By Rabbi Ralph Tawil

Value: Shabbat (2 of 2): Safeguarding Shabbat’s uniqueness.

Just as important as the actions that we can take to make Shabbat unique, are the inactions — the prohibitions — that make Shabbat a special time. Explaining the Shabbat prohibitions to our young children can be difficult at times, especially when there are so many things that they are used to doing in their leisure time that they cannot do on Shabbat. Let us be aware and have an understanding of our children’s difficulties in keeping the Shabbat, but at the same time try to move them to a deeper understanding of what Shabbat and Jewish life are all about.

Context and Text: Moshe, after renewing the covenant with God, and receiving the second set of tablets, commands Israel to build the Mishkan. He prefaces his command with a statement concerning Shabbat. The juxtaposition of these commandments (Shabbat and Mishkan) serves to define the activities that are prohibited on Shabbat. It also gives us a conceptual framework for understanding the common denominator of the prohibited activities—physically creative work. A most important aspect of many creative activities is the use of fire. That is the prohibition singled out by our perasha as forbidden on Shabbat.

(Note: The idea of being "put to death" might be a very scary one for children (and even for some adults, for that matter!) The words are meant to show how serious it is to keep the Shabbat and not violate it. However, the children must be reassured that they will not be killed if they violate the Shabbat. The Oral Torah went to great lengths to make certain that people would not be executed frequently. One rabbi puts the infrequency at less than one execution in seventy years.)

Ask: The Torah says that we must not light a fire on the Shabbat. Is there anything else that we are not supposed to do on Shabbat? (This question should elicit some very common things from the children’s world. Cannot talk on the telephone, watch television, ride in the car etc.) Ask the children if they feel bad about not being able to do these things. If they feel bad say: I know how hard it is not to be able to do the things that you like. Speak about some of the ways that you like to spend your leisure time that are forbidden on Shabbat. How do you benefit from Shabbat's prohibitions? (Definitely include in your description of the benefits, the chance to spend more time talking to the children!) What are some other things that you could do instead doing prohibited things? (Talking with friends, family; reading books, spending a long time having a delicious meal, taking a walk, enjoying the natural beauty of the world that Hashem created.)

[Parents, you must be creative in order to make Shabbat loved by the children despite the prohibitions. Pick out books that you will read together on Shabbat. This could be done even with children who know how to read. There is still something special about being read to. Choose games that could sharpen the children’s knowledge of Judaism or strengthen their Jewish identity. Match the Mitsvah or Torah Trivia games, as possibilities. With both younger and older children, make sure to learn together on Shabbat. This could be a uniquely rewarding experience, if done the right way. Both parents should learn with the children.]

Why do you think Hashem wanted us not to do these things? (He wanted the day to be special so He made a lot of things different. If everything were the same, then we would not notice the uniqueness of the day.)

What would happen if we could drive, and watch television or play on the computer? Would the day still be as different and special? (Maybe the father would talk on the telephone about business or even go to work! Maybe the children would be so busy with the computer that the family meal will be interrupted by the children’s being anxious to get back to the computer games. Draw the connections between the things that are forbidden on Shabbat and the special feeling that Shabbat has. )

With older children point out that the kinds of activities that are prohibited are not necessarily ones that are exhausting or even those that require much physical effort. For example, it is prohibited to write on Shabbat two Hebrew letters that form a word. This is not a particularly strenuous activity, yet it is prohibited. Whereas moving chairs from upstairs to downstairs to set the table for Shabbat guests is strenuous and allowed.

Moshe spoke about the Shabbat before telling Bne Yisrael about the building of the Mishkan. Moshe did this to teach Israel a very important lesson. Even though the Mishkan represents a very important human endeavor, marshaling the best of Israel’s creative abilities, to have the Divine presence "dwell" amongst Israel, that does not warrant violating the special day of rest known as Shabbat. The creative activities associated with the construction of the Mishkan are the very ones prohibited on Shabbat. It is not about physical difficulty but about how the activity leads to a physical change.

Our conversation on Shabbat should be about things that are more spiritual. Talking about business or the stock market is absolutely forbidden. These conversations are an intrusion of the mundane workweek into the Shabbat. Aren’t we more than our businesses? Shabbat is the time that we show that our concerns are not just the mundane ones of making a living, getting good grades etc. Rather they are the spiritual ones of life’s direction and meaning; of appreciating God’s creation, and seeking an understanding of our relationship with man and God.

One great intrusion of the secular world into the holy Shabbat is contained in the box that some of us still has in their houses (television) that usually brings in the lowest form of culture (programs), and the highest form of manipulation (commercials) into our lives. If you still have such a spiritually harmful machine in your houses have them turned off and even covered on Shabbat. (Yes, that includes even sporting events and yes even if you do not change the channels.) It is probably the single greatest item in our houses that profanes the Shabbat. If you are serious about Shabbat, shut that TV off. (I know I sound a bit preachy here, but try out Shabbatot without TV, and you will notice the qualitative difference in your Shabbat.)

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