Re'eh
A Secure Shabbat
Rabbi Laura Duhan
Kaplan
In the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), Shabbat seems to
be the solution to every security issue.
Food security. In Parshat Beshalach,
the Israelites complain about having no food. God sends seeds on the ground,
which people call man (manna). Each morning they gather only one day's worth,
because the leftovers rot. However, Friday's leftovers don't rot, and can be
eaten on Shabbat. If you can rest and let go of daily work, one-seventh of the
time, you learn: God will provide.
Ecological Security. In Parshat Behar, we glimpse the nation
worrying about having enough food without depleting the land. Moshe introduces
the law of the Sabbatical year for the land, Shabbat la'aretz.
Every seventh year, no mineral-hungry plants are cultivated, and everyone eats
whatever grows wild. If you let the land rest one-seventh of the time, God will
provide.
Economic Security. In Parshat Re'eh,
the nation worries about creating extreme classes of rich and poor. Moshe
introduces the law of forgiving debt every seven years. If you can let go of
the pursuit of wealth, one-seventh of the time, economic balance will be
restored and you will continue to flourish.
Military security. In Haftarat Yom Kippur, taken from the book
of Yirmiyahu (Jeremiah), the Babylonians threaten to
attack and destroy the kingdom of Yehudah (Judah). Yirmiyahu says: if everyone in the world will just have
Shabbat together for one day, peace and freedom will result. Pause just
one-seventh of the time from competitive global and international relations
will improve.
Shabbat Shalom.
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