Group on Self Different Cultural

¶ … Group on Self

Different cultural situation: Attending a Jewish Sabbath

Although many of my friends are devout members of the Jewish religion, I had never observed or participated in a traditional Jewish Shabbos on Friday night until I undertook this cultural observation assignment. For Orthodox and many non-Orthodox Jews, the ritual observance of the Shabbos meal is essential to their practice of Judaism. The ceremony, which takes place after the family has returned from services at the synagogue, involves a series of ritual blessings, foods, and actions. It also entails the observance of certain prohibitions: for example, carrying things (such as keys), burning (including turning the ignition on a car), and cooking are all verboten (although rewarming of prepared foods is allowed).

Shabbos laws are observed from sundown on Friday evening to sundown on Saturday evening. During this block of time, the family spends time together as well as worships together, enjoying the enforced constraints of Sabbath rituals. As someone who is not Orthodox, I did not have to observe these restrictions on my behavior (I drove to the meal by car, and left by car) to be part of the Sabbath meal. In fact, there is even a tradition of someone known as a Shabbos goy, a non-Jew who will perform actions that the Jewish family is prohibited from enacting, such as turning on lights. However, most modern Orthodox Jews today make use of automatic timers for lights and other modern conveniences that make observing the Sabbath easier in modernity.

The Sabbath meal is very much a community and religious expression of Jewish community and community faith, although it is accepted that there are gentile and non-observant Jewish outsiders who are not required to perform its rituals. These outsiders are still welcome as observers, provided they are respectful of the customs and are invited by the family. In general, Judaism as a religion does not proselyte -- outsiders are not made to feel as if they have or should participate or believe while watching Jewish ceremonies.

Right before sunset begins, on a specific time, the Sabbath candles are lit and there is a blessing said over the candles. The time by which the candles must be lit is actually said over the radio, as it is decided by a rabbi, and changes with the seasons and daylight savings time. Because I do not speak or understand Hebrew, the fact that the blessing over the candles was said in another language immediately affirmed the 'otherness' of the experience, although not necessarily in a 'bad' way, because beforehand the meaning of the ritual was explained to me. Several blessings were said, and then there was a blessing of the Sabbath wine, a ritual washing of the hands, followed by the blessing of the Sabbath bread called challah. Then, the meal was eaten, followed by another ritual prayer in Hebrew.

One interesting aspect of the Sabbath meal is that it is a ritual that is regularly performed, rather than one that is occasionally performed on a special holiday. The atmosphere in the house was very relaxed, given that the Sabbath meal was regarded as a natural part of the family's relaxing and unwinding, after a long week. The family clearly regarded it as important and meaningful, as reflected in the careful attention to detail expressed in the layout of the table, but not as an extraordinary, anticipated event like Passover or Christmas for Christians. The family's good dishes and napkins were used, and everyone was dressed to denote the fact that this was a formal occasion. However, the very 'best' china was not used, as it would be for a High Holy Day in Judaism. On one hand, this sense of formality combined with informality made me feel more at ease. On the other hand, I was aware that I was intruding into a private family ritual, albeit one connected to a larger cultural tradition.

My preconceived notions about the observation of the Jewish Shabbos were that it was or should be a profoundly religious experience, and one that was very different from my own observance of a meal. This was partially because of my vague knowledge of the very strict rules attached to keeping the Sabbath. For example, growing up, I knew very observant Jewish friends could not come over to my house to play on Friday nights or Saturday mornings, because of religious obligations and because their parents could not drive a car during those times. Attending the Sabbath created a sense of normalcy of the experience for me and contextualized my previous encounters with Orthodox Judaism. Before, I was only aware of what Jews could not do on the Sabbath -- now I was more aware of what they did, and why keeping a strict Sabbath was welcome, important, and meaningful to Jewish people.