Shabbos is a time of genuine availability to ourselves and others, a shelter of compassionate spirit. Yet here too we must not place the pragmatic motivation first and foremost. As a spiritual practice, we should think of Shabbos as a gift from God to us and an offering from ourselves to God. Overemphasis on utilitarian considerations tends to unde

... See more

Shabbos gives release from the tyranny of technology, yes, but the deepest rewards of Shabbos go beyond direct utility and practicality. They are in the social, interpersonal, and spiritual realms – family bonding, community formation, opening the heart to grace, nobility of character, orientation in place and time, rediscovery of the self, liberat

... See more

I know there is a phenomenon of “technology fasts,” but it's a lot harder to do if it’s not supported by a community that is doing the same thing. In that way, one of the things that makes Shabbat very interesting is that it exists not just within the context of law, but also within the context of community.