Kabbalat Shabbat

Every Friday evening many Jews celebrate Kabbalat Shabbat. This welcoming of the Shabbat day is a festive time as well as hallowed reminder of the peace and wholeness represented by Shabbat. This Sabbat’s Kabbalat service and Shabbat meal with Rabbi Moshe brought to my mind the tradition of the Jews, the community of the Jewish people, and the encompassing lifestyle of the Jewish tradition.

The tradition of the Jewish people was evident in many ways; some appear to be good and others questionable at least from my original perspective. Throughout the Kabbalat Shabbat service and Shabbat dinner various Psalms and texts were sung. The familiarity of these pieces was evident through two young children behind me who clearly knew the words and tunes from repetitive experience. I wondered how rote and meaningful such experience was as various settings were sung in a clearly hurried and seemingly driven manner. Were these rushed sections very though out and meaningful to those who were rehearsing them? On the other hand, the continuity and internalization of such pieces were evident by the various people singing from memory and appearing outwardly to be very heartfelt and sincere. I could not help but relate such experiences to the varying people in my own faith, some of whom rush through hymns and prayers while others have a clearly intentional motivation. The tradition of the Jewish people seems to have created a repetitive atmosphere with good as well as possibly less than excellent consequences.

The community of those who gathered at the Kabbalat Shabbat service was also noticed. It was almost surprising to see children participate in the service in an active role – something of which I had not thought or expected. This reminded me of these people as a group of families whose lives were intertwined by various consequences and experiences. The gathering was a reminder of the central role that community plays in the lives of these people. The dinner was evidence of the family as the heart of this group. It was interesting to see Rabbi Moshe’s joy especially over the presence of his son at the Shabbat table. From the blessings over wife, children, and each other, one could see the various aspects of community that makes these people who they are.

The lifestyle of the Jewish tradition was a catalyst for my own faith. To see the daily time and energy of devotion was an admonishment against my own way of life. Daily prayer and recitation are coupled with weekly gatherings and formal meals to create a way of life centered on religious belief. The belief of these people affects their life from all angles, and I wonder if my faith is as all encompassing as it should be. I wonder if my faith should be more communal with family and church. Is it merely an Eastern mindset that displays such community and a Western one which is more individualistic, or does something deeper drive the thought processes? All of these angles were refreshing and challenging in comparison to my own tradition and practice.

Tradition, community, and lifestyle were the words shuffling through my mind as I walked home on March fourth. The practices of the Jewish people are not only interesting to an observer, but they are also reminders to the one with religious belief; they are admonishments to the one who thinks he takes his faith seriously.