How to Forget
“Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” Exodus 20:8
Remember – The Sabbath is anti-American. It interferes with the American way of life. It interrupts the incessant desire to work, shop, travel and be entertained. It stands in opposition to our personal priorities. It removes us from the flow of our fast-paced, rat-race, do-it-now, keep-on-trucking style of living. It’s so much easier to schedule an hour or two on Sunday than it is to set aside 24 hours from Friday night to Saturday night. The Sabbath is just too much disruption. It fences me in.
That’s why we can’t live without it! Abraham Heschel says, “Unless one learns how to relish the taste of Sabbath . . . one will be unable to enjoy the taste of eternity in the world to come.”[1] Are you as confused as I am about this? How can the Sabbath be a taste of eternity? It seems to limit me, not provide me with the great expanse of time without end. But Heschel is right. Listen:
“Judaism is a religion of time aiming at the sanctification of time. Unlike the space-minded man to whom time is unvaried, iterative, homogeneous, to whom all hours are alike, qualitiless, empty shells, the Bible senses the diversified character of time. There are no two hours alike. Every hour is unique and the only one given at the moment, exclusive and endlessly precious. Judaism teaches us to be attached to holiness in time . . .”[2]
I don’t know how to stop. Maybe you don’t either. Everyday there are many things pressing to be done. Writing this daily adventure in Scriptural exploration is one of them. It’s work that I love, but it’s still work. If I’m going to deliver this to you each day, then it has to be done. But it doesn’t have to be done on Shabbat, does it? This is manna that can be doubled up the day before. Just like everything else that depletes our reserves, it can be set aside in order that we might be replenished. Hebrew has a verse for it. Exodus 31:17 reads “. . . and on the seventh day He rested vayinnafash,” that is, “and was refreshed.” But the word here is from nefesh – the word for “person” in Hebrew. Sabbath is personal refreshment. It is the time where we experience the connection with “made in His image.” Six days we are tied to the earth, but on the seventh day, we come into the presence of heaven.
I don’t know how to stop, but I know I need to stop. My culture doesn’t recognize the need to stop in its headlong disintegration of humanity. But I don’t have to follow that road toward the frenzied suicide of personality. I can stop – so help me God! Yes, Father, help us all. You knew that all Your creation needed to be refreshed. Help us trust You by sanctifying Your name in our rest.
Topical Index: Sabbath, Exodus 20:8, vayinnafash
[1] Abraham Heschel, The Sabbath, p. 74
[2] The Sabbath, p. 8
To break that down even further, the letter ‘nun’ means life. I think I’m correct in saying that the prefix ‘Yi’ means ‘my’, so Yi – nun – nefesh could be interpreted as “life to/for my soul”. A pretty good description of Shabbat as it was intended to be.
Shabbat shalom kol Israel! Grace and peace to you!-
One third of our lives (optimally) is spent sleeping.
I am the father of a teenage son. I see this “need to rest” far more clearly than he. The mantra of today is to “burn the candle at both ends.” Bring in the noise, bring in the funk. Bells, whistles, clang and din. Yes, brother Skip- speed is king. Hurry and worry- are the twin towers of destruction. Go stand in a New York subway at rush hour and witness the crush of the clock. See what happens when someone misses their train. (I’ll miss ten minutes of Gilligan’s Island!) Where has patience gone?
In Psalm 46.10 we read: “Be still, and know that I am G-d.” Our lives consist of three things. Diet, exercise and rest. We need all three. We are not machines equipped to perform 24/7. We need rest. This “rest” will not happen until we are able to “be still.”
This very morning my Father woke me up. With a cup of coffee in my hand I have already spent a period of time with Him. No Bible study, no pen in hand, “sitting silently” ..wasting time with Him. Otium sanctum. “Holy leisure.” It is the highlight of my day and sets the tone for the entire day. “Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him. I had no idea of the blessing that comes from secret,silent prayer. It is amazing.” Refreshing, re-invigorating, rejuvenating rest. In Him.
There is a rest that remains for the people of G-d. We (all) may -“Enter in.” Yeshua said unto the tempest, “Peace,” “Be still.”
Greetings Chavarim,
Skip declares: “But I don’t have to follow that road toward the frenzied suicide of personality. I can stop – so help me God! Yes, Father, help us all.”
Indeed we can stop …. there was no greater forgetter of the Shabbat then me ( 🙁 ) … but in and through Yeshua I did remember. I stopped profaning Shabbat! Ruach HaKodesh now leads me to obedience and worship and praise and fellowship! WE CAN DO IT!
I am joyfully heading out to the synagogue to spend time in union with others who want to rest in Yeshua … our inheritance! Praise ELOHIM!
Shabbat Shalom
Skip,
That was one of the most refreshing commentaries concerning the Sabbath that I have ever heard. God bless you and I hope to see you when you come to CT in February.
I’ll look for you.
Recently, the ‘seasonal holidays’ made it difficult for me to experience a restful Sabbath. I was barely going through the motions. Everything is different when the Sabbath is truly a day of rest and refreshment in YHWH. It is fullness to my soul.
The sun has gone down and the Shabbat is over in Israel.
I just heard a bus go by, so the weekly routine has started again.
I feel refreshed and ready to pour out through this week the Shalom that once again lives in my heart. May your week be a gradual but continual preparation for your next Shabbat
with Our Abba.
Hi Skip,
Thank you for that thought provoting message today. It helped to put my busy life in prospective.
Ruth Olson <
and then I “remembered.” lol!! ‘Zakar’- to remember. (also “to be male”). Any idea or information concerning the Hebraic pictogram of “zakar?”
This my (male) friends is the failure of Adam. (And Abraham, and Moses and me!) We have met the enemy and he is us. He was derelict in his duty to “remember” the words of YHWH. He was enamoured with Eve and enticed by the shiny fruit and was distracted by the Deceiver. Maybe this could be your next book brother Skip. The role of the male to “zakar.”
At the last supper Jesus told the talmudim- “remember me.” John 14.26 states, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
To our”remembrance.” Hmm…
..you that are the LORD’S remembrancers, take you no rest, -(Isaiah 62.6)
Carl,
Zayin is a picture of a spear; one of its meanings (perhaps appropriate here) is sustenance or to feed. It can also mean to cut off.
The Kaf is an open palm, open either in the sense of receiving or giving.
The Resh means the head or the first.
So one pictoral meaning of zayin-kaf-resh (the root of zakar) is to receive, give or pass on sustenance from the head.
If the head is YHVH, then the male (zakar) in remembering (zakar) God’s Word, sustains the family. In providing food (e.g. hunting and gathering) he sustains the family.
Jeff A Benner’s Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible says of the root zkr:
Verb: Remember – to remembe in thought as a memorial or mention through speeach. Also to act or speak on behalf of another.
Noun: 1 Memorial – A remembering and action based on a past event. 2. Male: The one of the family that remembers and passes down family history through story and family name. Also the one to acts and speaks for the family.
Correction – the one WHO acts and speaks on behalf of the family (a couple of typos crept in and I didn’t proof read it carefully enough. Sorry about that.
thank you Rodney- the pictograms of each word (in Hebrew) are so rich to me. The are like eating dehydrated fruit- so rich in nutrients. Even as I read your comments my thoughts (through the guidance of His indwelling Spirit) are “connecting the dots” and leave my face with a fresh smile. I “see” two principles concerning “zayin” (the spear) according to your explanation, “headship” (or authority) and stewardship- which in and of itself is absolutely huge. I am now responsible as the one who is the “head” (zayin) of my family to steward the gifts YHWH has given unto me for their sake and on their behalf. I will ask the Ruach Hakodesh, G-d’s Holy Breath, to remind me of my responsibilities as the “zayin”, to remember and to do the words of YHWH, given unto us for all things that pertain unto life and godliness. I receive in order that I may give. Amen. Our Abba’s blessings to your household today.
I want to tell you something about the way God tought me about the importance of His Sabbat. Some yours ago I was teaching my pupils at school about the importance of Sabbat, a day of rest for Him. He didn’t want us to be slave of our daily work. But after 15 years of working during daytime and ‘serving’ the church almost every night an weekend, I collapsed that same week: a burn-out. At that moment I knew my work for the church had to stop too, for at least one day a week. God doesn’t ask us to work ourselves to death; he wants us to enjoy our special time with Him! It was His ‘joke’ to let me collapse the same week I teought my children about Sabbat. I will never be able to forget, because I still feel the consequences each single day. His Words are so wise…. Better listen!
I’m sorry brothers, I’m Dutch. Wat does ‘lol’ mean?
By the way: Sabbat is over here, it’s 7.58 PM!
It was actually 5:35 pm in Israel when I said Shabbat was over, It showed up on this website at 10:35 am. That is a seven hour time difference!
There’s only one our difference between Holland and Israel! Btw, I can send you the Dutch translations I made so far. Not much, but, as we say: “Not the multitude is good, but the good is much”. (O no, translating expressions into an other language is not a succes, most of the times!)
So, as you can all see, our little community is spreading around the world. Antoinette is in Israel, John is in Singapore, Paulus is in Indonesia, Kees (and others) are in Holland. We have Rodney (and others) in Australia, and lots more all over. Should be a great FAMILY REUNION.
Hello Kees,
Good to hear from you. I think the point you make about translating from one language to another confirms how much we need the Holy Spirit of God working in our hearts. We look and listen with our hearts, not just our eyes and ears. The Light of the world, the light of the Word is able to break through the misunderstandings…thank God for the ministry of this community whose time has come for such a time as this. Lord bless and keep you.
Hello Kees,
I think it means “laugh out loud”
Are you writing from Holland? I remember quite a while ago a Dutch man was talking to Skip about translating his TW into Dutch, did that ever happen?
As you might already know, a lot of Hollanders have a real heart for Israel.
I have met several who have come to volunteer at Sabra House in Israel. They are eager and excited to learn about Jewish roots and to come to a fuller understanding of the scriptures through “Hebraic ” teachings. I think they would be very interested in a dutch translation of this site.
Hi Antoinette!
Yes, I’m writing from Holland, and yes, I love Israel. I’ve only been able to come to you once: last March. Seven days felt like more than a month. I was deeply impressed by the way
Sabbat was welcomed at the Western Wall, but also sad to see so manny guns needed to ensure security. The Dutch hardly have any weapons, the rules are strict. Glad we don’t need them! What pressure to live with all this danger every day! It also makes me sad to see support for Israel declining in Holland. Our country is desperately in need of more of Gods light; the darkness is spreading more rappidly than ever before.
I planned to translate more of TW’s, but the consequences of my burn-out made that impossible. Luckily most Dutch speak and read enough English to go to the site. And sadly enough not everyone is glad learning the Scriptures teach different from tradition. It brought me into conflict with some, and that is not the goal… It should bring us to more love for God and His Word and more love for each other.
But I still hope to be able to translate more in future.
Shalom!
Hi Kees,
I don’t need the Dutch translations, but it would be nice if there could be a link on Skip’s Home Page where the Dutch translations could be found – like the Spanish link that is already there. Then I could just send the people I meet to Skip’s site and they could also contribute and be part of the community.
But you could work that out with Skip or Patrick (Skip’s techie), and I know it would be a really big daily responsibility to undertake.
‘lol’ is internet lingo/slang for ‘laugh out loud’.
Interesante el punto de vista del Dr. Moen sobre el shabat. Le bendigo y agradezco a Dios por permitirme ser parte de esta hermosa familia.
Thanks for the teachings about Sabbath – I suggest that you give yourself a 6:1 schedule, 6 Today’s Word’ and one day without – which day, I leave up to you.
Markus, I suggested the same thing to Skip about 2002 or 2003, (Yes, I have been reading his devotional daily since then or almost since he started.). All of the ones I knew then reading it said that they needed it only five to six days too, and hoped he would. —– Well, he stated loud and clear that he knew that he was to do it seven days a week!!!!—— When I discussed that with one of my daughters that not only read it daily, but had put been many others on-including us, and actually donated money for all of them at that time, when Skip was also saying loud and clear it was FREE, her statement was, ” well, he will learn in due season.”
So we will see if he has learned yet or not.——————
Life is Great in the Lord, in any language: English, Hebrew, Mandarin–yes, our 14 year old CA grandson is learning Mandarin along with Hebrew in the CA Catholic H.S., Bellarmine, that he attends.— No, they are not Catholics, none of us are, they are in a church simply called, “Calvary Church”, and very active in all areas, our daughter was even a Jr. Deaconess. Her PHD Research Scientist, plays the keyboard when he is home and can practice on Sat., and used to play the piano Sunday mornings, before he started to office in Shanghai China, the Pacific Office, and Stanford.
YES, GOD HAS His CHURCH , No it IS NOT PERFECT at all!, BUT CERTAINLY some parts are ALIVE AND WELL IN MANY AREAS. God SPEAKS IN ALL LANGUAGES. “HE IS INDEED BUILDING HIS CHURCH!” IT IS NOT LOCATED only IN ONE SMALL COMMUNITY OR ONE TEACHER, OR A GROUP OF INTELLIGENTISA.– “HE WILL BUILD HIS CHURCH!”
THIS ELDERLY LADY AND MAN- my husband of 57 years, is 81, a Doctorate from Ind. U.. Athletics were his God given gifts, he was born in poverty, but because of being born in this great nation, he was able to get an education. — Today, he does the most meager jobs regularly ( cares for 55-or 60 goats & a 1890’s home for the absentee owner, & substitutes at the local H.S. for $55.00 a day. He also has done all the handy man work on this home and yard, and the others we lived in– he is one that does not talk of a servant’s heart and attitude, he performs it hourly) His old body works beyond its endurance to earn money that the Lord has shown us through the years to invest in others for His Kingdom. Ed’s coaching and Athletic Directorships were in small Christian colleges that became Universities. They do not pay much money. I found with four children of our own, and others that fell through the cracks, that we took in–(no gov. money for it either), that I had to teach school to help provide for our needs. Life is not easy, but God is so faithful.
We URGE EACH ONE OF YOU TO HAVE A BROAD GROUP OF TEACHERS, & COMMUNITIES, BUT MOSTLY, FIRST, EACH GO INDIVIDUALLY TO GOD’S WORD, AND SEARCH THE WORD. SPEND MORE TIME IN IT THAN READING OR LISTENING TO ANYONE ELSE. (MY ENGLISH HERITAGE THAT I MAKE NO APOLOGIZE FOR–AND I AM VERY THANKFUL FOR it, EVEN WITH ALL ITS FAULTS, AND THEY ARE numerous and some even criminal- GRADUALLY THROUGH 77 YEARS, I LEARNED ABOUT the injustices of the churches and governments. I DID NOT NEED ONE PERSON OR SMALL GROUP TO HAMMER AWAY AT THEM IN ONE YEAR. ( but thank the good Lord, that many of you have used God’s Word beautifully in your comments, just reading the many scriptures quoted, brings refreshment!). WE DO NOT need to DWELL ON THE wrongs over and over, WE MOVE ON INTO THE WAYS OF THE LORD, AS GIVEN IN ALL THE BIBLE. THE FULL COUNCIL OF GOD. He is a rewarder of those that dilligently seek HIM! — In the past, I have written much of this in other comments, but they have never stayed on line but briefly.
Sincerely, LaVaye – Ed Billings