The Torah tells us that we should remember Shabbat and keep it holy. For the rabbis of old, remembering Shabbat and keeping it were both the same thing. But Sefat Emet taught that remembering Shabbat and keeping it are different.

For Sefat Emet, keeping Shabbat was about all the things we do on Shabbat – resting, praying, spending time with our families. But remembering Shabbat was something something much harder – it was about keeping the magic alive as we went through the week.

For six days each week – on the surface at least – time is about meeting deadlines, doing errands, and getting the kids to school on time. But on Shabbat, we connect to eternity. We realize that our lives are part of a far greater story – a story that stretches from first day of creation to the time when the world is redeemed.

Each week, in the peace and the glow of Shabbat, we are brushed by wings of eternity. And we realize that with every act of kindness, with every act of love, we can bring the world closer to redemption.

But normal time – the time that we experience during the week – is connected to eternity, too. Every moment is an opportunity to connect, to help somebody else, to find holiness.

And every moment is a chance to remember that the setbacks in life are only temporary. No matter how hard things get, Shabbat is right around the corner.

Each of us can find our own way to bring Shabbat into the week. For some, it’s prayer. For others, it’s Torah study. My wife says that she brings Shabbat into the week by listening to the birds. “The birds,” she says, “are always singing. For them, it’s always Shabbat.”

Find your way to bring Shabbat into the week. And together, we will make a better world.

Shabbat Shalom,
Art