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The Joy of Shabbos

If you are supposed to be having Oneg shabbat on shabbat according the halacha but you are not… What is the point in keeping shabbat in the first place? You cant keep shabbat like you should because you are not able to enjoy it?

Answer:

The ‘point’ of keeping Shabbat is to recall the ‘resting’ of Hashem on the seventh day, and abstaining from labor on Shabbat is obligatory whether we enjoy it or not. However, the Shabbat rest should be an oneg, a pleasure for us, and this is why in addition to resting, we indulge in special foods, and so on.

For many, Shabbat is a true day of pleasure: a break from the hustle of everyday life, from cellphones and emails and running around, and an opportunity to spend quality time with family. This might take getting used to for somebody who is unused to it.

Perhaps focusing on the positive aspect of Shabbat, and seeing it as a liberation from the shackles of the working week (rather than imprisonment in the prohibitions of Shabbat) will allow the joy of Shabbat to permeate your life.

Good Luck!

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2 Comments

  1. While all of that is true, there are other things that are not mentioned there that cause us pleasure on a regular day but on shabbat it is forbidden to do and because of that we are suffering on shabbat. (e.g. listening to music, watching movies, smoking, etc)

    1. Focus on the positive. True, you can’t watch movies on Shabbos, but there are many days on which you don’t watch movies, yet you find ways to enjoy yourself nonetheless.

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