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Sabbath Manifesto

Sabbath Manifesto
Founded2010
FounderMembers of a non-profit Jewish community called Reboot who are in search of a modern way to observe a weekly day of rest.
TypeNon-profit organization
Websitewww.sabbathmanifesto.org

Introduction

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The Sabbath Manifesto was created to slow down the fast-paced society in which we currently live. One project that the Sabbath Manifesto created is The National Day of Unplugging where the Jewish traditional beliefs of Sabbath are an integral part of this project. The group behind the Sabbath Manifesto and the National Day of Unplugging is a nonprofit Jewish community established in 2003 called Reboot. [1] Their main objective is to give all individuals an opportunity to “reboot” their inner self and disconnect from all forms of media and technologies, allowing people to refresh their lives and take a well deserved break.[2] More specifically, The National Day of Unplugging takes the traditional Jewish beliefs and the literal words of God, “On the seventh day thou shalt rest,” and brings it back to modern society. [3] The makers of this project argue that taking the challenge of unplugging will give individuals a chance to reconnect with loved ones instead of beloved/tangible things and technologies, which is further explained by the 10 principles of this challenge. To date, there has been two annual rituals for this challenge, where the last one was held on March 4-5, 2011 and all forthcoming challenges will also be held in March. [4]


What is The Unplug Challenge?

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The purpose of this event is to challenge the world in tuning out of cyber space. This also includes the seperation from all forms of technologies so people can appreciate the real things in life including family, friends, and time dedicated to oneself . [5] Although this day is rooted from the Jewish faith, it applies to everyone. The actual month in which this event occurs on is during March, but after the national challenge ends, individuals are still encouraged to continue to unplug as much as they are able to, i.e. weekly or monthly, as each person has their own Sabbath Manifesto. [6]


There are various tools to assist individuals with disconnecting from the virtual world including using an App. [7] Although it appears to be a bit hypocritical, the purpose of the App is to assist with those taking the challenge by giving important reminders for shut off and information about the cause.


Challengers and their Experience

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  • Andy Altman-Ohr Blog - Fellow Jewish follower, Andy Altman, describes his experience and difficulties without using technologies.
  • Community - Many people write about their expereinces and difficulties with their attempt to challenge themselves on the Sabbath Manifesto Community webpage.


The Growing Challenge

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Many people have heard of this cause and have put their insights on the topic, including the famous Katie Couric. Many scholars have also written about the recent hype on this National Day such as Judith Shulevitz, author, columnist and critic.


The Ten Core Principles

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Many years ago, God said, "six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest: in plowing time and in harvest thou shalt rest". This is a passage found in Exodus 34:21 from the American Standard Version of the Bible.


In the Sabbath Manifesto, they encourage people to follow the rituals of our ancestors from sunset to sunset, one day a week.[8] Any background, nationality, and religion are encouraged to participate and do not need to be of Jewish descent.[9] The celebration of Sabbath in Jewish traditions begin from sundown Friday until sundown Saturday. The root of the word "Sabbath" means to rest and it especially emphasizes family, friends, and food.


1. Avoid technology

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Although this principle suggests keeping away from technologies, it actually means to take some time to appreciate the various technologies that made our lives easier today. According to the Bible (Genesis 2:2)[10], God stopped creating on the seventh day of creation. He took the time to look around himself to appreciate the various objects he made before resuming. People in the 21st century rely much on their technological devices to complete their never ending works. By avoiding the use of technologies, Sabbath refreshes and relaxes the people’s mind such that they are able to complete their given tasks.


This principle generated the most comments out of the 10 on the home page of the Sabbath Manifesto[11]. The majority of the comments are very positive towards this particular principle with people indicating the activities they have done to celebrate Sabbath.


2. Connect with Loved Ones

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It has always been in Jewish traditions that friends and families gather together on the day of Sabbath to celebrate this blessed day. The busy lifestyle of today makes it difficult for family gatherings and because of this; a lot of people can take advantage of Sabbath to meet up with family members that they have not seen for a long time[12]. As part of the tradition, parents will bless their children during the gathering. According to Jay Michaelson, a Ph.D candidate at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, making love on the day of Sabbath is also a Jewish tradition[13]. One could value the romance with their loved one without thoughts of business related matters wandering the mind.


3. Nurture Your Health

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The majority of people in today’s society work fulltime from Monday to Friday, some working even on a Saturday. After a long week of work, Sunday is regarded as a well deserved day of rest. According to the Bible (Genesis 2:2)[10], on the seventh day of creating the world, God stopped. This is exactly what people do in today’s society as Sabbath means a day where people do not have to wake up early in the morning to attend work or school, a day where people could ignore their boss as well as a day where people can repair their worn out body from a week of endless work.


4. Getting Outside

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Sabbath is a day of rest and it suggests that people should leave their house and participate in various activities with their friends or family members. By leaving the house, one is not trapped within a closed environment for hours and by doing so, fresh oxygen is available to refresh the mind of an individual. Meditation is also an excellent method of relaxing. The Jewish form of meditation, Hitbodedut, is done to relax the mind and body of an individual while surrounded by mother nature.


5. Avoid Commerce

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The day of Sabbath primarily focuses on the theme of resting. Not doing and attending business related works are considered part of resting; however, there is more meaning towards the specific term. According to the Talmud, a context compiled of Jewish ethics, philosophy, customs and laws, stated that there are 39 rules that the Jews have to follow on the day of Sabbath[14]. Most of these prohibitions come down to one general statement and that is to not create something physically. For example, lighting up a fire is not allowed on Sabbath due to the above reason. By making a fire, one has physically brought the flame to the world, thus creating “something” that originally was not there. Since God stopped making things on the seventh day of creation, the Jewish believe that they also should not be allowed to create objects on the day of Sabbath to truly honor this blessed day.


6. Light Candles

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Sabbath usually begins with the lighting of two symbolic candles at sunset. One candle is called shamor, meaning to keep or protect, and the other candle is called zachor, to remember. Lighting candles also represent festivity which brings together family and friends during a meal. A great medieval Jewish thinker named Maimonides, once said that, “the candles are an integral part of the Sabbath's delight”.[10]


7. Drink Wine

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Sabbath begins on Friday night and typically the Kiddush ceremony is held before the Sabbath meal. Kiddush is the tradition of sanctifying Sabbath and other Jewish holidays with the blessing of wine.[10] Maimonides said that drinking wine associates Sabbath with a positive physical taste.[10]


8. Eat Bread

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With the busy schedule of the modern day man, people are accustomed to eating take-out and microwave processed foods. However, with Sabbath, people are encouraged to take the time to prepare home cooked meals. This day should be celebrated with family and friends. At Sabbath meals, the ritual of placing two loaves of bread on the table symbolizes a full meal and a time of rejoicing.[10]


9. Find Silence

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Not talking is a form of taking a break from the usual activities of humans. Meditating is an idyllic way to separate oneself from the world and all its distractions. Aryeh Kaplan, an American Orthodox Rabbi, wrote in his book that biblical prophets are able to “"engage in external isolation, secluding themselves from the general populace…There they could meditate on God and His works without interruption."[10] Finding silence enables people to reflect on themselves and all of life’s blessings.


10. Give Back

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Before the lighting of candles, it's tradition to give coins to charity. It has been said that this enables others to spend future Sabbaths without the worry of money.[10] However, giving back may continue even after the lighting of candles. Hachnasat orhim is the concept of inviting people in your home so that others can experience the celebration of Sabbath.[15] The people may consist of family, friends, and even strangers.


The Sabbath Manifesto partnered with VolunteerMatch to launch the "Unplug & Giveback Campaign" where volunteer enthusiasts are able to look for nonprofit organizations and become connected. This will encourage people to use all of their free time from unplugging and volunteer in the community.


How To Unplug

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It may be extremely difficult for some people to observe the Sabbath Manifesto. Some may experience anxiety, more specifically, Disconnectivity anxiety. "Disconnectivity anxiety is associated with symptoms of worry and negative emotions, such as fear, anger, frustration, despair, and physical distress. The only short-term relief is restoration of the connection."[16]


A few ways to ease the feeling of "unplugged" are:

  • Live in the moment; try not to think about work, emails, or what show you are missing on television. Focus on where you are, and what you are doing right now. This type of behavior may lead to better personal relationships, as well as a better understanding of your own self.
  • “Change the meaning that connectivity has for you by disconnecting your connectivity from your self-esteem. Consider what really makes you feel good about yourself--your values, your life’s activities, your relationships, and your good works. Also, recognize the absurdity of having your connectivity impact how you value yourself.”[16]
  • Think about how you feel towards technology. Try to change your mindset of technology as a whole. It no longer has to be a need in your life. Think of a technology's absence as an opportunity to take part in activities in the real world, rather than in cyber space.
  • “Look for ways in which you can actually use disconnection to enrich your life. See disconnected times as opportunities to be in the here and now with people or activities. Think about how disconnection from the virtual world can allow you to build and strengthen real connections with real people in the real world. Look for occasions where you can actually embrace being disconnected, for example, focusing on a project at work with no distractions, while having dinner out, being with your family or friends, or getting some exercise.”[16]


References

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  1. ^ "About Us". Retrieved 2011-07-12.
  2. ^ "About Us". Retrieved 2011-07-12.
  3. ^ "Sabbath Manifesto". Retrieved 2011-07-12.
  4. ^ "Sabbath Manifesto". Retrieved 2011-07-12.
  5. ^ "Sabbath Manifesto". Retrieved 2011-07-10.
  6. ^ "Sabbath Manifesto". Retrieved 2011-07-10.
  7. ^ "Sabbath Manifesto". Retrieved 2011-07-9. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  8. ^ "sabbathmanifesto.org". Retrieved 2011-07-14.
  9. ^ "CNN - people are craving a respite from technology". Retrieved 2011-07-14.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h "MyJewishLearning.com". Retrieved 2011-07-15. Cite error: The named reference "MyJewishLearning" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  11. ^ "SabbathManifesto". Retrieved 2011-07-15.
  12. ^ "The Shabbat Table". Retrieved 2011-07-15.
  13. ^ "Shabbat and Meditation". Retrieved 2011-07-15.
  14. ^ "Shabbat's Work Prohibitions". Retrieved 2011-07-15.
  15. ^ "gatheringthepeople.org" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-07-14.
  16. ^ a b c "http://drjimtaylor.com/". Retrieved 2011-07-12. {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)


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