for us on finding freedom from all the stuff that enslaves us today. We’ll learn that if we can reclaim the practice of the Sabbath, each in our own way, we will find more time for joy in our lives!

Episode Notes

In today’s episode, the third in her series on the Shabbat, the Sabbath, Yael Eckstein, President and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, focuses specifically on Exodus 6:9, which is the Israelites’ response to Moses when he tried to reassure the people that God promised He would free them from slavery: “Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor.” The Israelites weren’t only physically exhausted from centuries of Egyptian slavery, they also had a crushed spirit. And because of that, they fell into a pit of hopelessness and despair, and they couldn’t find reassurance in Moses’ words.

Yael relates this story to our own lives. She explains that one of the messages that we can take from this story is how important it is to take care of ourselves — physically and spiritually — at all times, and especially when we are going through a difficult time. It’s so easy to feel hopeless or burned out if we never take the time to rest, relax, and nourish ourselves.

And the main way that the Jewish people do this is through honoring Shabbat, the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a weekly opportunity to recharge our physical and spiritual batteries. Yael will walk us through the importance of taking a full 24 hours free of outside distraction to rest and nourish our souls. In our times, more than ever, we need one day a week to unplug in order to reconnect with everything that matters most in life.