Rebbe Nachman of Breslov (1772-1810) taught: "It's not enough for us to experience Shabbat only once a week. We should try to experience the otherworldly delight and joy of Shabbat on the weekdays as well. Anyone who looks to tomorrow for his reward from God has not fully worshipped Him today." The essays contained in this helpful paperback are by Moshe Mykoff (The Gentle Weapon: Prayers for Everyday and Not-So-Everyday Moments).
The chapters are organized around the five time frames of Shabbat, the weekly holy day of rest and renewal. He discusses preparation for this oasis in time, the ascent into holiness and the contemplative atmosphere that comes with the start of Shabbat, practices for awareness in the morning, reading from the Torah and the third meal, and carrying the Shabbat observances into the rest of the week.
Mykoff has done us all a service by bringing together these spiritually rich teachings about the mitzvahs of Shabbat. For example, preparations include trimming the nails, which is symbolic of removing lifeless matter from our bodies, and a bath in hot water on Friday afternoon (see the excerpt). Mykoff writes about the amplified awareness of God that is part of the observance of Shabbat and makes reference to the promise in the Talmud that anyone who delights in this holy day is rewarded with "boundless blessing." He also notes that eating for spirituality is one of its benefits. "The soul's ascendance on Shabbat enables the body to bring its drives, instincts and desires into perspective. Thus, taking pleasure in the various physical delights associated with Shabbat is reckoned a mitzvah: these pleasures are ordained by God and engaging in them is the very fulfillment of His will. Shabbat is therefore the time for festive meals, fine garments and a more restful pace." The custom to sleep a bit longer on the seventh day is part of the rejuvenation process of this Jewish pathway to wholeness and higher consciousness. 7th Heaven sheds light on the practices that make Shabbat a day of such spiritual uplift.
