Sun and Rest

I arrived in Israel two weeks ago to the day.  Since I arriving, I have been attending 5 hours of Hebrew class each day plus doing a few hours of Hebrew homework each afternoon then beginning work to finish my thesis for my Master's program from last year.  So I've been working on that another 5-7 hours each night. I am proud to say that I have finally finished it and sent it off so I don't have to think about it anymore.  The topic of the thesis was the Israel-Palestine Conflict so it felt as if it was all part of the same learning process but now I can just focus on learning the language which comes as a huge relief.  In addition, I am looking forward to getting out and seeing more of the city.  Earlier today I was able to visit the beach for the first time, where a lot of the students have been spending their afternoons.  The best beach in this area is called Carmel Beach, which can be seen on a clear day from campus.  It is a very popular place for families to go on the weekend and it is not uncommon for them to spend much of their day there, especially for those families that do not have air conditioning.  (It is usually in the high 80's most every afternoon.)  Carmel Beach is also interesting because it is rather dangerous to swim there because of the ocean currents.  Several swimmers have died this summer because they stray too far from the beach and get pulled out to sea.  Therefore, many areas have been cordoned off from swimming.  Only small areas, about 50 to 100 yards wide, are spaced along the beach that are allowed for playing in the waves so that lifeguards can keep a close watch.  They do not refrain from yelling at the swimmers over loudspeakers to stay out of restricted areas.  Other than that, the beach is beautiful and the water is incredibly clear and warm.  I had a great time just laying out in the sun and playing in the water while trying not to piss off the lifeguard.

Tonight is Friday here.  This means that it is Shabbat.  As soon as the sun goes down the day of rest begins and only ends when the sun goes down on Saturday.  This is a strange thing coming from a place that considers the days to begin and end at 12 am.  It is a different concept of time, clearly much older and related to no modern sense of hours and minutes, only the time offered by the sun.  I knew this was the case before I arrived but the reality of living in it is something different.  All shops, restaurants and modes of transportation are closed or stop by Friday afternoon and only open either late Saturday after the sun has gone down or not until Sunday.  Therefore, the city is buzzing Friday with last minute errands and enjoyments that must be finished before Shabbat.  Surprisingly, it actually takes a considerable amount of planning to do nothing for a day.  Shopping, laundry, anything needed for Sunday morning, must all be finished by Friday afternoon.  In the United States, according to Christian tradition, Sunday is reserved for rest, but let me tell you "rest" is a relative term.  My first notion of this disparity was from "The Big Lebowski" when John Goodman's character, Walter Sobchak, a convert to Judaism, refuses to cook, eat, and "sure as @&?$ doesn't roll on Shabbat".  The day of rest was literally interpreted as meaning "no work".  However, the definition of work is rather strictly defined in the bible.  Thus, there are many forms of work traditionally forbidden in Orthodox Judaism, including turning on and off electronic devices, making edible that which is inedible (for instance making coffee or mixing foods together), and many other stipulations.  Many people continue to observe this ritual strictly while others do not.  I have found that each person has their own definition of what is acceptable, though there is rather strict guidelines outlined by the Orthodoxy.  Nonetheless, it is an interesting and, I think, sound ritual.  It forces one to stop, no matter what one is doing, no matter how important (though hospitals and other essential services do not shut down) and focus on rest and the spirit.  Knowing that many people's weekends can be busier than their week, and offers no real rejuvenating qualities, I think more people could use a little Shabbat in their life.