Bringing Equanimity Into Shabbat

The notion of equanimity was a theme upon which I had reflected greatly this past Shabbat.  The closest we get to "equanimity" in the Hebrew is מנוחת הנפש, or calmness of the soul.  A calm soul has an inner even keel, in spite of whatever externalities come about, whether they are good or bad.  In Jewish thought, equanimity does not mean that we passively and idly stay in a state of numbness as we go through life.  The founder of the modern-day Mussar movement, Rabbi Israel Salanter, said that "As long as one lives a life of calmness and tranquility in the service of G-d, it is clear that he is remote from true service."  In contrast to Eastern traditions, we don't treat life as if we are oblivious or asleep.  We are very much meant to handle life's joys and challenges.  Our tests in life help indicate where we are on our spiritual barometer. 

It sounds noble and whatnot to keep an even keel while dealing with the ups and downs in life, but how do we go about it?  It is clearly much easier to say it rather than do it.  There are many ways that we try to relieve stress: deep breathing, yoga, massages, a drink after work, watching television, or spending time with family and friends.  The extent to which forms of stress relief work obviously depends on the individual.  However, what I find is that many of these attempts at remedies don't get at root problems in order to bring about מנוחת הנפש. 

What I have realized is that Judaism has always had a mechanism to bring about the calmness of the soul: Shabbat (שבת). 

For many of my Orthodox friends, when you ask them why you do such-and-such a mitzvah, their answer typically is "because G-d told us so."  I'm a rationalist, as well as an inquisitive human being, so I feel compelled to ask "why?"  Many other Jews also ask the question of "why" because the answer of "because I said so" doesn't satisfy neither the intellect nor the soul.  I have to go further in this particular discussion because I would like to know why שבת is the only ritual in the Decalogue.  What is so special about שבת that it is one of the "Ten Commandments?"  Such questioning makes me want to look at the predominant motifs of שבת and explore the interplay between שבת and מנוחת הנפש, which is what I will do right now.

• The Creation Story.  We rest because G-d rested after creating the universe (Genesis 2:2-3).  Does this mean that G-d was so tired that He needed to take a break?  He is Infinite Oneness, so obviously not!  "Rest" is a mistranslation.  A more accurate rendering would be "to desist."  Much like G-d desisted from working, we also desist from work.  Every week is a re-enaction of the process of creation: six days we create, and on the seventh day, we desist.  Not only do we desist from creating, but we renew our covenant with G-d every week.
• Slavery and the Exodus.  Deuteronomy 5:14 gives us a different reason for שבת.  Shabbat is a reminder of the Exodus and how the Jewish people used to be slaves in Egypt.  Much like when G-d liberated the Israelites during the Exodus, שבת is meant to liberate our souls.  We don't have to withstand the back-breaking labor that the Israelites had to endure in Egypt.  However, we very much have to contend with a different kind of slavery.  We are slaves to our cell phones, our wallets, our jobs, our rat-racer way of life.  שבת gives us the opportunity to step away from that craziness for a day and liberates us to focus on what's truly important.
• Peace and renewal.  As previously mentioned, our stressful lifestyles warrant a day to take it easy.  It's not a simply a day of physical rest.  It is an opportunity to rejuvenate the soul and focus on the spiritual.  It is a time to examine the previous week and figure out how to make next week all the better.  Think of it as the weekly version of אלול.  The Talmud (Berachot 57b) calls Shabbat "a sixtieth of the World-to-Come."  It has a connotation of peacefulness and tranquility attached to it.  That is why there is no competition on Shabbat or any need to "get ahead in life."  It's not so much about doing as it is being.  In short, it's being grateful for what you have and enjoying it to its fullest.
• A Sanctuary in Time.  This is the beautiful wording of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel: "Shabbat is a sanctuary in time."  Time is the first thing that G-d sanctifies, long before human beings, places (e.g., the Temple), or objects.  In Judaism, the ultimate spiritual goal is to [consistently] take the physical (i.e., the mundane) and elevate it into holiness.  As Heschel states, "we live under the tyranny of space for six days."  On the seventh day, we transcend that feeling with Shabbat.  That is why Shabbat is the only day of the week with a special name.  The rest of the days of the week are generic (e.g., Sunday is "Day One," Monday "Day Two, etc.).  Therefore, on Shabbat, we dress in our finest clothes, serve our finest foods, and use our finest chinaware.  We use this time to spend with family and friends, study Torah, and de-stress.  

To avoid the despair of the rat-racer world, G-d gave the gift of Shabbat.  This is a gift that many Jews have ignored because "it reeks of tradition" or "the prohibitions don't make sense."  Rather than throwing out the baby with the bath water, what Jews, both observant and non-observant alike, should do is take a look at these motifs and figure out the best way to bring them into their Shabbat practice.  Shut off your phones for a day.  Don't pull out the credit card to make a payment.  Spend time with your family and friends.  By observing Shabbat, you have a sure-fire mechanism that will bring you equanimity in an otherwise hectic week.