History Development of Shabbat

Shabbat in the Bible

The Sabbath was a cornerstone of the Temple service and of popular observance in ancient Israel.

Shabbat: A Hasidic View

For one Hasidic master, Shabbat is not the weekend, but the sacred center of the week, which illuminates the days before and after.

The Rabbis’ Shabbat Part I: Prohibitions

The rabbis of antiquity used prohibitions to shape a Shabbat experience in which creative activity is set aside to make time for matters of the spirit. First of two parts.

Shabbat in the Modern World

In modern times, non-Orthodox Jews have largely abandoned Shabbat observance, despite many innovations intended to encourage it.

Mystical Shabbat

The masters of Kabbalah explained all of the elements of the Sabbath rituals as a consistent thematic drama of the reunion of the Shekhinah the Sabbath bride, with her mate--and in so doing exerted considerable influence on the shape of those rituals.

The Rabbis’ Shabbat II: Enjoyment and Spiritual Fulfillment

The Rabbis used requirements and prohibitions to shape a Shabbat experience in which creative activity is set aside to make time for matters of the spirit. Second of two parts.