The Secret to Experiencing True Freedom

What does it mean to be truly free? As Christian theologian Karl Barth wrote, “A being is free only when it can determine and limit its activity.” And in the Jewish faith, that’s what observing the Sabbath is all about. In this second episode in her five-part series on the Sabbath, host Yael Eckstein explores why setting boundaries around time and activities on the Sabbath actually frees her to focus on what’s most important — connecting with God and with each other. Join Yael as she unpacks one of the biggest misunderstandings about the Jewish observance of the Sabbath — all the prohibitions that surround this sacred day and what it means to actually refrain from work and just rest. As Yael explains, setting healthy boundaries can transform our lives and set us on the path to true freedom.

Episode Notes

In today’s episode, host Yael Eckstein continues her new five-part series about one of the most significant, but often misunderstood, Jewish observances, the Sabbath, or Shabbat.

In this second episode on the Sabbath, Yael examines Deuteronomy 5:12-15, the verses that tell the Jewish people to observe the Sabbath by remembering that God freed them from slavery: “Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.”

The Bible is telling us that Sabbath rest and freedom is for everyone. And God freed His people not so they could be overcome by working the land, but so they could experience true freedom. And one way to do this is to take time to rest. This was true in Bible times, just as it’s true today in our modern world.

Yael examines what it truly means to rest in modern times—and how the Sabbath’s prohibitions are actually put in place to help us rest. She explains that you could go through all the things you’re not allowed to do on Shabbat—no phone, no TV, no driving a car, cooking, or even turning on a light. But it’s not about restricting us, it’s about allowing us the freedom to truly take a break from all these distractions of life and create healthy boundaries. Learn how today!